Blog post: What Color is your Ribbon?

Is talking about mental health still taboo? Well, I don't think so.

While there is no end to the intensity and capacity in which this topic can and should be deliberated, there is a specific reason for bringing it up again today. I’ve come to see it from a different perspective this time. The thought process was not untouched, however, mentioning the same in our discussions certainly was!

Health Equity Initiatives

Health Equity Initiatives (HEI) is a Malaysian non-profit that has dedicated itself to diverse causes, focusing on mental health as the primary one.

At the end of the day, what is the thing that comforts us the most? It’s our home - a place where we long to go back after whatever we were up to - a place we are free to go anytime - have the liberty to do anything, be whatever we feel like & have full control - a place that keeps us safe & gives us shelter, privacy, identity, belonging security, and freedom. Let’s just imagine ourselves without any roof on our heads and having to roam around here & there begging people and looking for a place to survive every day.

Unimaginable, right? However, millions of people around us live this way for days on end and face the atrocities of life. No place to live, no place to work, limited access to basic services, poverty, health problems, exploitation, forced labor, human trafficking, and poor living & working conditions, to name a few.

What most do you think impacts such people?

Some don’t have food to eat, some shiver in the cold, some are worried sick about keeping their families safe, and some are probably away from their close ones unaware of their whereabouts.

The adverse effects of this pain can have a lasting impression on one’s mental health. Even after being supported by organizations like HEI, they might revive in terms of physical, social, and financial well-being, but what about the revival of mental stability? Here’s where the HEI (& hopefully many other such organizations) takes the lead.

Mental Wellness

Quoting HEI’s wellness initiative, “from fleeing for their lives to finding peace of mind…,” they take utmost care of refuge health and mental health. One of the best things is that people who’ve faced and come out of such challenges are helping other people understand their mental health needs and how to cope with such circumstances. The presence of such an empathetic aura is what makes this process naturally effective & seamless!

Taking the instance of refugees and HEI was an example (although a significant one). Mental health is crucial for each & every individual present in this world!

As per the apex health organization WHO, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” While we need to sincerely take care of our well-being, we must also lend a helping hand to others who are bearing some heavy load on their heads. Listening, sharing, and caressing could be the simplest yet most efficient remedies - & remember there is no quick fix as mental health is not a problem, it is a state of mind that will exist and need to be cared for forever and ever!!

The color of my ribbon is Green. What’s yours?