An attempt to normalise and mainstream conversations on mental health issues.

NL Team This is the tenth and final episode of the first season of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host with a focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how a person perceives, interacts with, and understands the world. It is fundamentally marked by difficulties in social communication and interaction, presence of restricted and repetitive behaviours, interests or activities. While these core characteristics remain the same, they manifest differently in every autistic individual. The disorder itself is called a “spectrum” disorder, because it presents in a wide range of severity and characteristics. People with ASD also commonly have sensory sensitivities, and might be over- or under-responsive to sensory stimuli such as lights, sounds, textures and smells. We talk to Merry Baruah, activist, specific needs educator, and the founder and director of Action for Autism, an organisation that works with individuals with social and communication challenges. We also speak to Anindita Kundu, a queer and neurodivergent psychotherapist with ADHD who is on the autistic spectrum. Tune in! Resources <a href="http://www.autism-india.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Action for Autism (AFA)</a> <a href="https://swabodhiniautism.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Swabodhini Charitable Trust</a> <a href="https://www.autismindia.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Autism India - IRIS</a> Credits Script and host: Shardool Katyayan Producer: Chanchal Gupta Editor: Samarendra K. Dash Design: Shambhavi Thakur Research: Shardool Katyayan

Mind ki Baat, Ep 10: Autism spectrum disorder

NL Team This is the ninth episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host with a focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. In this episode, we discuss schizophrenia, a complex and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, behaves and perceives the world around them. It’s a chronic condition that requires continuous treatment and support, yet is often caricatured in pop culture. We speak to Amrit Kumar Bakhshy, a banker by profession who has been a caregiver to his daughter living with schizophrenia since the 1990s. He’s also the president of the Schizophrenia Awareness Association and serves on the institutional board of NIMHANS. We also speak to Dr Alok Kulkarni, a senior consultant psychiatrist at the Manas Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Hubli. Tune in! Resources <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Mental-Illness-Care-Giving-Complications-ebook/dp/B0953CD9SD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mental Illness and Caregiving – Challenges, Concerns, and Complications</a> <a href="https://schizophrenia.org.in/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Schizophrenia Awareness Association</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/yL9UJVtgPZY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anderson Cooper tries a schizophrenia simulator</a> <a href="https://nimhans.ac.in/pssmhs-helpline/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PSSMHS Helpline</a> Credits Script and host: Shardool Katyayan Producer: Chanchal Gupta Editor: Umrav Singh Design: Shambhavi Thakur Research: Shardool Katyayan

Mind ki Baat, Ep 9: Schizophrenia

This is the eighth episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host with a focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. This episode focuses on a specific aspect of trauma that is largely ignored in popular discussion – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. A basic fact about PTSD is that while all those who suffer from this condition have gone through trauma, not all who go through trauma will have PTSD.&nbsp;Approximately eight percent of the population will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, with higher rates among individuals exposed to combat or interpersonal violence. The episode will focus on PTSD induced by natural or manmade disasters, and also PTSD among personnel in the armed services. It features conversations with Rajeev Mishra, a survivor of the 1983 Union Carbide Gas tragedy in Bhopal, and Divya Dawar, a senior clinical psychologist who regularly works with trauma victims who have faced violence and abuse. Tune in!

Mind ki Baat, Ep 8: PTSD

This is the seventh episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host with a focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. This episode and the next will focus on trauma, an emotional response to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms one’s ability to cope. It’s a complex and multifaceted topic, and can stem from a multitude of reasons. In this episode, we look at trauma experienced by women due to sexual or other types of violence against them. It’s a subject heavily discussed in the media, but it’s also a subject that isn’t adequately understood, especially in terms of the impact it has on a victim’s everyday life and behaviour. The gravity of the situation can be summarised by the fact that many women wanted to speak on this podcast – but couldn’t, for various reasons. This episode features conversations with Divya Dawar, a senior clinical psychologist who regularly works with women who have faced violence and abuse. We also talk to Nidhi Suresh, a journalist who reports on gender-based violence. Tune in!

Mind ki Baat, Ep 7: Sexual violence and trauma

This is the sixth episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host with a focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. In this episode, we discuss Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, a mental health condition that affects millions around the world. OCD is characterised by recurrent obsessions and compulsions. These significantly impact a person’s daily life, yet they’re often mocked for their compulsions by neurotypicals.&nbsp; This episode features conversations with Manvi Tiwari, a lived experience expert and activist in OCD and anxiety, who sits on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/manvi-tiwari/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">several advisory boards and councils</a>. We also talk to Nipuna Singh, a forensic and counselling psychologist with over eight years of experience. Tune in!

Mind ki Baat, Ep 6: OCD

This is the fifth episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host with a focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. In this episode, we’ll try and understand bipolar disorder, previously termed manic depressive disorder. In simplest terms, it’s a condition that primarily affects a person’s moods, which can swing from one extreme to another. But this definition, while technically correct, does not portray its magnitude and complexity. Living with bipolar disorder can be debilitating, and multiple studies have shown that people with bipolar disorder are among the most vulnerable in society, if left without support. This episode features conversations with Sandhya, a journalist and writer, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a decade ago. Since then, she’s been trying to raise awareness about it. We also speak to Dr Alok Kulkarni, a senior consultant psychiatrist at the Manas Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Hubli, Karnataka. He was awarded the IMH Marshall fellowship by the University of British Columbia to research bipolar disorder in 2022-23. Tune in! Resources <a href="https://bipolarindia.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bipolar India</a> <a href="https://ibpf.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">International Bipolar Foundation</a>

Mind ki Baat, Ep 5: Bipolar disorder 

This is the fourth episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host that will focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today.&nbsp; This segment looks at depression – better known than other mental health illnesses, but still not well understood. In fact, their familiarity with the term often leads people to be dismissive of depression, which can have disastrous consequences. Depression is a mental health disorder characterised by persistent feelings of sadness, low moods, and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities. It affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves, and can have various emotional and physical symptoms. This episode features conversations with Mayur Sharma, television personality and host of Highway On My Plate, and Dr Bhavna Barmi, a mental health professional, writer and public speaker with over 25 years of experience in psychology.&nbsp; Tune in! Resources <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6341936/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Library of Medicine</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/XiCrniLQGYc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WHO video on depression, “I had a black dog, his name was depression”</a>

Mind ki Baat, Ep 4: Depression

This is the third episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host that will focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today. This segment looks at Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. It is not an illness but a neurodevelopmental anomaly which is usually diagnosed in childhood and persists into adulthood. The symptoms vary but commonly include trouble sustaining attention, speaking out of turn, or being easily distracted or restless.&nbsp; Those living with ADHD find it more tough to prioritise and manage tasks – impacting their career – and their relationships are often strained by signs of impulsive behaviour and difficulty regulating emotions. This episode features an interaction with Dr Amit Sen, a psychiatrist and co-founder of Children First, and Gurmehar Kaur, who joined Newslaundry after authoring two books. The three panelists, including the host, share perspectives and personal experiences on how it’s like to live with ADHD. Tune in! Resources<a href="https://www.additudemag.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ADDitudemag.com</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to ADHD</a> CreditsScript and host: Shardool KatyayanProducer: Lipi VatsEditor: Umrav SinghDesign: Shambhavi ThakurResearch: Rhea Lodhiya, Shardool Katyayan

Mind ki Baat, Ep 3: ADHD

This is the second episode of Mind ki Baat, a Newslaundry podcast with a neurodivergent host that will focus on the invisible epidemic of mental health issues in society today.&nbsp;This segment looks at the stigma against mental illness, and how it hinders an individual’s ability to receive help from caregivers and clinicians – destroying families, leading to discrimination, and exacerbating symptoms. The lack of awareness and negative media stereotypes often contribute to the problem, becoming a barrier to any conversation around mental health. The episode features an interaction with Mrinalini Ravi and Devina Buckshee. Mrinalini is the deputy director of the Banyan, a Chennai-based outfit which works with homeless people with mental illness, while Devina is the co-founder of the Mental is Political, a feminist collaborative for mental health, social justice and advocacy. They tell us how stigma plays out for those who live with it and those who try to help. Tune in! Resources<a href="https://reevin.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reevin Mental Health</a><a href="http://aasra.info/about-us.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aasra</a><a href="https://parivartan.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Parivartan</a> CreditsScript and host: Shardool KatyayanProducers: Jude Weston, Lipi VatsEditor: Umrav SinghDesign: Shambhavi ThakurResearch: Rhea Lodhiya, Shardool Katyayan

Mind ki Baat, Ep 2: Stigma

Why this podcast? While there are more news reports and headlines on mental health issues now, especially after the Covid pandemic, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. There’s very little understanding of basic terminology, let alone the ways these issues impact lives.

Mind Ki Baat

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