Cross-country woman motorcycle rider Sana Iqbal, who campaigned on her bike against depression and suicide, died in a car accident in Hyderabad yesterday.

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Hyderabad: Activist Sana Iqbal who campaigned on her bike against depression and suicide dies in a car accident <a href="https://t.co/w6eO2ri5Wl">pic.twitter.com/w6eO2ri5Wl</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/923028842456870913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Her, mother, however, has alleged that she was murdered by her estranged husband.

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It is a cold blooded murder made to look like an accident, her estranged husband and his mother who used to harass her are behind it:Mother <a href="https://t.co/bsexirVE6k">pic.twitter.com/bsexirVE6k</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/923030577250316289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Sana&#39;s husband, Abdul Nadeem, who was travelling with her, was injured in the accident that took place on the outskirts of Hyderabad at 3.30 am, police said, adding that a case under IPC section 304A (causing death by negligence) and other relevant sections has been registered.

They were on their way home to Tolichowki when the car rammed the median on the Outer Ring Road, said Narsingi Police Station Inspector GV Ramana Goud.

&quot;Sana&#39;s husband Abdul Nadeem was driving the car. Sana, who suffered severe injuries in the mishap, was shifted to a nearby hospital but was declared brought dead. Her husband, who received injuries, is undergoing treatment,&quot; the police official said.

Sana, 29, made news a few years ago when she undertook a solo motorcycle expedition across the country to raise awareness about suicide and depression.

The focus of her campaign was to educate people, particularly students, against committing suicide.

Sana's mother has alleged that she was murdered by her estranged husband

Cross-country woman motorcycle rider Sana Iqbal, who campaigned on her bike against depression and suicide, died in a car accident in Hyderabad yesterday. Hyderabad: Activist Sana Iqbal who campaigned on her bike against depression and suicide dies in a car accident pic.twitter.com/w6eO2ri5Wl — ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017 × Her, mother, however, has alleged that she was murdered by her estranged husband. It is a cold blooded murder made to look like an accident, her estranged husband and his mother who used to harass her are behind it:Mother pic.twitter.com/bsexirVE6k — ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017 × Sana's husband, Abdul Nadeem, who was travelling with her, was injured in the accident that took place on the outskirts of Hyderabad at 3.30 am, police said, adding that a case under IPC section 304A (causing death by negligence) and other relevant sections has been registered. They were on their way home to Tolichowki when the car rammed the median on the Outer Ring Road, said Narsingi Police Station Inspector GV Ramana Goud. "Sana's husband Abdul Nadeem was driving the car. Sana, who suffered severe injuries in the mishap, was shifted to a nearby hospital but was declared brought dead. Her husband, who received injuries, is undergoing treatment," the police official said. Sana, 29, made news a few years ago when she undertook a solo motorcycle expedition across the country to raise awareness about suicide and depression. The focus of her campaign was to educate people, particularly students, against committing suicide.

Sana Iqbal, biker who campaigned against suicide, dies in car accident

Deepika Padukone said Thursday that she is not over her depression.&nbsp;

It was &quot;such a bad experience&quot;, she said, that she worries continuously about having a relapse.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think I can say that I&#39;m completely over depression. There is always a fear at the back of my mind that I might have a relapse because it has been such a bad experience for me,&quot; PTI quoted her as saying.

Deepika was speaking at the India Economic Summit in New Delhi.&nbsp;

Deepika was one of the first -- if not the first -- actors to speak out publicly about having been depressed, and getting help for it.&nbsp;

That opened the floodgates.&nbsp;

Not that other actors spoke about having been depressed, but for the next few months the media certainly carried the topic on its front pages.&nbsp;

After having spoken out, Deepika also launched the Live Love Laugh Foundation, which champions&nbsp;the cause of mental health in India with a focus on depression.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Deepika also spoke of how depression might have affected her career.&nbsp;

She said she was not certain of it but it is possible that some producers did not give her work because she spoke up about (the stigmatic) depression.&nbsp;

&quot;Maybe there are people who haven&#39;t offered me films because they think I was depressed and I can&#39;t act. Maybe, I don&#39;t know,&quot; PTI quoted her as saying.&nbsp;

PTI added that Deepika is now batting for the introduction of mental health in school curriculum.

She said that should help do away with the stigma attached to depression.

It was 'such a bad experience', said Deepika, that she always carries around a fear of relapsing

Deepika Padukone said Thursday that she is not over her depression. It was "such a bad experience", she said, that she worries continuously about having a relapse. "I don't think I can say that I'm completely over depression. There is always a fear at the back of my mind that I might have a relapse because it has been such a bad experience for me," PTI quoted her as saying. Deepika was speaking at the India Economic Summit in New Delhi. Deepika was one of the first -- if not the first -- actors to speak out publicly about having been depressed, and getting help for it. That opened the floodgates. Not that other actors spoke about having been depressed, but for the next few months the media certainly carried the topic on its front pages. After having spoken out, Deepika also launched the Live Love Laugh Foundation, which champions the cause of mental health in India with a focus on depression. On Thursday, Deepika also spoke of how depression might have affected her career. She said she was not certain of it but it is possible that some producers did not give her work because she spoke up about (the stigmatic) depression. "Maybe there are people who haven't offered me films because they think I was depressed and I can't act. Maybe, I don't know," PTI quoted her as saying. PTI added that Deepika is now batting for the introduction of mental health in school curriculum. She said that should help do away with the stigma attached to depression.

Can't say I'm completely over my depression: Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone said Thursday that she is not over her depression.&nbsp;

It was &quot;such a bad experience&quot;, she said, that she worries continuously about having a relapse.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think I can say that I&#39;m completely over depression. There is always a fear at the back of my mind that I might have a relapse because it has been such a bad experience for me,&quot; PTI quoted her as saying.

Deepika was speaking at the India Economic Summit in New Delhi.&nbsp;

Deepika was one of the first -- if not the first -- actors to speak out publicly about having been depressed, and getting help for it.&nbsp;

That opened the floodgates.&nbsp;

Not that other actors spoke about having been depressed, but for the next few months the media certainly carried the topic on its front pages.&nbsp;

After having spoken out, Deepika also launched the Live Love Laugh Foundation, which champions&nbsp;the cause of mental health in India with a focus on depression.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Deepika also spoke of how depression might have affected her career.&nbsp;

She said she was not certain of it but it is possible that some producers did not give her work because she spoke up about (the stigmatic) depression.&nbsp;

&quot;Maybe there are people who haven&#39;t offered me films because they think I was depressed and I can&#39;t act. Maybe, I don&#39;t know,&quot; PTI quoted her as saying.&nbsp;

PTI added that Deepika is now batting for the introduction of mental health in school curriculum.

She said that should help do away with the stigma attached to depression.

Deepika said she thinks a large part of stigma around mental health comes from the fact that we are educated in schools about physical education as a part of the curriculum but nothing about or related to mental health has been a part of the same and hence she concluded it by saying &#39;If we included mental health in our curriculum and its importance at school level, there will be no stigma.&#39;

The actor also said, &#39;Policymakers and people at workplaces need to recognise and normalise depression so that those suffering from such mental illnesses could come out and confide without the fear of losing their jobs.&#39;

Adding to the topic she said that she didn&#39;t think about the repercussions when she decided to go public with her depression battle, her idea was to change the way people in India and in world see mental illness.

Deepika Padukone said Thursday that she is not over her depression. It was "such a bad experience", she said, that she worries continuously about having a relapse. "I don't think I can say that I'm completely over depression. There is always a fear at the back of my mind that I might have a relapse because it has been such a bad experience for me," PTI quoted her as saying. Deepika was speaking at the India Economic Summit in New Delhi. Deepika was one of the first -- if not the first -- actors to speak out publicly about having been depressed, and getting help for it. That opened the floodgates. Not that other actors spoke about having been depressed, but for the next few months the media certainly carried the topic on its front pages. After having spoken out, Deepika also launched the Live Love Laugh Foundation, which champions the cause of mental health in India with a focus on depression. On Thursday, Deepika also spoke of how depression might have affected her career. She said she was not certain of it but it is possible that some producers did not give her work because she spoke up about (the stigmatic) depression. "Maybe there are people who haven't offered me films because they think I was depressed and I can't act. Maybe, I don't know," PTI quoted her as saying. PTI added that Deepika is now batting for the introduction of mental health in school curriculum. She said that should help do away with the stigma attached to depression. Deepika said she thinks a large part of stigma around mental health comes from the fact that we are educated in schools about physical education as a part of the curriculum but nothing about or related to mental health has been a part of the same and hence she concluded it by saying 'If we included mental health in our curriculum and its importance at school level, there will be no stigma.' The actor also said, 'Policymakers and people at workplaces need to recognise and normalise depression so that those suffering from such mental illnesses could come out and confide without the fear of losing their jobs.' Adding to the topic she said that she didn't think about the repercussions when she decided to go public with her depression battle, her idea was to change the way people in India and in world see mental illness.

Still not over Depression: Deepika Padukone?

The idea of coming home to your pet after a long day at work is one that most would agree as a great stress buster. The West has already been successful in coming up with a concept called Pet Therapy that involves animal-assisted activities or animal-assisted therapy for those dealing with stress and other related issues. 
&nbsp; 
Interestingly, the concept is now making its way to a developing country like India where an average middle-class person is constantly juggling between several responsibilities, while making a decent living. Keeping in mind the growing societal pressure on an individual to perform and succeed, a small, yet, bright venture in India called Fur Ball Story is using pet therapy as a model to help people relax, find comfort, recover from serious illnesses and stay happier in general.

They also aim to &ldquo;help those with any form of disability in coming to terms with life and to provide them unconditional love for motivation. At Fur Ball Story, the aim is to alleviate stress at the very basic level so that it does not reach the chronic stages.&rdquo;

Start of a Story 
&nbsp; 
It all started when Animesh Katiyar, co-founder Fur Ball Story got two Labrador puppies for recreational purposes. The dogs became an instant hit among his peers and became a source of happiness for first year students who were unable to deal with homesickness, absenteeism, result-related pressure and others. 
&nbsp; 
Animesh then researched about the concept and resolved to start something of his own using this model. The startup got registered in September 2016 with two of Animesh&rsquo;s friends, Srishti Sharma and Arushi Dixit joining him in this endeavor.

Animesh says, &ldquo;If the concept could be successful at such a small-scale (in college), it would probably work wonders at a large-scale. That&rsquo;s how Fur Ball Story began.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Dishiti Titus, a lawyer who has a dog at home agrees that her pet is her stress buster and mood uplifter. She says, &ldquo;Sometimes you just need a shoulder to lean on when you&#39;re low--no advice, no consoling or sometimes you just need to be alone. Whenever I&#39;ve been low and I want a break from humans, I go out and sit on the steps of my house. &nbsp;Everytime without fail, I&#39;ve had muddy paws and a wet nose come inspect. I could scream at my dog and tell her to go away but instead she sits against me and just minds her own business, making sure her presence is felt. My furry friend and her innocent face is a mood lifter. It works every time.&rdquo;

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&nbsp;

Ashutosh Uttarwar, another pet owner says, &ldquo;It&#39;s hard to point at one specific thing that he (dog) does for me but he&#39;s &nbsp;been with us for six years and everytime I&#39;m feeling tense or sad, I simply go and hug him. He helps relieve a lot of negativity. Today I was worried about some decisions I had to make and kept freaking out about how the future will turn out, so I got Pablo (dog) to my bed and lay&nbsp;down with him. Not only did he relieve my stress, but slowly I started to think more clearly and realised I needn&#39;t worry and could focus better.&rdquo;&nbsp;

But to be a pet owner is one thing and call for a pet therapy session quite another. Is India, with its blanket vision of stereotypes and strong cultural opposition to therapy, ready for this ? 
&nbsp; 
Animesh confirms, &ldquo;Yes, India is conservative when it comes to therapy but there are two reasons why this hasn&rsquo;t affected our business: 
&nbsp; 
&ldquo;People hardly understand the scientific relevance attached to pet therapy. To most, it still is just about playing with dogs. Those who find it interesting, give us a call and while they think it&rsquo;s just some time they are spending with dogs, the therapy does its work and leaves a mark without them knowing. As long as our purpose is served, it hardly matters what stereotypes the client has.

&ldquo;Also, not a lot of Indians are conservative about therapy anymore.&rdquo;

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Furry Army&#39;s Angel at Burger King, CP (WION)
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What keeps them going, I ask?

Animesh answers, &ldquo;The unconditional love of the members of our furry army, and the happy, satisfied faces of our clients. When a parent of an autistic child sees her interacting with our pooches and smiling after a long time, his speechlessness and wet eyes give us all the motivation we require to keep it going, despite the hardships.&rdquo;

Aanchal Kalra, a photographer by profession narrates how pet therapy changed her life. She was able to survive a troubled phase in her life after she came in contact with therapy dogs. She says, &ldquo;My dog had passed away and I started remaining sad during most hours of the day. Every other small problem started adding to the agony. It was a really tough time for me. I had gotten that dog (now dead) for myself after suffering from clinical depression for five years. It was difficult to get over that and lead a normal life.

&ldquo;That&#39;s when I went to Pet Fed&#39;16 as a photographer and came across Fur Ball Story&#39;s stall. After the event, I called them for a residential session and it became a regular thing. After a few weeks, I had to shift to Mumbai for work and it seriously wouldn&#39;t have been as smooth as it was, had there not been the existing support and unconditional love of the furry army.&rdquo;

Therapy Training for Dogs

How do the dogs get therapy training?&nbsp;

Animesh explains, &ldquo;The primary requirement of having a therapy dog is, that it must be your pet, it must be your full-time partner in crime. So yes, these dogs are our pets. They live with the founders of the company. We address these dogs as furry army, individually known as Angel (Gold retriever), Muffin (Labrador) and Cocoa (Shih-tzu).&nbsp;

&ldquo;Therapy training is very different from other kinds of training being provided to dogs such as sniffing or protection. In this, the dog is taught two main things: focus and interaction. The dog is trained with a handler, and for that dog, the handler has to become nothing less than a godly figure. And all this is done with the help of treats. We use salami in training our dogs. It&rsquo;s call positive enforcement training or reward-based training.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Therapy training is taught by taking the dogs in public places and teaching him to ignore everyone but their handler. The dog will follow and notice only the handler and when the handler commands the dog to interact with people, the dog does so by sitting next to them so that people pet him.&nbsp;

&ldquo;For a therapy training, the chemistry between the dog and the handler has to be top notch. Therapy dogs are not allowed to bite, bark or lunge as it may scare or worsen the condition of the people, specifically patients such as autistic or other mentally or physically challenged people. (We prefer the term differently abled). Our training is given by Mr. Varun Anand, who is one of the very few people who is internationally certified to train and certify therapy dogs.&rdquo; &nbsp;

Human-Animal bond

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<h5>Cuddling a pet releases the &lsquo;cuddle chemical&rsquo; oxytocin in both human and pet. This chemical has a calming and soothing effect in both, leading to development of a bond between the two--almost as intense as that between two humans.</h5>
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Several researches indicate that being in proximity with an animal reduces stress substantially and makes one feel lighter.

Millinjyot, a clinical psychologist trained in veterinary medicine says, &ldquo;Studies have been focusing on the fact that interacting with animals can increase people&#39;s level of the &lsquo;hormone oxytocin&rsquo;. Cuddling a pet releases the &lsquo;cuddle chemical&rsquo; oxytocin in both human and pet. This chemical has a calming and soothing effect in both, leading to development of a bond between the two--almost as intense as that between two humans.&rdquo;

Animesh confirms that it&rsquo;s true for his furry friends too, that there has been a considerable change in the nature and mood of his dogs. He says, &ldquo;Our dogs are most happy when they have people around, because that&rsquo;s the way they&rsquo;re trained, so being in sessions is the best time for them.&rdquo;

Studies have continued in this field since a long time. Dr. Aubrey H. Fine, a clinical psychologist and author of several books on human-animal bond can be cited in his books: &ldquo;Use of pets in medical settings actually dates back more than 150 years. One could even look at Florence Nightingale (Founder of modern nursing) recognising that animals provided a level of social support in the institutional care of the mentally ill.&rdquo;

&ldquo;The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that positively influences the health and well-being of both&rdquo;, he adds in his books.&nbsp;

But this exercise must be exhausting for the pets, I ask Animesh?&nbsp;

Animesh ensures, &ldquo;We make sure that the dogs are taken care of even during the sessions--they are given breaks and personal time to relax or sleep. On regulars days, they chill at the house with a family member, or are taken to parks for recreation and exercise. &nbsp;Pre-and post session they&rsquo;re back in the house doing their own thing.&rdquo;

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The Furry Army at Nagarro&#39;s Gurgaon office in a pet therapy session (WION)
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Limitations

Has there been any limitation for a startup like Fur Ball Story while including animals in therapy?

&ldquo;With regard to hospitals, people raise concerns of hygiene but our dogs are fully vaccinated and are given utmost care when it comes to maintaining cleanliness-- as we know our clientele. Another challenge, is to tackle people who might not be receptive to dogs and will object to their presence in the building.&nbsp;

&ldquo;When it comes to bringing the pets to a residence, the only issue is that some people call us in the afternoon and want the session to happen outside in open. We can&rsquo;t do that due to weather issues, obviously. For a therapy session to happen, we always need ample space and an air conditioned environment.&rdquo;

Adopt Pets and Say No to Animal Abuse

With Fur Ball Story, Animesh and his co-founders are trying to build a culture of &ldquo;encourage adoption, increase productivity and decrease animal abuse&rdquo;. 
&nbsp; 
With an established premise of pet therapy and its benefits to both animals and humans, Fur Ball Story wants to break barriers of just adopting purebred breeds. They want to encourage adoption of indie dogs and discourage abandonment of a furry family member once he or she is old or sick. The startup aims to involve more number of people who can benefit from pet therapy and also increase sensitivity towards animals--lowering rates of animal abuse. 
&nbsp; 
Animesh says, &ldquo;Upon spending time with a therapy dog, people tend to undergo certain hormonal changes in the body due to which stress reduces, people start feeling happier and thus they end up giving their 100 per cent&nbsp;in whatever work they indulge in. While providing corporate sessions, we advise clients to opt for 3-months long collaboration wherein regular sessions are provided to the employees. This inculcates a feeling of belongingness in employee and he feels like coming to office for something other than money. Such positive changes improve the productivity of the person.&rdquo;

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<h5>I got angry at first but when those little balls of fur approached me with loving eyes and licked me and wagged their tails, I felt something different</h5>
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&nbsp;

A therapy-seeker, Pankaj Gulati is a banker who admits being short-tempered throughout his life. He says, &ldquo;My anger has affected my health at certain times. One day, my son just randomly called Fur Ball Story home with their dogs. I got angry at first but when those little balls of fur approached me with loving eyes and licked me and wagged their tails, I felt something different. It&#39;s hard to explain that feeling--initially I did not support it at all, just kept sitting in a corner but till when can you ignore those eyes. The dogs when they came home, they changed the entire atmosphere. After two to three sessions with those cute dogs, I ended up asking my son to adopt one for our own. My family now believes that playing with the dogs has calmed me down. All I know is that I feel happy around them.&rdquo;

Apart from improving productivity and reducing stress with pet therapy, Fur Ball Story also touches upon an important factor of animal sensitivity. In the wake of several incidents where youngsters all around the country have been seen abusing animals, particularly dogs, it is an important step. 
&nbsp; 
Animesh says, &ldquo;We are attempting to spread animal sensitivity in India with the help of our sessions. Wherever we go for therapy, apart from telling them the benefits of a therapy dog, we also help them understand how to interact with stray dogs and indies in the neighborhood. We educate kids about the fact that the Indian dogs are not harmful, it&rsquo;s all about how our approach is towards them is, and we make them learn the right approach so that violence against these animals can be reduced.&rdquo; &nbsp;

An organisation like Fur Ball Story in India is one-of-a-kind. The startup is planning on expanding to cities Mumbai and Bangalore, and are also working on coming up with India&rsquo;s first therapy and recreational centre using animal-assisted therapy. Animesh adds, &ldquo;Once we are settled with pet therapy, we might start a range of organic dog food and other healthcare products.&rdquo;&nbsp;

(WION) &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Pet therapy is emerging as a model to help people relax, find comfort, and recover from serious illnesses

The idea of coming home to your pet after a long day at work is one that most would agree as a great stress buster. The West has already been successful in coming up with a concept called Pet Therapy that involves animal-assisted activities or animal-assisted therapy for those dealing with stress and other related issues. Interestingly, the concept is now making its way to a developing country like India where an average middle-class person is constantly juggling between several responsibilities, while making a decent living. Keeping in mind the growing societal pressure on an individual to perform and succeed, a small, yet, bright venture in India called Fur Ball Story is using pet therapy as a model to help people relax, find comfort, recover from serious illnesses and stay happier in general. They also aim to “help those with any form of disability in coming to terms with life and to provide them unconditional love for motivation. At Fur Ball Story, the aim is to alleviate stress at the very basic level so that it does not reach the chronic stages.” Start of a Story It all started when Animesh Katiyar, co-founder Fur Ball Story got two Labrador puppies for recreational purposes. The dogs became an instant hit among his peers and became a source of happiness for first year students who were unable to deal with homesickness, absenteeism, result-related pressure and others. Animesh then researched about the concept and resolved to start something of his own using this model. The startup got registered in September 2016 with two of Animesh’s friends, Srishti Sharma and Arushi Dixit joining him in this endeavor. Animesh says, “If the concept could be successful at such a small-scale (in college), it would probably work wonders at a large-scale. That’s how Fur Ball Story began.” Dishiti Titus, a lawyer who has a dog at home agrees that her pet is her stress buster and mood uplifter. She says, “Sometimes you just need a shoulder to lean on when you're low--no advice, no consoling or sometimes you just need to be alone. Whenever I've been low and I want a break from humans, I go out and sit on the steps of my house. Everytime without fail, I've had muddy paws and a wet nose come inspect. I could scream at my dog and tell her to go away but instead she sits against me and just minds her own business, making sure her presence is felt. My furry friend and her innocent face is a mood lifter. It works every time.” I could scream at my dog and tell her to go away but instead she sits against me and just minds her own business, making sure her presence is felt × Ashutosh Uttarwar, another pet owner says, “It's hard to point at one specific thing that he (dog) does for me but he's been with us for six years and everytime I'm feeling tense or sad, I simply go and hug him. He helps relieve a lot of negativity. Today I was worried about some decisions I had to make and kept freaking out about how the future will turn out, so I got Pablo (dog) to my bed and lay down with him. Not only did he relieve my stress, but slowly I started to think more clearly and realised I needn't worry and could focus better.” But to be a pet owner is one thing and call for a pet therapy session quite another. Is India, with its blanket vision of stereotypes and strong cultural opposition to therapy, ready for this ? Animesh confirms, “Yes, India is conservative when it comes to therapy but there are two reasons why this hasn’t affected our business: “People hardly understand the scientific relevance attached to pet therapy. To most, it still is just about playing with dogs. Those who find it interesting, give us a call and while they think it’s just some time they are spending with dogs, the therapy does its work and leaves a mark without them knowing. As long as our purpose is served, it hardly matters what stereotypes the client has. “Also, not a lot of Indians are conservative about therapy anymore.” Furry Army's Angel at Burger King, CP (WION) × What keeps them going, I ask? Animesh answers, “The unconditional love of the members of our furry army, and the happy, satisfied faces of our clients. When a parent of an autistic child sees her interacting with our pooches and smiling after a long time, his speechlessness and wet eyes give us all the motivation we require to keep it going, despite the hardships.” Aanchal Kalra, a photographer by profession narrates how pet therapy changed her life. She was able to survive a troubled phase in her life after she came in contact with therapy dogs. She says, “My dog had passed away and I started remaining sad during most hours of the day. Every other small problem started adding to the agony. It was a really tough time for me. I had gotten that dog (now dead) for myself after suffering from clinical depression for five years. It was difficult to get over that and lead a normal life. “That's when I went to Pet Fed'16 as a photographer and came across Fur Ball Story's stall. After the event, I called them for a residential session and it became a regular thing. After a few weeks, I had to shift to Mumbai for work and it seriously wouldn't have been as smooth as it was, had there not been the existing support and unconditional love of the furry army.” Therapy Training for Dogs How do the dogs get therapy training? Animesh explains, “The primary requirement of having a therapy dog is, that it must be your pet, it must be your full-time partner in crime. So yes, these dogs are our pets. They live with the founders of the company. We address these dogs as furry army, individually known as Angel (Gold retriever), Muffin (Labrador) and Cocoa (Shih-tzu). “Therapy training is very different from other kinds of training being provided to dogs such as sniffing or protection. In this, the dog is taught two main things: focus and interaction. The dog is trained with a handler, and for that dog, the handler has to become nothing less than a godly figure. And all this is done with the help of treats. We use salami in training our dogs. It’s call positive enforcement training or reward-based training. “Therapy training is taught by taking the dogs in public places and teaching him to ignore everyone but their handler. The dog will follow and notice only the handler and when the handler commands the dog to interact with people, the dog does so by sitting next to them so that people pet him. “For a therapy training, the chemistry between the dog and the handler has to be top notch. Therapy dogs are not allowed to bite, bark or lunge as it may scare or worsen the condition of the people, specifically patients such as autistic or other mentally or physically challenged people. (We prefer the term differently abled). Our training is given by Mr. Varun Anand, who is one of the very few people who is internationally certified to train and certify therapy dogs.” Human-Animal bond Cuddling a pet releases the ‘cuddle chemical’ oxytocin in both human and pet. This chemical has a calming and soothing effect in both, leading to development of a bond between the two--almost as intense as that between two humans. × Several researches indicate that being in proximity with an animal reduces stress substantially and makes one feel lighter. Millinjyot, a clinical psychologist trained in veterinary medicine says, “Studies have been focusing on the fact that interacting with animals can increase people's level of the ‘hormone oxytocin’. Cuddling a pet releases the ‘cuddle chemical’ oxytocin in both human and pet. This chemical has a calming and soothing effect in both, leading to development of a bond between the two--almost as intense as that between two humans.” Animesh confirms that it’s true for his furry friends too, that there has been a considerable change in the nature and mood of his dogs. He says, “Our dogs are most happy when they have people around, because that’s the way they’re trained, so being in sessions is the best time for them.” Studies have continued in this field since a long time. Dr. Aubrey H. Fine, a clinical psychologist and author of several books on human-animal bond can be cited in his books: “Use of pets in medical settings actually dates back more than 150 years. One could even look at Florence Nightingale (Founder of modern nursing) recognising that animals provided a level of social support in the institutional care of the mentally ill.” “The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that positively influences the health and well-being of both”, he adds in his books. But this exercise must be exhausting for the pets, I ask Animesh? Animesh ensures, “We make sure that the dogs are taken care of even during the sessions--they are given breaks and personal time to relax or sleep. On regulars days, they chill at the house with a family member, or are taken to parks for recreation and exercise. Pre-and post session they’re back in the house doing their own thing.” The Furry Army at Nagarro's Gurgaon office in a pet therapy session (WION) × Limitations Has there been any limitation for a startup like Fur Ball Story while including animals in therapy? “With regard to hospitals, people raise concerns of hygiene but our dogs are fully vaccinated and are given utmost care when it comes to maintaining cleanliness-- as we know our clientele. Another challenge, is to tackle people who might not be receptive to dogs and will object to their presence in the building. “When it comes to bringing the pets to a residence, the only issue is that some people call us in the afternoon and want the session to happen outside in open. We can’t do that due to weather issues, obviously. For a therapy session to happen, we always need ample space and an air conditioned environment.” Adopt Pets and Say No to Animal Abuse With Fur Ball Story, Animesh and his co-founders are trying to build a culture of “encourage adoption, increase productivity and decrease animal abuse”. With an established premise of pet therapy and its benefits to both animals and humans, Fur Ball Story wants to break barriers of just adopting purebred breeds. They want to encourage adoption of indie dogs and discourage abandonment of a furry family member once he or she is old or sick. The startup aims to involve more number of people who can benefit from pet therapy and also increase sensitivity towards animals--lowering rates of animal abuse. Animesh says, “Upon spending time with a therapy dog, people tend to undergo certain hormonal changes in the body due to which stress reduces, people start feeling happier and thus they end up giving their 100 per cent in whatever work they indulge in. While providing corporate sessions, we advise clients to opt for 3-months long collaboration wherein regular sessions are provided to the employees. This inculcates a feeling of belongingness in employee and he feels like coming to office for something other than money. Such positive changes improve the productivity of the person.” I got angry at first but when those little balls of fur approached me with loving eyes and licked me and wagged their tails, I felt something different × A therapy-seeker, Pankaj Gulati is a banker who admits being short-tempered throughout his life. He says, “My anger has affected my health at certain times. One day, my son just randomly called Fur Ball Story home with their dogs. I got angry at first but when those little balls of fur approached me with loving eyes and licked me and wagged their tails, I felt something different. It's hard to explain that feeling--initially I did not support it at all, just kept sitting in a corner but till when can you ignore those eyes. The dogs when they came home, they changed the entire atmosphere. After two to three sessions with those cute dogs, I ended up asking my son to adopt one for our own. My family now believes that playing with the dogs has calmed me down. All I know is that I feel happy around them.” Apart from improving productivity and reducing stress with pet therapy, Fur Ball Story also touches upon an important factor of animal sensitivity. In the wake of several incidents where youngsters all around the country have been seen abusing animals, particularly dogs, it is an important step. Animesh says, “We are attempting to spread animal sensitivity in India with the help of our sessions. Wherever we go for therapy, apart from telling them the benefits of a therapy dog, we also help them understand how to interact with stray dogs and indies in the neighborhood. We educate kids about the fact that the Indian dogs are not harmful, it’s all about how our approach is towards them is, and we make them learn the right approach so that violence against these animals can be reduced.” An organisation like Fur Ball Story in India is one-of-a-kind. The startup is planning on expanding to cities Mumbai and Bangalore, and are also working on coming up with India’s first therapy and recreational centre using animal-assisted therapy. Animesh adds, “Once we are settled with pet therapy, we might start a range of organic dog food and other healthcare products.” (WION)

Finding love in furry friends

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Mental health illness and its management is a major challenge in&nbsp;contemporary India. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that the global population will soon be living in&nbsp;a &ldquo;mad and sad World&rdquo;. WHO&#39;s scary deduction&nbsp;has been that half of the world&rsquo;s population by 2021 will suffer from one or the other types of mental health problems.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most common mental health problems in the world today, says WHO in its global health estimate report (2017) on Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders. The numbers are terrifying with 322 million people living with depression and 264 million suffering from anxiety disorder. Each of these categories of patients includes 4.4 per cent and 3.6 per cent of the world&rsquo;s population respectively.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The extent of mental health problems is particularly grave in the lower income countries of South-East Asia and Western Pacific region. Evidently, in India, issues such as poverty and unemployment, have further accelerated mental health issues. On top of these, there are other stressful life events, such as the death of loved one, relationship breakup, physical illness, loss of interest, failure, feeling of guilt, low self-esteem, loss of sleep, feeling of loneliness, intolerance, maladjustment and fanaticism.

&nbsp;

Death often results from mental illness, with patients committing suicide. In the year 2015 alone, nearly 7,88,000 people committed suicide worldwide. It does not need mentioning that the actual number of people who attempted suicide is much larger than the number who perished from it. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Globally speaking, suicide constitutes the top 20 leading causes of death. The suicide rate in India and often stems from social and economic causes. For instance, thousands of farmers committed suicide in the last 2 years due to debt that they could not repay. Dowry and drug addiction are two other debilitating issues. Also, the situation has become grave as mental health issues receive the least priority in the Center as well as in the state&#39;s health planning. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

As a nation, we are oblivious of the menace posed by mental diseases to the well-being of the Indian citizen. To fight the rising threat, India requires numerous trained psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, counsellors, trained health workers, and social workers as well as volunteers. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The crisis&nbsp;we have in hand are multi-faceted in nature. There is obviously the need to reach out to a large number of people, using audio-visual media, however, the pitfall is, there is always the risk of being too eager to analyse the clinical condition and the causes leading to it. Unfortunately, the general tendency is to put a label on every aspect of human behaviour. It is also questionable whether the public perception of a mental patient is modified by the didactic approach of the television programmes and documentary films on the illness.&nbsp; Moreover, popular cinema, in India and abroad, has been known to depict mentally-ill people and clinical psychologists in a negative light.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Prejudices against seeking mental treatment are too rampant in India. Indians are known to be hesitant in approaching clinical psychologists for help. One reason for this is, there is the social stigma attached to being a mentally ill patient. But there is also the most ubiquitous fear of being subjected to electric shocks as a form treatment in the hospitals. High expenses of consulting a clinical psychologist is also a discouraging factor. Common people in India, particularly, in the villages, therefore, approach vaidya, hakeem as well as religious faith healers like tantriks, maulvis and even naturopaths.&nbsp;

Instead, people should try meditation and yoga. These practices can be learnt very inexpensively and help one and all to maintain both physical fitness as well as mental peace.&nbsp;

In conclusion, it can be said that India desperately needs specialised hospitals and also psychiatrist units in general hospitals. The latter measure will be instrumental in bringing psychiatry from close-wards of mental hospitals to the mainstream medical practice. Another major thrust is required on teaching health psychology or specifically health education at schools. A step towards improvement will definitely be taken if we start to &ldquo;Think Globally, Collaborate Regionally And Act Locally&rdquo;.&nbsp; The success of a nation like India depends on the general happiness and well being of the people.

Half of the world?s population by 2021 will suffer from one or the other types of mental health problems

Mental health illness and its management is a major challenge in contemporary India. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that the global population will soon be living in a “mad and sad World”. WHO's scary deduction has been that half of the world’s population by 2021 will suffer from one or the other types of mental health problems. Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most common mental health problems in the world today, says WHO in its global health estimate report (2017) on Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders. The numbers are terrifying with 322 million people living with depression and 264 million suffering from anxiety disorder. Each of these categories of patients includes 4.4 per cent and 3.6 per cent of the world’s population respectively. The extent of mental health problems is particularly grave in the lower income countries of South-East Asia and Western Pacific region. Evidently, in India, issues such as poverty and unemployment, have further accelerated mental health issues. On top of these, there are other stressful life events, such as the death of loved one, relationship breakup, physical illness, loss of interest, failure, feeling of guilt, low self-esteem, loss of sleep, feeling of loneliness, intolerance, maladjustment and fanaticism. Death often results from mental illness, with patients committing suicide. In the year 2015 alone, nearly 7,88,000 people committed suicide worldwide. It does not need mentioning that the actual number of people who attempted suicide is much larger than the number who perished from it. Globally speaking, suicide constitutes the top 20 leading causes of death. The suicide rate in India and often stems from social and economic causes. For instance, thousands of farmers committed suicide in the last 2 years due to debt that they could not repay. Dowry and drug addiction are two other debilitating issues. Also, the situation has become grave as mental health issues receive the least priority in the Center as well as in the state's health planning. As a nation, we are oblivious of the menace posed by mental diseases to the well-being of the Indian citizen. To fight the rising threat, India requires numerous trained psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, counsellors, trained health workers, and social workers as well as volunteers. The crisis we have in hand are multi-faceted in nature. There is obviously the need to reach out to a large number of people, using audio-visual media, however, the pitfall is, there is always the risk of being too eager to analyse the clinical condition and the causes leading to it. Unfortunately, the general tendency is to put a label on every aspect of human behaviour. It is also questionable whether the public perception of a mental patient is modified by the didactic approach of the television programmes and documentary films on the illness. Moreover, popular cinema, in India and abroad, has been known to depict mentally-ill people and clinical psychologists in a negative light. Prejudices against seeking mental treatment are too rampant in India. Indians are known to be hesitant in approaching clinical psychologists for help. One reason for this is, there is the social stigma attached to being a mentally ill patient. But there is also the most ubiquitous fear of being subjected to electric shocks as a form treatment in the hospitals. High expenses of consulting a clinical psychologist is also a discouraging factor. Common people in India, particularly, in the villages, therefore, approach vaidya, hakeem as well as religious faith healers like tantriks, maulvis and even naturopaths. Instead, people should try meditation and yoga. These practices can be learnt very inexpensively and help one and all to maintain both physical fitness as well as mental peace. In conclusion, it can be said that India desperately needs specialised hospitals and also psychiatrist units in general hospitals. The latter measure will be instrumental in bringing psychiatry from close-wards of mental hospitals to the mainstream medical practice. Another major thrust is required on teaching health psychology or specifically health education at schools. A step towards improvement will definitely be taken if we start to “Think Globally, Collaborate Regionally And Act Locally”. The success of a nation like India depends on the general happiness and well being of the people.

WHO says: We are heading into a 'mad and sad world'

I don&rsquo;t exactly remember how long ago I became acquainted with the term depression, but I do remember not understanding its connotation up until a few years ago.

&ldquo;Mental health&rdquo; is something we Indians are not very comfortable discussing. It&rsquo;s not an actual disease, they say. You only go to a psychologist or a therapist if you&rsquo;re insane, they say.

Yet, World Health Organization (WHO) says India is the most depressed nation in the world with 36 per cent of Indians having suffered from a major depressive episode (MDE).

WHO also states that women are more prone to depression than men, where the burden of depression is 50 per cent higher among females as compared to men.

Largely goes undiagnosed

Ruchika Kanwal, Clinical Psychologist at Karma Centre for Counselling and Wellbeing, says depression largely goes undiagnosed among women, specifically among the ones who stay at home.

Why does that happen, I ask

&quot;The immediate social circle that they (housewives) have are women who are mostly housewives. When they discuss their issues, they&rsquo;re mostly struggling with the same symptoms. They then tend to normalise it because everybody is going through the same thing,&quot; says Ms Kanwal.

She adds that these women don&rsquo;t understand that there are certain symptoms that are beyond normal, clinically speaking. This leads to depression largely going undiagnosed.

Burden on women

Postpartum depression is a type of clinical depression may affect women after childbirth. The symptoms include insomnia, irritability, social isolation, fatigue, etc.

There are more than 10 million cases of postpartum depression per year in India. Those who develop postpartum depression are also at a greater risk of developing major depression later on in life.

Left untreated, postpartum depression can interfere with mother-child bonding and cause family problems. Children of mothers who have untreated postpartum depression are more likely to have emotional and behavioural problems, such as sleeping and eating difficulties, excessive crying, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Manavi Khurana says a lot of women they see at their clinic don&rsquo;t get help with child rearing. It&rsquo;s always the woman&rsquo;s job to take care of the child, she adds.

&quot;We&rsquo;ve had clients who are very upset because their husbands give them absolutely no share in power at home. So that is one of the causes of postpartum depression among women,&quot; says Ms Khurana.

Ms Khurana is a Counselling Psychologist. She is also the founder of the Karma Centre for Counselling and Wellbeing.

But what causes depression among these women?

Some common symptoms of depression are loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, experiencing negative thoughts, hopelessness, among many others.

I asked Ms Kanwal what exactly triggers depression among Indian women.

She says because women are suppressed in India, they don&rsquo;t go out and talk about their problems, which in the long run leads to depression.

&ldquo;Internalised disorders are more prevalent among people who do not express themselves as much. Women are not motivated to go out and talk about their problem,&rdquo; Ms Kanwal says.

She continues, &ldquo;So when they don&rsquo;t have that support system to vent out, they keep internalising it and exhaust all the coping skills they have. When you don&rsquo;t have that platform, it will take a toll 
on your health.&rdquo;

How to deal with it

The first step towards recovery, says Ms Kanwal, is to make the patients believe they&rsquo;re not weak because they&rsquo;ve been&nbsp;suffering from depression and that depression doesn&rsquo;t mean that you&rsquo;re a failure in dealing with your everyday problems.

The patient should then seek for support from family and friends, as well as a professional which could include a counsellor, psychologist or a psychiatrist.

&quot;Because it&rsquo;s a psycho-social disorder, you should avail therapy and counselling along with medication so that whatever negative thoughts or altered perception you have, you could be helped with it,&quot; says Ms Kanwal. &nbsp;

The treatment, like the condition itself, varies from person to person. So there is no clear-cut formula to overcome depression. But keeping it to yourself certainly isn&rsquo;t the answer.

Lastly, spreading awareness about mental health issues and breaking the stigma around it should be the topmost priority. Without that, patients will keep on suffering in silence. 
 
(WION)

 
&nbsp;

Depression largely goes undiagnosed among women, specifically among ones who stay at home, Clinical Psychologist Ruchika Kanwal tells WION

I don’t exactly remember how long ago I became acquainted with the term depression, but I do remember not understanding its connotation up until a few years ago. “Mental health” is something we Indians are not very comfortable discussing. It’s not an actual disease, they say. You only go to a psychologist or a therapist if you’re insane, they say. Yet, World Health Organization (WHO) says India is the most depressed nation in the world with 36 per cent of Indians having suffered from a major depressive episode (MDE). WHO also states that women are more prone to depression than men, where the burden of depression is 50 per cent higher among females as compared to men. Largely goes undiagnosed Ruchika Kanwal, Clinical Psychologist at Karma Centre for Counselling and Wellbeing, says depression largely goes undiagnosed among women, specifically among the ones who stay at home. Why does that happen, I ask "The immediate social circle that they (housewives) have are women who are mostly housewives. When they discuss their issues, they’re mostly struggling with the same symptoms. They then tend to normalise it because everybody is going through the same thing," says Ms Kanwal. She adds that these women don’t understand that there are certain symptoms that are beyond normal, clinically speaking. This leads to depression largely going undiagnosed. Burden on women Postpartum depression is a type of clinical depression may affect women after childbirth. The symptoms include insomnia, irritability, social isolation, fatigue, etc. There are more than 10 million cases of postpartum depression per year in India. Those who develop postpartum depression are also at a greater risk of developing major depression later on in life. Left untreated, postpartum depression can interfere with mother-child bonding and cause family problems. Children of mothers who have untreated postpartum depression are more likely to have emotional and behavioural problems, such as sleeping and eating difficulties, excessive crying, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Manavi Khurana says a lot of women they see at their clinic don’t get help with child rearing. It’s always the woman’s job to take care of the child, she adds. "We’ve had clients who are very upset because their husbands give them absolutely no share in power at home. So that is one of the causes of postpartum depression among women," says Ms Khurana. Ms Khurana is a Counselling Psychologist. She is also the founder of the Karma Centre for Counselling and Wellbeing. But what causes depression among these women? Some common symptoms of depression are loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, experiencing negative thoughts, hopelessness, among many others. I asked Ms Kanwal what exactly triggers depression among Indian women. She says because women are suppressed in India, they don’t go out and talk about their problems, which in the long run leads to depression. “Internalised disorders are more prevalent among people who do not express themselves as much. Women are not motivated to go out and talk about their problem,” Ms Kanwal says. She continues, “So when they don’t have that support system to vent out, they keep internalising it and exhaust all the coping skills they have. When you don’t have that platform, it will take a toll on your health.” How to deal with it The first step towards recovery, says Ms Kanwal, is to make the patients believe they’re not weak because they’ve been suffering from depression and that depression doesn’t mean that you’re a failure in dealing with your everyday problems. The patient should then seek for support from family and friends, as well as a professional which could include a counsellor, psychologist or a psychiatrist. "Because it’s a psycho-social disorder, you should avail therapy and counselling along with medication so that whatever negative thoughts or altered perception you have, you could be helped with it," says Ms Kanwal. The treatment, like the condition itself, varies from person to person. So there is no clear-cut formula to overcome depression. But keeping it to yourself certainly isn’t the answer. Lastly, spreading awareness about mental health issues and breaking the stigma around it should be the topmost priority. Without that, patients will keep on suffering in silence. (WION)

International Women's Day: Why are Indian women depressed?

The killing of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, was followed by a mass, public outpouring of emotion in Kashmir &ndash; some two lakh people reportedly attended his funeral.&nbsp; 
 
In other parts of India, it was followed by a more blunt cause-and-effect reasoning. &quot;He was a terrorist and he got what was coming to him,&quot; people said. The most indelicate example of that, arguably, was a letter posted on Facebook and widely circulated on social media by a Major Gaurav Arya.&nbsp; 
 
Arya ended his letter saying: &ldquo;When you choose to fight against the Indian Army, know this; THEY WILL KILL YOU. Your supporters now want blood. So be it.&rdquo; 
 
Arya&rsquo;s war cry was answered by a more sober letter by a young Kashmiri male, Wasim Khan, living in Mumbai. In his letter, Wasim talked about growing up in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;When the army in Srinagar beat me up for the first time I was 10 years old. Ask me why, and I&rsquo;ll tell you I don&rsquo;t know. I seriously don&rsquo;t. I was just walking on the road and a soldier decided to frisk me then slap me and then he and his fellow mighty warriors together kicked me,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; 
 
The second time he was beaten up by the BSF, he says, he was still 10 years old. The third time he was beaten up, he says, he was still 10 years old and &ldquo;then next fifteen sixteen times I was beaten up I was STILL 10 years old.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
One might imagine Wasim was an especially truculent child, prone to upsetting people in authority. But talk to young Kashmiri men on the street, and they all seem to have the exact same story to tell.&nbsp; 
 
Arbaaz, 28, says he was going to math tuition in an autorickshaw back when he was in Class VIII when he was stopped by the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;They asked me for my ID which I showed them.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Why are your hands in your pockets?&rdquo; the policeman asked him. &ldquo;Do you stand like that in front of your father?&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;My father&rsquo;s not here right now,&rdquo; said Arbaaz.&nbsp; 
 
Slap.&nbsp; 
 
The slap was followed by a beating, until the auto driver intervened. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a child. Let him go.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
The policeman began beating the auto driver.&nbsp; 
 
The beating stopped after a bit and Arbaaz was walking away from the scene when another policeman appeared.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;What happened?&rdquo; he asked.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Arrey dekho yaar,&nbsp;they beat us up for no reason,&rdquo; said Arbaaz.&nbsp; 
 
Slap.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Yaar? Do I look like your yaar?&rdquo; the second policeman asked, and another beating ensued.&nbsp; 
 
Sameer, 27, was beaten on his way back from tuition class. He was stopped by personnel from the Border Security Force, who asked for his ID and his age.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;87,&rdquo; Sameer said, meaning he was born in 1987.&nbsp; 
 
Slap.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;87!&rdquo; the BSF man said, &ldquo;Even my father is not that old.&rdquo; And a beating followed.&nbsp; 
 
Azgar, 28, says he and two friends had gone bathing near an army camp when a soldier walked up to them. They were in class VIII. 
 
First he began to poke them in their posteriors with a stick, after which he said &ldquo;murga bano.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
They thought he was joking, but he insisted. A beating followed.&nbsp; 
 
They pleaded to be let off, saying they were children. That they had made a mistake and that they were sorry. The soldier said two of them could go but the third &ndash; &ldquo;The one that is fat&rdquo; &ndash; would have to remain.&nbsp; 
 
Azgar and his friend left. After walking a little, the boys said that should something happen to their friend, his parents would beat them. And that it would be better to go back.&nbsp; 
 
When they got back, they found the soldier poking a stick into their friend&rsquo;s protruding belly.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Was that the first time you were beaten?&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;No. When did I say that was the first time?&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
None of these stories should be in the least bit funny, but the Kashmiri men telling them laugh and joke as they go about their storytelling. &ldquo;The funniest bit&nbsp;is you go home thinking you&rsquo;ll get some sympathy from your parents and they beat you too, saying &lsquo;Why did you go out?&rsquo;&rdquo;&nbsp;says Arbaaz. 
 
A lot less funnily, a 2015 Medecines Sans Frontiers (MSF) report says 45% of the adult population in Kashmir shows symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).&nbsp; 
 
The report reads: &ldquo;Fifty per cent of women and 37 per cent of men have probable depression, 36 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men have a probable anxiety disorder, and 22 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men have probable PTSD.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
That shows up in strange ways on the street. One man will not make eye contact, talk to another and take a step forward &ndash; because what he&rsquo;s saying is interesting &ndash; and he will take two steps back. Take another step forward, and he will take another two back. This goes on until it becomes unnerving.&nbsp; 
 
Dr Mushtaq Margoob, retired professor and head of the department of psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Kashmir, and chairman, Disaster Task Force, Indian Psychiatric Society, says this is a &ldquo;man-made disaster and that you see feelings of anger and helplessness amongst the (Kashmiri) people.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
A senior army officer, who spoke to WION on the condition of anonymity, tries to put the seemingly everyday violence into context. &ldquo;We were a very unprepared army, we were a very unprepared police force when we came here in 1989. And between 1984 and &rsquo;87 there was a lot happening elsewhere that was taking our attention away from Kashmir.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Back then we were trying to stop the loss of territory and when an army is doing that, it will be unmindful of people&rsquo;s rights. It will use hard power, rather than soft power. But when things settle down, they have to balance out their use of hard power and soft power.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
He also mentions the checkpoints that Arbaaz, Sameer, and Azgar were stopped at and beaten. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re humiliating,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;But the army changed that when we began to do sadbhavana (goodwill) &rsquo;97 onwards. Which is why you won&rsquo;t hear these stories about the army after &rsquo;97.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
Azgar disagrees. They themselves, with age and experience, have learnt how to get around the beatings. &ldquo;If an army or a CRPF man stops me, I always talk to him in Punjabi,&rdquo; says Sameer.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;But it still happens,&rdquo; says Azgar.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

A Medecines Sans Frontiers report says 45% of the adult population in Kashmir shows symptoms of anxiety, depression, or PTSD

The killing of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, was followed by a mass, public outpouring of emotion in Kashmir – some two lakh people reportedly attended his funeral. In other parts of India, it was followed by a more blunt cause-and-effect reasoning. "He was a terrorist and he got what was coming to him," people said. The most indelicate example of that, arguably, was a letter posted on Facebook and widely circulated on social media by a Major Gaurav Arya. Arya ended his letter saying: “When you choose to fight against the Indian Army, know this; THEY WILL KILL YOU. Your supporters now want blood. So be it.” Arya’s war cry was answered by a more sober letter by a young Kashmiri male, Wasim Khan, living in Mumbai. In his letter, Wasim talked about growing up in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. “When the army in Srinagar beat me up for the first time I was 10 years old. Ask me why, and I’ll tell you I don’t know. I seriously don’t. I was just walking on the road and a soldier decided to frisk me then slap me and then he and his fellow mighty warriors together kicked me,” he said. The second time he was beaten up by the BSF, he says, he was still 10 years old. The third time he was beaten up, he says, he was still 10 years old and “then next fifteen sixteen times I was beaten up I was STILL 10 years old.” One might imagine Wasim was an especially truculent child, prone to upsetting people in authority. But talk to young Kashmiri men on the street, and they all seem to have the exact same story to tell. Arbaaz, 28, says he was going to math tuition in an autorickshaw back when he was in Class VIII when he was stopped by the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force). “They asked me for my ID which I showed them.” “Why are your hands in your pockets?” the policeman asked him. “Do you stand like that in front of your father?” “My father’s not here right now,” said Arbaaz. Slap. The slap was followed by a beating, until the auto driver intervened. “He’s a child. Let him go.” The policeman began beating the auto driver. The beating stopped after a bit and Arbaaz was walking away from the scene when another policeman appeared. “What happened?” he asked. “Arrey dekho yaar, they beat us up for no reason,” said Arbaaz. Slap. “Yaar? Do I look like your yaar?” the second policeman asked, and another beating ensued. Sameer, 27, was beaten on his way back from tuition class. He was stopped by personnel from the Border Security Force, who asked for his ID and his age. “87,” Sameer said, meaning he was born in 1987. Slap. “87!” the BSF man said, “Even my father is not that old.” And a beating followed. Azgar, 28, says he and two friends had gone bathing near an army camp when a soldier walked up to them. They were in class VIII. First he began to poke them in their posteriors with a stick, after which he said “murga bano.” They thought he was joking, but he insisted. A beating followed. They pleaded to be let off, saying they were children. That they had made a mistake and that they were sorry. The soldier said two of them could go but the third – “The one that is fat” – would have to remain. Azgar and his friend left. After walking a little, the boys said that should something happen to their friend, his parents would beat them. And that it would be better to go back. When they got back, they found the soldier poking a stick into their friend’s protruding belly. “Was that the first time you were beaten?” “No. When did I say that was the first time?” None of these stories should be in the least bit funny, but the Kashmiri men telling them laugh and joke as they go about their storytelling. “The funniest bit is you go home thinking you’ll get some sympathy from your parents and they beat you too, saying ‘Why did you go out?’” says Arbaaz. A lot less funnily, a 2015 Medecines Sans Frontiers (MSF) report says 45% of the adult population in Kashmir shows symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The report reads: “Fifty per cent of women and 37 per cent of men have probable depression, 36 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men have a probable anxiety disorder, and 22 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men have probable PTSD.” That shows up in strange ways on the street. One man will not make eye contact, talk to another and take a step forward – because what he’s saying is interesting – and he will take two steps back. Take another step forward, and he will take another two back. This goes on until it becomes unnerving. Dr Mushtaq Margoob, retired professor and head of the department of psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Kashmir, and chairman, Disaster Task Force, Indian Psychiatric Society, says this is a “man-made disaster and that you see feelings of anger and helplessness amongst the (Kashmiri) people.” A senior army officer, who spoke to WION on the condition of anonymity, tries to put the seemingly everyday violence into context. “We were a very unprepared army, we were a very unprepared police force when we came here in 1989. And between 1984 and ’87 there was a lot happening elsewhere that was taking our attention away from Kashmir. “Back then we were trying to stop the loss of territory and when an army is doing that, it will be unmindful of people’s rights. It will use hard power, rather than soft power. But when things settle down, they have to balance out their use of hard power and soft power.” He also mentions the checkpoints that Arbaaz, Sameer, and Azgar were stopped at and beaten. “They’re humiliating,” he says. “But the army changed that when we began to do sadbhavana (goodwill) ’97 onwards. Which is why you won’t hear these stories about the army after ’97.” Azgar disagrees. They themselves, with age and experience, have learnt how to get around the beatings. “If an army or a CRPF man stops me, I always talk to him in Punjabi,” says Sameer. “But it still happens,” says Azgar. (WION)

Story most Kashmiri men tell: ?I was beaten by security forces?

It was the year 2005 and I was in the 9th grade. My whole family was talking about a distant relative who got admission in London School of Economics (LSE) for her masters. And just a year later, everyone was again talking about her as she&rsquo;d got a job with some big company in London with a monstrous pay package. In such talks, no one ever knows the exact name of the company or the exact figure of the money. When news travels through multiple sources, such details are often lost in transit. 
&nbsp; 
At an impressionable age of 15, such talks leave a significant impact. One doesn&rsquo;t even realise when they become part of the sub-conscious and influence one&rsquo;s future decisions in one way or the other. Fast forwarding to 2011, I completed my undergraduate studies in Economics from Delhi University and was holding an offer letter from LSE for Masters. It was just 4 years after the financial crisis had rocked the world and the effects of this meltdown had not significantly subsided. Moreover, in the same year, the UK government had stopped giving 2-year work permits along with the student&rsquo;s visas. They were protecting jobs for their own citizens. 
&nbsp; 
A year later, I graduated but with a job in a niche think tank in Delhi. Many of us still reminisce the pre-2008 period. At that time, every student was holding almost two to three jobs with decent salaries much before his/her final exam. Job seekers held the bargaining power. People were taking loans to buy houses and expensive cars as paying the instalments was not a big deal. We indulged, our governments indulged and sometimes over-indulged. There was an element of irrational exuberance. 
&nbsp; 
There are four stages in a business cycle: boom, recession, depression and recovery, with the names themselves indicative of their meanings. Most of us think that recession and depression are the worst phases of a business cycle but are they really? Instead, it is during boom when we take the most stupid decisions, plummeting ourselves into a recession. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Every time there is a boom, we make mistakes and, often, those turn out to be big mistakes. In a paper on the 1997 Asian crisis, Paul Krugman writes: &ldquo;as long as the real estate prices and stock markets were booming, even the questionable investments tended to look good. As the air began to go out of the bubble, losses began to mount, further reducing the confidence and causing the supply of fresh loans to shrink even more.&rdquo; 
&nbsp; 
Before the 2008 crisis, more importance was given to international finance than to international trade. We started moving from real to nominal - an important factor for not being able to contain the crisis in just one part of the world. Most of the European economies were over-leveraged before 2008, thus falling into an abyss of debt crisis after the shocking financial year. 
&nbsp; 
Similarly, in Venezuela, they focused so much on oil during the boom years and lavishly spent their windfall. When the oil prices fell recently, they were unable to bear the losses. Oil was their only source of income. They made the age-old mistake of putting all their eggs in the same basket. 
&nbsp; 
Also, many of the South American economies like Brazil, Colombia, etc. gorged on debt during the so-called happy times with the entire debt being denominated in US Dollars. When the Dollar appreciated significantly and the exports of commodities fell sharply, these countries were unable to service their debt and, as a result, their GDPs contracted and the standards of living worsened. Instead of maintaining the same level, the South American people have actually become poorer. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
When there is boom, every institution in every country demands lowering of rules and regulations. Everyone wants to ride the wave, be it the government, banks, financial institutions, citizens or international bodies. People behave irrationally, completely disregarding the consequences of their actions. 
&nbsp; 
We may need a regulator monitoring the activities of the various institutions during such periods of the business cycle so that it stops anyone from making those mistakes which have severe consequences in the long term. But here too, the regulator is caught up in a catch - 22 situation. If the regulator stops irrational behaviour in the beginning and things are upward looking for a while, then people think that the regulating body was panicking for no reason as everything is going great. Nobody understands that this is because the bad elements were weeded out at the right time. 
&nbsp; 
As a world, we need to arrive at a solution to clip this irrational exuberance when we are healthy. Maybe we need to devise a mechanism where someone reminds us of our past mistakes so that we don&rsquo;t repeat them in future.&nbsp;

Every time there is a boom, we make mistakes and, often, those turn out to be big mistakes

It was the year 2005 and I was in the 9th grade. My whole family was talking about a distant relative who got admission in London School of Economics (LSE) for her masters. And just a year later, everyone was again talking about her as she’d got a job with some big company in London with a monstrous pay package. In such talks, no one ever knows the exact name of the company or the exact figure of the money. When news travels through multiple sources, such details are often lost in transit. At an impressionable age of 15, such talks leave a significant impact. One doesn’t even realise when they become part of the sub-conscious and influence one’s future decisions in one way or the other. Fast forwarding to 2011, I completed my undergraduate studies in Economics from Delhi University and was holding an offer letter from LSE for Masters. It was just 4 years after the financial crisis had rocked the world and the effects of this meltdown had not significantly subsided. Moreover, in the same year, the UK government had stopped giving 2-year work permits along with the student’s visas. They were protecting jobs for their own citizens. A year later, I graduated but with a job in a niche think tank in Delhi. Many of us still reminisce the pre-2008 period. At that time, every student was holding almost two to three jobs with decent salaries much before his/her final exam. Job seekers held the bargaining power. People were taking loans to buy houses and expensive cars as paying the instalments was not a big deal. We indulged, our governments indulged and sometimes over-indulged. There was an element of irrational exuberance. There are four stages in a business cycle: boom, recession, depression and recovery, with the names themselves indicative of their meanings. Most of us think that recession and depression are the worst phases of a business cycle but are they really? Instead, it is during boom when we take the most stupid decisions, plummeting ourselves into a recession. Every time there is a boom, we make mistakes and, often, those turn out to be big mistakes. In a paper on the 1997 Asian crisis, Paul Krugman writes: “as long as the real estate prices and stock markets were booming, even the questionable investments tended to look good. As the air began to go out of the bubble, losses began to mount, further reducing the confidence and causing the supply of fresh loans to shrink even more.” Before the 2008 crisis, more importance was given to international finance than to international trade. We started moving from real to nominal - an important factor for not being able to contain the crisis in just one part of the world. Most of the European economies were over-leveraged before 2008, thus falling into an abyss of debt crisis after the shocking financial year. Similarly, in Venezuela, they focused so much on oil during the boom years and lavishly spent their windfall. When the oil prices fell recently, they were unable to bear the losses. Oil was their only source of income. They made the age-old mistake of putting all their eggs in the same basket. Also, many of the South American economies like Brazil, Colombia, etc. gorged on debt during the so-called happy times with the entire debt being denominated in US Dollars. When the Dollar appreciated significantly and the exports of commodities fell sharply, these countries were unable to service their debt and, as a result, their GDPs contracted and the standards of living worsened. Instead of maintaining the same level, the South American people have actually become poorer. When there is boom, every institution in every country demands lowering of rules and regulations. Everyone wants to ride the wave, be it the government, banks, financial institutions, citizens or international bodies. People behave irrationally, completely disregarding the consequences of their actions. We may need a regulator monitoring the activities of the various institutions during such periods of the business cycle so that it stops anyone from making those mistakes which have severe consequences in the long term. But here too, the regulator is caught up in a catch - 22 situation. If the regulator stops irrational behaviour in the beginning and things are upward looking for a while, then people think that the regulating body was panicking for no reason as everything is going great. Nobody understands that this is because the bad elements were weeded out at the right time. As a world, we need to arrive at a solution to clip this irrational exuberance when we are healthy. Maybe we need to devise a mechanism where someone reminds us of our past mistakes so that we don’t repeat them in future.

The classic economic conundrum: Slipping as you rise

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