Count on counselling

THIS refers to Taru Bahl’s article: "Count on Counselling" (July 24). It is quite revealing to note that more than five in every 100 Indians have some psychiatric problem. It is the increasing tension in daily life which has led to this. Rapid social changes like the breakdown of support systems have made matters worse. With the result, most of us harbour mental tensions. Thus, we often find employees in offices and other places in an irritated mood.

It should be a matter of grave concern to the society that the number of individuals with healthy minds and healthy bodies is declining. It is only healthy minds and healthy bodies which make healthy nations. The nation will have to, therefore, pay a heavy cost for ignoring health care (both physical and mental) of the people.

Helplines are a positive step in this direction. Their objective — reaching out to distressed people and helping them come to terms with their problems — is commendable. The movement must widen its net and expand its sphere of activities.

ONKAR CHOPRA
Ludhiana

II

It requires a great deal of strength of mind to accept that there is something wrong with us. People can be helped if they have access to information regarding counsellors and psychotherapists. The writer should have given studies of cases that have been resolved through counselling. This would have enabled people to know that problems are and can be overcome with counselling. Marital counselling should have been dealt with at length since more and more families are breaking up because of adjustment and ego problems between partners. Judges should direct couples to counsellors or clinical psychologists for trying to resolve their differences before arriving at a decision. This could prevent many traumatic divorces.

RAJSHREE SHARDA
Chandigarh

Plan your old age

Apropos of I.M. Soni’s "Plan your 60 plus life" (July 24), the writer has considered only the monetary aspect of retired life. This, according to him, leads to an increase in mental stress. Ironically, one knows one’s age of retirement from the very first day of service. In fact it is the lack of planning that causes misery. One feels confused, isolated and even abandoned.

With a realistic attitude towards life, old age could be more interesting than even one’s youth. At this time one is free from the responsibility of educating children. In most cases they are married and have their own families. Under normal conditions there are no financial troubles as one gets a sufficient amount by way of pension benefits.

There are cases where one suffers health problems and may even be neglected by one’s own children. But these problems are not the direct outcome of one’s retirement. An unhealthy attitude towards life and people leads to isolation and frustration.

VED GULIANI
Hisar

II

No doubt, elderly people are prone to chronic diseases like heart diseases, blood pressure etc. Mental tension plays a predominant role in the development of such diseases. Lack of emotional support from the family rather than economic factors causes mental tension.

Retirement, like old age, is inevitable for every person. Planning for retirement involves financial planning to ensure economic security in later life. However such planning should start early, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve post-retirement goals.

A Swedish study published in 1993 showed that if people with high blood pressure, heart problems and high cholesterol, got emotional support from their family and friends, they could live comfortably in spite of their afflictions.

P.L. SETHI
Patiala

Love defies definition

Apropos of Khushwant Singh’s column "This Above All" (July 17), love, like poetry, may defy definition, but we can experience the sweetness, which it imparts to our lives. Love promotes and nourishes such sentiments as lend a divine aura to our existence and enables us to see the divine in all beings.

Reciprocation of love is natural and spontaneous because love begets love. Love always gives; it never demands. It remains constant. "Love is not love, which alters when alteration it finds," said Shakespeare. Possessiveness goes against the true spirit of love.

S.K. SHARMA
Lucknow

Learn to be happy

Apropos of the write-up "Give and be happy" by Chitleen K. Sethi (July 24), true happiness does not lie in things but in thoughts. Happiness emerges not from the absence of conflicts in life but from the ability to cope with such conflicts. Happiness lies not in receiving but in giving. It is found not in trying to escape work but in having enthusiasm for work. Looking for happiness through materialistic gains is futile.

ANUP K. GAKKHAR
Jalandhar