World Mental Health Day 2023: "If You Are Suffering, Talk About It," Says Divija Bhasin - Exclusive

Divija Bhasin is a popular influencer and content creator. She is an active advocate of mental health. She is also the founder of a mental health organization called 'The Friendly Couch' which provides therapy. On World Mental Health Day, we reached out to know her perspective and talk about the various scenarios related to our mental health.

In an exclusive and delightful conversation with me, she talks about her illustrious journey so far and much more.

How did you become interested in sharing life advice and discussing mental health issues with your audience?

I never planned to become an “influencer”. I was just posting for fun because I am a creative person and enjoy making content. I realized this when I started posting on TikTok during the lockdown. I am otherwise a very shy person so TikTok helped me come out of this shyness. Once it was banned, I switched to Instagram.

What are some of the most common mental health issues or struggles that your audience reaches out to you about? How do you approach addressing those concerns?

Anxiety and low self-esteem are very common. It could be due to the type of parenting models we follow in India where the parent-child dynamic is less friendly and more on the strict side. We work on this by addressing the expectations my clients have for themselves and making them realistic.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Divija Bhasin | Mental health (@awkwardgoat3)

How do you strike a balance between authenticity and maintaining healthy boundaries when sharing personal stories or struggles with your followers?

I don't share anything deeply personal on my social media. I am very careful about what I post since I know people will always have opinions about what I post. And if I post about my struggles, it is only about things that I have already dealt with in the past. I don't like sharing my entire life with my followers as I'm otherwise a very private person.

How do you handle criticism or negative feedback from your followers?

If it is said in a respectful manner, I try to incorporate it and reflect on it especially if the same feedback comes from many people. If it is disrespectful, I ignore it as disrespectful feedback to me is trolling, not feedback.

Do you take responsibility for the kind of content you share on social media to ensure it doesn't influence your audience in the wrong way?

Yes, I do. I only post after doing research on the topics I post about. I do this by reading research papers extensively if I'm posting about some psychological theory.

You advocate Mental Health yourself; do you experience feelings of sadness when things don't go as planned? How do you tackle such situations and what do you suggest one should do?

Of course, everyone goes through sadness at some point and has their own personal way of dealing with it. I deal with it by talking about it with people I trust. If someday I feel that I am unable to deal, I will go to a therapist and recommend this to everyone as well.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Divija Bhasin | Mental health (@awkwardgoat3)

Could you share some valuable advice on managing and controlling anger effectively?

Communicate that you are unable to manage your anger if you are around people and leave the triggering situation. Come back to it once your anger has gone and you can think with a calm mind. This takes a lot of practice but can be effective for many people.

How does our usage of social media impact our mental well-being, and what steps can we take to maintain a healthy balance in this digital age?

Social media has negative and positive effects on our well-being. It provides a good support system for many people and even provides validation for some. However, it gets extreme if you get dependent on only one source of support and validation. A balance means getting this support from different sources and not just one.

Photo Credit: Divija Bhasin's Team

On Mental Health Day, what crucial message would you like to convey to everyone about the significance of mental health and its positive influence on our lives?

I would say - if you are suffering, talk about it. Talk about it to someone you trust, through anonymous social media platforms or even to yourself. The first step to dealing with mental health struggles is acknowledging something is wrong. It may be uncomfortable at first but that is what will bring change. Also talking to a Psychologist is not shameful at all. It is very brave and does not make you weak - unlike what people say.