In Kashmir, people are not just affected by the ongoing decades-long conflict but also social issues. And children are the most affected, which leads to several mental health issues. It is a fact but often ignored or less cared for. When a person talks of mental health issues here, or of therapy, they are given strange looks. Within a broken social fabric, where conflict tears apart your mental peace, it becomes more important to look within ourselves and our homes. In families, where parents are struggling to find a common prosperous goal in life, children are the first casualty. It is not just one case but several. However, due to the current atmosphere, such issues are always shadowed by the growing anxiety due to the conflict. The political situation or the rise in violence shouldn’t be the reason to ignore social issues, which are also playing a role in intensifying impact on our mental health. It is not too late that the concept of taking care of mental health, of children as a priority, should be talked about. It is no shame that a person is seeing a therapist if it helps to look within, find peace, and continue a prosperous life. It becomes an imperative duty of parents, especially in families where domestic violence has taken roots, to address their children. The government, as well as the civil society, needs to see mental health issues with serious concern and find ways and means to deal with it. Both should work on building a safe space for each other to discuss, evolve, and work on addressing such a problem, not to demean anyone but only to help them find a solution towards a peaceful mind and soul. With social media becoming a major part of our lives, such a space also needs to be sanitized towards mental health and used to influence solution-oriented spaces and not demeaning measures.
The Kashmir Walla needs you, urgently. Only you can do it.
We have always come to you for help: The Kashmir Walla is battling at multiple fronts — and if you don’t act now, it would be too late. 2020 was a year like no other and we walked into it already battered. The freedom of the press in Kashmir was touching new lows as the entire population was gradually coming out of one of the longest communication blackouts in the world.
We are not a big organization. A few thousand rupees from each one of you would make a huge difference.>
The Kashmir Walla plans to extensively and honestly cover — break, report, and analyze — everything that matters to you. You can help us.