Hello everyone! My field of study- Occupational Therapy has enabled me to be actively associated in working in Mental Health. Throughout my course of 4 years, I've dealt with clients mostly in the acute phase in Psychiatric and addiction wards. Because of this exposure and experience, I've had the opportunity to meet clients with a a wide variety of diagnosis from different types of Schizophrenia , Depression, Bipolar Disorders , Child Psychiatry, Somatoform disorders and also Substance Abuse Disorders. Working with clients has made me realise how much effect mental health issues can have on various areas of life - from intrapersonal to interpersonal relationships, social & occupational functioning, activities of daily living etc. And yet, so much of it is un noticed and ignored. The sublte signs which could've been picked up earlier are often ignored until much later till serious issues arise. Prejudice, stereotyping and stigma associated as well as lack of awareness are often se the root causes why people are afraid to seek help. But working with the clients has made me realise that when patients and their family members are counseled & explained and made aware in simple terms about the diagnosis and issues , most of them are ready to cooperate and take active efforts and are motivated for therapy. Beginning with a detailed evaluation followed by Rapport Building, Patient Education, Purposeful and Enabling activities through which we focus on helping them address their emotional, physical, cognitive issues,interpersonal & intrapersonal issues.Time and Leisure Management,Group Therapy,Relaxation techniques etc are some of the strategies I've used personally. The fact that i get to make a difference in someone's life and to see them overcoming their challenges is what motivates me and keeps me going.
Parishree Pandya December 12, 2020 7:05 pm
@riyashah hi Riya. Wow, seems like you've had a lot of experience. Also you know about so much stuff, that's really nice. I was very impressed. Hope I get many different opportunities to have varied experiences too.
Hakim Khairunnisa December 12, 2020 7:23 pm
Thanks for sharing about your path and life. It would be great to know more about experiences with such patients.
Kanishka Mendiratta December 12, 2020 11:08 pm
@riyashah Fantastic!
You've gained a wonderful experience, dealing with patients who are going through such bizaare conditions.
May god bless you immensely.
Thanku for sharing your experience with us🌟☺️
Prerna Dash December 12, 2020 11:35 pm
@riyashah you've such good experiences and I hope i can learn some fruitful things from you. You've a great future, keep up the good work and keep helping people.
Prakriti Sanganeria December 13, 2020 1:41 pm
Hey Riya! It was really inspiring and you have had a great experience. It was good to know so much more about this field.
Thank you for sharing it with us
Shruti Shashidharan December 13, 2020 1:47 pm
@riyashah Hey, your experience is really extensive and reading about it makes me want to do so much more in this field and I can't wait. I agree with the fact that a lot of us don't realise how even the smallest of things can sometimes have a severe negative impact on our mental well being and it's absolutely important to educate people on this. thank you so much for sharing!! <3
Amrita Jain December 13, 2020 4:25 pm
soo good to have such a positive vibes from..really great to to know you wish to help someone overcome their problems and guide them to live a happy life.
Shubhangi December 13, 2020 4:47 pm
This is so helpful, you are so helpful. I really respect you and your job. It takes a lot of courage to be willing to help people whom the society has written off as damaged or helpless. Take care, have a good day.
Elysia Fernandes December 13, 2020 8:55 pm
Yess! These are such important topics that need to be brought to the attention of the general public. You’re doing a great job! Wishing you all the best for your future💖
Kirtika Tiwari December 13, 2020 9:07 pm
That is really thought provoking. You've a different perspective to things. So happy you shared your story.
Yuvanue chauhan December 13, 2020 10:01 pm
@riyashah thanks for sharing your experience with us . i am glad that i read this .
anshika singh December 14, 2020 12:36 am
stigmas revolving around mental health are endless, we together as a community really want to work toward that cause and that feels so powerful 🙂
It was so inspiring, I wish you lots of luck. Stay safe and take care💖
Wow! That's great. It's good to work alongside such experienced people. Would love to know more and more from you. Lets connect on Instagram and gain more knowledge on psychology and support each other. Instagram @illyshaikart 💛
Your work seems really interesting. It was educational, intriguing and informative. I would definitely take something back from your story. Your perseverance makes all the difference.
This is an informative one. As I am new in this field, I really get a viewpoint here.
Thank you for sharing about your experience.
Good luck:)
This was literally amazing . Loved your experience
Wow this gave a great insight into the field. Thank you so much for writing this
Thankyou for sharing your experiences and giving us an insight into your field and work!
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing your experience! 🙂
