Amidst lavish gifts and bouquets, sometimes it is easy to overlook our mothers’ health. Our mother selflessly care for their families but often neglect themselves. So today, to ensure they lead healthy, fulfilling lives—returning the care they’ve shown us. Join us as we welcome a distinguished doctors to share insights on maternal health.
Mental health and wellness of a mother by Dr. Viketoulie Pienyii, retired senior medical officer State Mental Health Institute, present faculty of the Carl Rogers Institute.
He talked about psychological problems faced by mothers in Nagaland context. He said like any other advance societies, our Naga mothers also faces lots of stresses, anxieties and depressions.
He highlighted the main social issues that is affecting mothers’ mental health in this generation:
Work related stress: A mother juggling between home and work
Alcoholism in the family: Young families are struggling with alcohol issue effecting their relationship, financial and professions.
Living in close proximity with relatives: Young family living in close proximity with relatives are creating a lot of unnecessary stress.
Financial stress: Financial instability builds stress in the household affecting relationship.
“These will continue as we progress with our society”, he also stressed on the importance of postpartum depression faced by women calling it “the vulnerable period”.
He stressed that young mothers have more tendency to fall into depression and when the mother’s mental health is not stable, the whole house is affected.
Effects the husband: Husband become dysfunctional and helpless in many situations, everything in the house is centred around the mother’s mental health so the family whole environment is affected and stops functioning including the children.
How can husbands and children help their mothers during such situations?
Father/husband should give her emotional support
Be attentive to your wife’s needs
Spend time with your family: this is more effective than any medicine found in the pharmacy.
Be home on time and tend to her needs
Talk about problems
Advice to mothers to help them during stress:
Be physically active
Sleep well
Talk about your problems and about what is stressing you
Do not isolate or confine yourself
Balance your time: work, sleep and rest
Be good manager of your time and plan
Mental health carry a stigma and it is time to overcome this as it is a treatable disease just like any other diseases and to come out of it, talk about it and get cured.
Kezhazolie Cornelius Mere, psychologist, co-founder and chairman of Carl Rogers Institute of Mental Health and Research Center
Our society’s stigma around mental health creates a vicious cycle. A parent struggling with unaddressed stress or anxiety can unknowingly pass it on to their children. Living in a high-stress environment normalizes tension for kids, making it harder for them to recognize and manage their own emotions. This parent’s mental health can also impact their parenting style. They might struggle to offer the empathy, understanding, and judgment-free space (like Carl Rogers described) crucial for healthy emotional development. This can leave children’s feeling unsupported and lacking the tools to cope with their own mental well-being.
Breaking this cycle requires prioritizing mental health throughout life. Premarital and post-marital counselling equips couples to manage stress and support each other. Sex education that includes mental health discussions fosters open communication. Most importantly, seeking professional help allows individuals to understand and manage their mental state, creating a healthier environment for themselves and future generations.
He extended Mother’s Day wishes to all the mothers. He was saying as quoted “we celebrate your strength and love, no matter your circumstances. “Thank you for being a safe haven, even if you can’t always express it with words. Your unwavering love provides a foundation, even in the face of unimaginable loss, separation, or hardship. You are seen, appreciated, and cherished,”. (Correspondent)