Platform to lift self-esteem

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 15 Oct 2018, Darjeeling: Nishit Lama went into a coma for 48-hours to survive a stroke that left his right hand and leg paralytic.

But he didn't run away from realities.

Three years later, Lama, now 46, participated in a 7km run "without stopping for a minute" from Batasia to Chowrasta here on Thursday.

He is part of a platform called Changai (healing) to boost the self-esteem of people who suffer from physical and mental infirmities.

"When I completed the run, I wanted to cry but I felt shy. But I remember that I kept on screaming and screaming and screaming," said Lama who was working with a multinational company in Hyderabad when he took ill.

The run was organised by Marg, a Darjeeling-based NGO, on the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

Lama's three years has been hard. "There had been nothing good to take from stroke, except that it made me mentally strong," said Lama who admits that he went into depression "feeling worthless, helpless, sad, anxious …and that life was over for him". Two years back, Lama spoke about his feeling to his 76 year old mother. "She only listened to me but I found support in her listening," said Lama. It was after he spoke his heart out, Lama believes, his recovery process started.

Changai took shape when Namrata Edwards, a resident of Darjeeling, was invited to a jig at a pub here two months back. "I, too, have gone through lot of complexes, low esteem. I feel many young people are going through depression," she said.

The jig was a show by young musicians from Darjeeling for "mental health awareness".

"Everyone had a story, some were depressed because a friend had committed suicide, some had some examples in their family ....(Late) Fr Gerard Van Walleghem (a renowned educationist from Darjeeling) would always say our young students had low self-esteem even though he didn't know why," said Edwards.

It is then that Namrata and his friends got together, along with Lama, to form Changai.

"It is not okay to be not okay," said Edwards who started talking to school children and people feeling depressed, helping them identify their problems. Namrata and friends are not trained professionals -- they refer to themselves as "care-givers". But soon, word spread and Changai now has a psychologist, mental health specialist, psychiatrist and other experts on board.

"Working with other people is now motivating me more. I now do my 45-minute exercises twice everyday," said Lama.

The platform maintains anonymity and slowly many people from Darjeeling are turning up for counselling. "We have come across many instances of this vicious circle of low self esteem and addiction...this is alarming," said Edwards.

Lama said: "I have realised that the most important thing is mental strength." Lama was taking a jog near Chowrasta on Sunday when a few girls commented: "Oh, he runs in such a funny manner." "I did not feel bad as they do not know my history. But I did smile back at them," said Lama.

Lama and Changai are trying to bring smiles to many who are suffering silently.