How mindfulness and cyberculture are redefining mental health in Bangladesh

Irreproachable enough to be noted in the beginning, the mental health care paradigm pitted itself as a necessity for moving forward with life and, in its own right, drew thoughts from all walks of life. It is currently upholding its solemness due to its relevance and intensity, a steep high record.

Even though Bangladesh still struggles to obtain an economic state better than the nation currently holds, advancements in people's lifestyles have happened and were leveraged by Netiquette.

Dhaka, being the centroid, never fails to amuse and entertain and stay atop when it comes to availing of any privilege. However, the mental well-being paradigm is slowly spreading from Dhaka to discrepant parts of the nation; again, we must thank cyberculture.

Take, for instance, when a vegetable vendor sweeps off the sweat accumulating on the skin even in a dreary winter atmosphere in the capital's busy market area, a life filled significantly with the uncertainty of having to face the continuous fluctuation of the market prices, an industrious and ever-so-positive human being emerges.

Nobody used to live in a rented place with an attached kitchen, washroom, and porch has a spare minute to think about such a lifestyle. But doesn't all that make life difficult? Even the person living in a comparatively better atmosphere may be subject to a disparate scenario. The more we think of it, the more the need for Mental well-being becomes conspicuous.

In most of the city's economically successful institutes, mental well-being takes centre stage with a refreshing touch of accessibility seamlessly merged into everyday life without losing its sense of compassion.

'It is the counsellor's job to counsel anyone facing distress in the regular activities that are being a blockade to their functional capabilities,' says therapist and counsellor Farhana Ruhi, currently employed at a private mental well-being organisation.

However, the Bangladeshi aspect of the story is complicated and somewhat immutable due to the economic infrastructure.

In a country where therapists' remuneration is high, middle and lower-class Bangladeshis grapple with the harsh reality of mental health care being a costly privilege rather than an accessible right.

Traditional mental health care is expensive and challenging to access. The internet emerges as a powerful ally to help improve the situation, as it offers free and easily accessible resources that provide support, education, and a sense of community.

Think of YouTube, 7 Cups of Tea, or MindShaper. The mental well-being area is getting dynamic quite lately. Emerging platforms to provide mental health support online or offline are growing inside and outside the capital. However, they are still mainly concentrated inside Dhaka in terms of quality and access.

To address such difficulties, Ruhi says, "There are some ways to avoid instant feelings of overwhelming emotions." The rule of triple two is freeze for fifteen, no work for nine, and the techniques go by many names, symphonic and delightful as they sound. The effectiveness of such methods helps alleviate immediate feelings of negative emotions.

Elma Naznin, another professional mental health expert, agrees. "I believe any step towards feeling better is worth counting."

While mindfulness is not a replacement for professional therapy, it provides effective coping mechanisms that can easily be implemented for immediate relief.

These practices cultivate self-awareness and emotional balance, offering peace even on the busiest days.

The Triple Two method is an easy way to manage emotional pain by helping an emotionally distressed person to think about time.

In moments of sadness or stress, ask yourself if you'll still feel the same way in 02 hours, 02 days, 222 minutes, or 222 seconds. This way, you can remind yourself that feelings change with time, and what seems overwhelming now might not feel as bad later.

It helps you stay calm and see that challenging moments won't last forever. Doing so effectively shifts your focus from the present moment to something else, helping you realize that emotions will likely change over time if you allow yourself the void.

It is like setting yourself a goal to not confining yourself to anything, leading to negativity. Freeze for Fifteen is another simple mindfulness technique where you take fifteen minutes to focus only on the present moment.

During this time, you pause everything else and concentrate on touching, feeling, breathing, and fully experiencing your surroundings. This practice helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and improve awareness by bringing your attention to the here and now.

"They are effective as long as you are not giving up," said Elma.

"No Work for Nine" is another mindfulness technique in which a person does nothing but observe their surroundings. They remain still and quiet, focusing solely on the circumstances without reacting or engaging. Instead of thinking actively or taking action, they allow their senses to perceive what is happening around them. They pay attention to the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations, experiencing everything in the moment without judgment.

The technique encourages detachment from thought or emotion, allowing the person to be fully present and aware of their environment without any interference from their mind.

Mindfulness techniques are never direct alternatives to extreme mental health conditions. Yet, mild or medium mental distress situations can be handled well by exercising these techniques willingly. Journaling, cooking, and physical exercise are alternatives to mindfulness techniques. However, incorporating them with awareness-centric approaches like the no work for nine technique or triple two technique enhances the outcomes.

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