Faiz Syed's Blog

The Strain: We all know the corporate world in India is demanding. Long hours, irregular shifts, tight deadlines, and constant pressure are seen as a part of climbing the ladder. But what's the real cost of this hustle? The data is increasingly showing a clear link between our work habits and our mental well-being. The Trap: It's not just about feeling tired after a long day. Studies reveal that consistently putting in extra hours is taking a serious toll on the mental health of Indian professionals. Nearly half of corporate employees (48%) in India are struggling with mental health issues.  This is a significant number that demands our attention. Working over 45 hours a week puts you at a higher risk of poor mental health.  Many of us easily cross this mark, and for some, it's significantly more. Spending 12 or more hours a day at your desk can drastically lower your mental well-being score.  People in this situation report struggling or distressed mental health, with sc...

Nowadays, it’s very rare when a series turns into a sensation. Mirzapur , from last two season have been the most talked about. The wait for the new season feels like decades. And now we have the third season of the epic saga which is famous for its over-the-top violence and profanity filled dialogues that turn into memes . But why are these men and women so violent? What led them to being so violent? Let’s analyze the same here.

“You guys know what’s a bigger joke than Politics in India? It’s Men’s Mental Health.” I said and people laughed their asses out. Nobody bothered to wait a second and give a thought about it. That goes for me as well… I used to be one of these people. I never cared about mental illness among men until I ended up suffering with it. Now, you might be expecting me to say that I’ve suffered from Depression and Anxiety like almost everyone on social media but no. That never happened with me. I suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)  It is a mental/psychological condition people suffer after a traumatic event. I had gone through a mentally, emotionally and (to some extent) physically abusive relationship. I never felt depressed or even upset after I came out of it. In fact, I was happier and felt free. But I was left socially detached from everyone and have been dealing with trust issues. Some of the other symptoms include nervous breakdowns, insom...

Let's start with a simple example which could be relatable to most of you. The year was 2020 and you had planned an oversees trip with your friends. You've bought your best pair of clothing. You've made a list of things to do. You've read about all kinds of foods to eat and places to go... And then boom! Here's the Lockdown. The entire world is at home and you have to cancel your plans. It's obvious that you're disappointed and upset about your plan failing. Now let's look at it the other way around. You've planned your trip with your friends. You're all set but you've been hearing about this deadly virus slowly spreading across the world and various places going in quarantine. There's a thought LURKing in the back of your mind that you might need to cancel your plans and go into quarantine as well. So you alternately plan things that you'll do if you need to stay at home. In that way, if your outdoor plans fail, you'l...

"Why did this happen to Me? What wrong did I do that I have to deal with this? Will this continue forever? Will my boss keep using me like his personal servant all his life!? Will people keep calling me with Anti-Nationalist and Racist Slurs for no reason? Will I ever work at a place that I've always dreamt of working?" With a tear in my eye, I just sat there in the broken corner seat of the public bus asking all these questions to myself. I was supposed to be on bed rest because I have been suffering jaundice and was physically weak, but I was called for work by my boss because of shortage of Men. I had to extend three hours for which I was not going to get paid. Above all, I had to bear with his abusive behavior for being slower than usual although he was aware of my condition. I went home and spoke to my Mom and Dad about what was happening, and they asked me to leave the job right away. "But I have no other option!? If I leave this job, then I have nothing el...

I received a lot of backlash through text messages in my post “Why do Rapes Happen?” when I mentioned that sex is not a basic need. People said that what I had written was wrong and Sex is indeed a basic human need. They shared links of articles to prove their point. Well! there were articles and a movie about the world ending in 2012 and here we are! I was unable to relate to what they said. So, I decided to deep dive and find out what exactly is the whole debate about. Firstly, I want to clear the air here… I’m not against the part where they say that sex is good for health and mind. I do agree with people on that and the fact that sex is important. Being sexually active keeps us healthy in many ways. I only disagree about the part where it is termed as a basic need. The reason being the fact that we have been taught that basic needs are things that keeps us alive. We’ve never heard or seen someone die because he/she was unable to have sex. If we go by Wikipedia, basic n...

Before we start, I just want you all to know that I'm NOT an expert at Mental Health Issues. I'm just sharing my personal experience here that I think might help some of you. If you think you need mental health treatment then I can share the details for people who can help. Just click this Text! Although most people don't believe in Men dealing with Mental Health Issues, it was towards the end of September'2018 when I was completely burnt out of my professional life. I had a mental breakdown and suffered from Depressive Disorder. Then again since June'2021, after walking out of an abusive relationship, I've been dealing with PTSD which seems to have been cured to a better extent. I've only read about such things and watched in movies. I never thought that I would need this, but I had to take professional help for a while. A lot of people, including me have a really different perspective about these professionals before we meet them. As per what I...