Music has a healing power that very few get to experience. There were times when the day started dull, afternoons seemed slow, evenings felt cold, and I never wanted the nights to fade away. My father, being a workaholic, was never found around; my mother always occupied herself by taking care of my grandmother and our family. I felt lost as I woke up, passing each day that felt like an eternity.

Mental health and wellness used to be considered “taboo” terms. Telling someone that you are going through a lot was never an option. Family members tend to think keeping oneself occupied with activities is the solution; friends believe alcohol and drugs are the way to finding peace.

Many of my friends played games in their Play Station to spend their leisure time. In my case, asking for a basic phone was too much of a privilege. I saved up for a year to buy myself an iPod Nano. With a storage capacity of 4GB, I synced my favourite tracks in it. I used to listen to a wide variety of genres of songs. I had an acoustic playlist for the cold nights, band music for the busy times, and party music for when I wanted a boost of mood.

Music was my companion when I needed someone to talk to. When all turned their backs on me, I put my earphones on and shuffled through my playlist. I am in a better state of life now, and when someone approaches me asking for mental support, I try my best to be by their side. I listen to them and advise them accordingly. I realised that you don’t need to have a certificate in psychology to help a person when you have already faced problems that you overcame solely with self-help.

Let mental wellness be normalised like physical health and wellness, because when the core is strong, and the power comes from within, you are limitless. Bump a tune and enjoy the moments you are living in since they won’t last forever.