Chemical Khichdi – How i Hacked My Mental Health By Aparna Piramal Raje Book review

Chemical Khichdi – How i Hacked My Mental Health By Aparna Piramal Raje Book review

Review By Harsimran Kaur

Rating: 4/5

Aparna Piramal Raje is an author and a columnist, MBA from Harvard Business School, former CEO of BP Egro and a Bipolar—an unusual introduction where the affliction of a mental disorder has a profound impact on how destiny is shaped more than the professional equity. The vagaries of life are such where the narcissus of privileges imperceptibly shed off their astuteness to the whirr of halberd that our very indiscernible existence oscillates to.

We are somehow protégés of our mind whose soliloquies are a witness to our camouflaged circumstances. Suffering from inevitable setbacks and calumnies, we try to defend ourselves—our weaknesses, the egomaniacal strictures and our fanatical whataboutery. Why?

Because we need to justify our intemperate mind where we take refuge and see it as a saviour of our actions—good or bad. But, what happens when this mind acts as a notorious beast ready to devour the sanity of our belongingness?

A harum-scarum distillation of emotions which seem to fly irrationally,

Hassium of illusionary imperfections,

A taste of incorporeal reflux rising up the throat,

Muscle twitching losing its moral to hold the body in equilibrium

Most of us have gone through bouts of anxiety and depression, and the above symptoms are real when the manifestation of a mental disorder is a deep sea drive. The author has sailed in the deluge of Bipolar disorder for many years—a capricious drama of the mind ingratiating the unpalatable disharmony of chemicals.

Bipolar disorder is somehow incomprehensible to many. It is a lethargic term not easily understood as mental illness is blocked in water-tight compartments of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’—the two terms used interchangeably and innocuously. But, ‘Bipolar’ is an off-leash panjandrum—disgorging extreme of moods—a toxic gallimaufry of mania and depression.

Aparna Piramal Raje has expatiated her ordeal with ‘Bipolar Disorder’- a chemical khichdi – as a turbulent ride striking a cobbled rock unaware, leaving by tears of perspiration and muffed sediments of morbid languidity.

As per Senior Consultant Psychiatrist from Kolkata, Dr. Bhaskar Mukherjee, ‘Bipolar Disorder is a long term illness, consisting of recurrent episodes of either depression or mania.’

The functionality of any mental disorder is still an enigma. The same too is resonated by Aparna. Her candid approach to bring forth the complexity of bipolarity; the deleterious effect of it on her in-built process of assessing and perceiving, disengaging followed by periods of excessive energy and lack of sleep is a chicanery of the mind.

To add to Dr. Mukherjee’s opinion, ‘Bipolar disorder has episodes of depression characterized by low mood, decreased energy, loss of interest, sleep problems. Episodes of mania include elevated mood, increased aggression and energy levels, boasting and decreased need of sleep.’

The purpose of the book has two-fold orientation.

It talks about author’s personal experience with Bipolar; her courage to put herself in the lion’s den proffering a sententious roar of her trials and tribulations. To overcome what seems like a lost battle, she has presented with some therapies that act a genome for self-sustainability—what is lost is not the final whopper of our existence,we can still sail the enormous oceanic tides if we keep our inclinations interspersed with positivity.

Easily comprehensible, these therapies are a real-to-life approach ironed with personal experiences. Paramount importance is laid on comfort and support from people around you—the caregivers—and the importance to weigh your priorities to avoid pummelling the mind with reckless thoughts. 

TAKE AWAY

The deprivation of mind is a gamble—chemicals charred between the nerve impulses may be an insouciant traveller or present has been a tough negotiator to fix the past. A trauma could have punctured the mind or an illusionary life is now a bothersome foliage.

Any form of mental disorder is debilitating—being Bipolar to a large extent is like sugarcane caught in the gears of a juicer—helpless and decimating.

The book is an emotional and courageous journey of Aparna Piramal Raje; it resonates a view I genuinely feel is a way of living:

“In the end, you are not defined by what you think but how you respond.”

Heart-touching and motivating….

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