Chemical Khichdi , livre ebook

APARNA PIRAMAL RAJE

CHEMICAL KHICHDI
How I Hacked My Mental Health
Foreword by Anand Mahindra
PENGUIN BOOKS

PENGUIN BOOKS
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Prologue
Part I: The Condition
1. Un-Diagnosis (2000-2012)
2. Me vs Me (2013-2018)
3. Equilibrium . . . and Covid-19 (2018-present)
Part II: The Seven Therapies
4. Medical Therapies: Accepting the Difference between Personality and Illness
5. Love Therapy: Mental Health Is a Team Sport
6. Allies and the Therapy of Empathy
7. Work Therapy and Playing Opposite-Handed
8. Self-Therapy: Conversations on Identity, Purpose and Dharma
9. The Life-Changing Tributaries of Spiritual Therapy
10. Lifestyle Therapy: Tending to the Garden of Mental Wellness
Part III: Conclusion
11. Reflections on Mental Health
12. Future Therapies
Footnotes
4. Medical Therapies: Accepting the Difference between Personality and Illness
7. Work Therapy and Playing Opposite-Handed
Afterword: Letter from a Childhood Friend
Closing Lines
Mental Health Resources
Notes
Follow Penguin
Copyright
EBURY PRESS
CHEMICAL KHICHDI
Aparna Piramal Raje is a writer, columnist, public speaker, educator and adviser who likes to connect the dots and explore the intersections between diverse disciplines. Leadership, business, design, workplaces, education and mental health are her overlapping areas of interest. She attributes her interest in multidisciplinary thinking to her time as a student at the University of Oxford and Harvard Business School.
Her column Head Office , in Mint , looks at leadership through the blended lens of workspace design and management workstyles. The column led to her first book, Working Out of the Box . She has also examined the confluence of the many forces that shape our cities, for newspapers such as the UK s Financial Times Weekend .
A visiting faculty member at the Anant National University in Ahmedabad, she teaches a module called Netflix and the Art of Design Writing and serves on the university s board of studies. Aparna enjoys speaking on design, leadership and business in various forums, including industry associations, companies and business schools. Coming from a family of Lego enthusiasts, she is a trained Lego Serious Play facilitator.
She is an adviser to Wonder Girls, a learning platform for adolescent girls, and Talk to Me, a mental health NGO. With the publication of Chemical Khichdi , Aparna seeks to leverage her lived experience to contribute to India s mental health landscape. She invites you to visit her website, www.aparnapiramalraje.com , and connect with her on social media.
ALSO BY THE SAME AUTHOR
Working Out of the Box
Business Mantras (co-authored with Gita Piramal, Radhika Piramal and Mukesh Beriwala)
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
Brain-related mental health issues affect the large majority of families. Unfortunately, many of these conditions remain misunderstood and are painfully debilitating and life-altering. While these conditions aren t new, they remain underfunded from a research perspective and yet are more treatable with advances in science and therapies. This personalized experience reveals how mental health conditions affect us as individuals, caregivers, allies or colleagues and explains why we should pay more attention to these challenges as a society. This is an especially valuable read for our post-pandemic, new-normal world - Richard A. Friedman, chairman, asset management division, Goldman, Sachs Co, co-chairman, The Mount Sinai Health System, and founder, Friedman Brain Institute, The Mount Sinai Health System, New York
Mental health has often been looked at through the lens of individuals and families. In this poignant memoir, Aparna rightly draws attention to workplace mental health, alongside the role of doctors, family and other allies. I believe there are profound societal, human and economic benefits of taking workplace mental health seriously. A most valuable read for anyone leading an organization today, even if they are new to mental health concerns - Punit Renjen, global CEO, Deloitte
Chemical Khichdi is an inspiring story of vulnerability and resilience, whether or not one has a mental health condition. It offers valuable lessons in different aspects of one s personal and professional life. I found the reference to mental health in the workplace particularly compelling, as that is a very significant, and often overlooked, aspect of our mental health and well-being. A useful and timely read -N. Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons
I applaud Aparna s strength and resilience to want to fight her illness and lead a productive life. Having been in this field for some time, I know the daily struggles and the fortitude one needs to face and fight mental health conditions. She is a true warrior and a hero! A powerful and authentic account of lived experience with a mental health condition, I am sure Chemical Khichdi will spread much-needed awareness and help many others facing similar challenges - Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust
Courage comes from the Latin word cor , meaning heart . Aparna has shared her story with great heart and openness, and this is a must-read for individuals and families who have dealt with mental health issues. Having had depression (and solved through talk therapy) in my twenties, I found Aparna s book to have a very practical and strong toolkit on what you can do to get and stay healthy. Thank you, Aparna, for your infinite courage and for writing this wonderful book - Nisaba Godrej, executive chairperson, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd
It takes enormous courage to write about one s own mental health problems and it takes enormous storytelling skills to do it well. Aparna Piramal Raje has shown both of these in her book, Chemical Khichdi . A very interesting and informative book-a must-read for all who value mental health - Shekhar Saxena, Professor of the Practice of Global Mental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University
Aparna gives a poignant and very real account of her bipolar journey thus far and she thoughtfully shares insights on her progression to approaching her mental health from a holistic perspective that truly allows her to thrive. She goes beyond the work of destigmatization through the way she treats herself with grace and non-judgement in these pages, modelling this for those with bipolar and their loved ones. She shares pearls of life wisdom that will surely resonate with all - Kristin S. Raj, MD, clinical assistant professor, co-section chief, Mood Disorders, and chief, Bipolar Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
This is a heartfelt and compelling testimony from someone who has struggled with bipolar disorder, a common illness about which very little is known and which has received far too little research funding, given its prevalence and impact across the globe. Despite long-standing obstacles to deciphering the complex underpinnings of bipolar disorder, advances in genetics and neuroscience are at long last providing new hope for better understanding, diagnosing, treating and, one day, preventing the illness. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and stimulating book about one of humanity s most mysterious illnesses - Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, director, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
It takes a lot of courage for someone like Aparna Piramal Raje to come out openly with her mental illness and write about her experiences. There are numerous books on bipolar disorders but this book by Aparna is unique in that it integrates successfully lived experience of bipolar disorder with some useful self-help tips and brings to the fore larger issues pertaining to mental illnesses, such as stigma, discrimination and lack of accessible mental health care. The book is also unique because it emphasizes not just long-term medication but also the role of supportive and empathic family, [and] understanding and accommodative workplaces and society at large - Prof. Y.C. Janardhan Reddy, DPM, MD, head, Department of Psychiatry and OCD Clinic, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
Bipolar affective disorder is a complex, puzzling and overwhelming mental health condition. As a mental health educator, practitioner and researcher, I see this book as an important contribution towards understanding the experientiality of mental health concerns beyond the mere diagnostic lens. It highlights the importance of a comprehensive recovery that includes not only mainstream treatments such as medicine and psychotherapy but also relational support, spirituality, meaningful work, lifestyle and an ongoing journey of self-discovery. The book serves as a crucial reminder to mental health professionals and care providers to closely listen to the user voices, steer away from narrow definitions of mental illness and treatment, and embrace a holistic view of recovery - Dr Aparna Joshi, assistant professor, and project director, iCALL and Sukoon, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
It takes courage to talk about one s own mental health-but that s what Aparna Piramal Raje has done in this marvellous book. And more than courage, she s also brought [out] warmth, insight and advice. A must-read for everyone who cares about mental health-either for themselves or those they love - Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice, Organisational Behaviour Department, London Business School
The price of our silence about mental health issues is the loneliness and isolation of those who suffer from them and the mystified sadness of those who love them. Aparna Piramal Raje s book will throw much-needed light upon an area of darkness - Jerry Pinto, award-winning author of Em and the Big Hoom
The therapies that an individual and a caregiver can