Not good for my mental health! Period!” It’s the kind of blunt honesty that defines Gen Z, a generation unafraid to call out what drains them. Today, the conversation around mental health has stepped out of the shadows, becoming clearer and far more compassionate. And among the voices helping shape this shift is facilitator, educator and bestselling author Aparna Piramal Raje, whose work urges people to look inward with the same fearlessness. She recently spoke at Manotsava and the Bengaluru launch of the book Homecoming: Mental Health Journeys of Resilience, Healing and Wholeness, which features her essay. The author describes the conversations as transformative.“Manotsava is really the Davos of the Indian mental health ecosystem. It’s good for the entire Indian ecosystem to come together and learn from each other,” she says, in a chat with CE, highlighting the need for inclusive, nationwide dialogue.
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013, Raje found solace in writing. “Writing is therapeutic for me, it’s my way of making sense of my inner landscape,” she reflects. It was a piece written in 2014, 10 Things I’ve Learnt About Being Bipolar, that first sparked the idea for her memoir. She was determined to write a book that chronicled her experience and resonated with others on a similar path. The process, however, was not without its challenges. “I kept having mood swings and was not able to get the distance I needed from my thoughts and emotions to write the book. That was the hardest part... being detached enough to write about it objectively so that it could actually help readers,” she explains.
But as the world came to a halt during the lockdown, Raje found the space and clarity she had long sought. “It gave me a lot of purpose during a moment of great uncertainty and flux,” she says, marking the moment when Chemical Khichdi was finally completed and published in 2022. Since its release, the memoir has propelled her into a new professional identity as a national mental health advocate, who has spoken at over 150 events. For Raje, the book’s most rewarding impact has been the way it has inspired others to share their own stories. She is particularly proud of her contribution to Homecoming, featuring the stories of ten remarkable women. “Such publication can really shape and impact the Indian mental health ecosystem,” she says.
Living with bipolar disorder is often characterised by extremes, but for Raje, the gift of stability has been profound. “I still experience emotional ups and downs, but they are far less extreme. I haven’t had mania or depression in the last seven to eight years,” she reveals. She has learned to embrace the peace that comes with balance, realising that “happiness does not lie in the high”, a tough lesson to learn, according to her.
For those who may not fully grasp what bipolar disorder feels like, Raje offers a grounding perspective. “I wish they knew that it’s a serious mental health condition, but that it can be managed, it’s not a life sentence, and in fact, can be a source of great inner illumination. It’s been a guru to me,” she says. Raje describes bipolarity as a condition where moods and energy levels shift dramatically. “I could be thinking that I’m the greatest gift from God to this planet and a few weeks later I’m convinced that I’m totally worthless.” These extremes do not occur every day. They may unfold over a few weeks in a year and are followed by long periods of stability.
Raje’s advocacy extends to the workplace as well. “I think workplaces don’t truly believe that we can be both high-performing and people-oriented, so it’s more of a surface-level conversation at the moment,” she notes, though she remains optimistic about the growing emphasis on well-being in organisational culture. For those hesitant to share their mental health stories, she advises clarity. “Be clear as to why you want to write about mental health and what you want to share or do not want to share. Draw those boundaries clearly,” she suggests.