A man in his 30s was depressed because his mental illness was excluding him from the social circle he was so far part of.
The scene was from a play based on real-life experiences of people with mental illnesses.
The exclusion starts as early as school life and happens even in an individual’s workspace, said the head of the organisation that hosted the play.
It was part of the programme named Open the Door, organised by Turning Point, a rehabilitation centre.
“Individuals with mental illnesses are stigmatised and they face exclusion. In school, they get identified by their mental illnesses, instead of their worth. In workplaces, they fear being stigmatised,” said Ishita Sanyal, director of Turning Point.
Sanyal said such individuals were made to believe that all doors of opportunities would close for them and they would neither be able to study nor do a job.
“We have had instances when a person with mental illness, who went back to office after seeking help from a counsellor, did not want to reveal that at her workplace for fear of being stigmatised or even losing the job. Despite changes in the approach and attitude of people, mental illness remains a taboo and we need to relentlessly work to generate more awareness,” said Sanyal.
The programme, held earlier this month, was preceded by an online fest held over three days to celebrate differences in people. It used play and performance to foster creativity among those with mental illnesses and those with or without special needs.
Global Play Brigade, a volunteer community that brings people across borders to play, create and connect, was part of the fest.
“Open the Door is a celebration of talent and the infinite potential that people with special needs or those with mental illnesses have. We want to explore their talent, salute them and provide them with a worldwide platform to showcase their potentialities and performances,” Sanyal told the audience.
“There is always a well-defined distinction between the performances of people without special needs and those with special needs. We are trying our best to erase that line. I hope people from different countries have similar beliefs who want to do away with the man-made barriers,” she said.
During the three days, many barriers were broken through play and music as participants from different time zones and professions collaborated.
A young man with autism from Kolkata gave a vocal performance of a Hindustani classical raga. Following him was a professional singer from South Africa and then another from the US.
Marian Rich, one of the founders of the volunteer programme, said plays help connect people and were a great tool to give space to diverse people.