Stressed & Sleepless Indians
- By Sam George
- Published 02/15/2007
Sam George
Sam George is the Executive Director of PARIVAR International - a non-profit initiative to address the needs of youth and families of Asian Indian origin in North America and to the Asian Indian community worldwide. Parivar means family in many Indian languages. Sam George also serves as one of the founding directors of Urban India Ministries
www.UrbanIndia.org Sam George and his wife, Mary have spoken at premarital and family events in many countries. They are parents of two boys and make their home in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Sam is the author of the book “Understanding the Coconut Generation: Ministry to the Americanized Asian Indians." Check out this website www.CoconutGeneration.com Coconut (brown on the outside, white on the inside) is a metaphor for the Americanized Asian Indians. Sam George can be reached at sam@coconutgeneration.com
The unprecendanted opportunity and prosperity in India have not come without a price - Stress & Sleep-deprivation!
As the economy booms and middle-class affluence grows, Indians are becoming forgetful and sleep-deprived. Our bodies are crumbling under the pressure of progress, says a World Health Organisation (WHO) based on a study conducted in six states. The results showed that more than 47 per cent of the respondents suffered from clinical anxiety, an equal number were depressed.
Sleeplessness and memory disorders affected more than 34 per cent and 44 per cent respectively. Overall 40 per cent felt jaded and fatigued, 30 per cent had relationship conflicts, and more than 58 per cent suffered from stress-related bodyache.
This is new India with new problems. One cannot run on high speed lanes on empty tanks for long. When we run on top speed without adequate support system and enough fuel, we will surely come to a grinding halt at the most unexpected and incovenient time. Changes have been so quick, that we never found time to build up necessary support system.
Social, familial and emotional support base that existed in the past have suddenly disappeared. Nuclearization of family, lack of social networks, emotional well-being, lack of spiritual strength etc have come to haunt the new generation and don’t know how to handle modern complexities!
