The Health Collective: Standing on The Shoulders of Giants

In the interest of total transparency, this wasn't going to be a blog – but the last few weeks have been great in terms of #HealthCollective conversations. Firstly, I got to go to Delhi University and talk to bright young students about mental health and the media (one of my favourite topics), in the service of an important programme around suicide prevention. (Please note we have resources listed on The Health Collective for anyone feeling any distress)

I had a great time and enjoyed the conversations with mental health advocates and teachers, as well as being perpetually curious as to what young minds make of these things.

And then I did this fantastic chat with my co-authors of Life Interrupted: Undrestanding India's Suicide Crisis, and Dr Pathare shared this incredible nugget about a real-world impact of the book, already!

More recently, I was part of an informal chat with a small group of people, which was intended to be a 'test' of sorts (to see if that small group of people want to come together as a forum/ think tank of sorts for social impact ventures and share from their combined pool of knowledge and insight).

I wasn't really planning to present formally (or even pitch) about The Health Collective, and I was already riding on the high of some great conversations and solid feedback and advice from HC champions (both long-term and newer!) so stay tuned for more as we build, sustainably.

Back to the small group – we did have the chat and I did get some insight into how people think about social enterprises and others, and where we haven't really planned to go (think VC funding) or how we plan to monetise (think aggregating or selling any data on our audiences). It doesn't feel like something I want to get into at all – and if you have  any concerns on mental health apps and privacy, I'd point you in the direction of this fab piece by Sanity by Tanmoy. Please read, bookmark, share widely. (Also subscribe to his incredible newsletter if you aren't already).

App-ocalypse

Beware of the reckless boom in mental health apps.

Sanity by TanmoyTanmoy Goswami

I was delighted to share some of our journey with The Health Collective (of which, more below) and hear the group's feedback and questions (still mulling over some). But in the process of said mulling, I realised there are a fair few things here I've never fully considered, or consistently shared #gratitude for. So thank you's follow:

1. The mental health community – my dearest community, and folks with lived experience who have made The Health Collective an actual thing, sharing their stories, comments, being part of the tribe and keeping me highly motivated even when our team of trusted contributors grew and shrank and then grew a bit (but then shrank again) – you've kept me and us going.
2. The stalwarts – the mental health experts, the psychologists and psychiatrists who continue to share their insights and take time, (and referrals); they try to attend all the panels, talks and sessions, do the Insta lives or selfie videos and reels without asking, what's the actionable impact? How many people are going to read this, or see this? After the last 6-7 years, they have really made it clear, they're amazed that we're still here, still ethical and still going. :)
3. The Media - my friends in the media, and my first chosen tribe. Journalists get a lot of bashing, but friends (and strangers!) in the press have taken to our books, our stories, our mental health advocacy. Journalists care about stories, and people (beyond 'case studies' and headlines). Editors will call in to check on framing articles, Anchors will call and check in about guidelines, even (how's that for the cynics?!). Journalists will call for referrals, and talk about things they can't share elsewhere, and how can they get some help for their friends.While I have you, there is a fantastic suicide prevention course and guidelines that The Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy would love to have you share with your teams, journos! You can save lives, literally. (Please share widely)
4. Friends and Family - My people, I count on through the good days and the bad, the cycles of 'audacity of hope' and despair, the drive to make a difference, and the fear that we will never make a dent. You have kept me (somewhat) balanced, but also called me out when I'm a bit OTT, and certainly helped me when I'm spiralling. #Bless and thank you.
5. Readers, Subscribers, Contributors, Friends of The Health Collective and Patrons - The wonderful readers and subscribers, the awesome writers, artists, former intern, comic book artists who have created such larger-than-life work for The Health Collective tribe, thank you a hundred-fold. Patrons have come from the community, largely, and done us a solid, straight from their large hearts, allowing us to keep commissioning original content around Mental Health and Mental Illness from an India lens, these past ~7 years.
6. Our Publisher - Simon & Schuster and their teams from editorial, to marketing actually commissioned the 3-book Mindscape series, kept us going during a pandemic and commissioned a tough title (Life Interruped). Hats off and thank you!

We are standing on the shoulders of giants. Now, I couldn't get to all of that the other day, but I have to say I'm so so grateful to all of you, and I do believe it's not possible to always quantify the intangibles. So yes, while for the first time, we may not be commissioning new content from the new FY until we have some of our cash flows sorted, I know that we have had an impact, we've helped enable conversations, and we've touched lives and actually, you know what, thousands of you readers have had a chance to be part of this journey. So thank *you!

Meanwhile, here's what I have shared with the small group - and I'd love to know what you make of this (no pressure).
(You can share your comments; also let me know if you'd prefer to get a PDF on email!)