What Is Pain?

"Religion, ideology, resources, land, spite, love or just because. No matter how pathetic the reason is, it's enough to wage a war" These are the words of Nagato, an orphan of the battlefield whose parents were slain by soldiers from a particular faction, i.e., The Hidden Leaf Village, where incidentally, the protagonist of the story Naruto hails from. Nagato was forced to fend for himself since a very young age. Then along with two other kids Yahiko and Konan and his beloved dog Chibi he has a pretty satisfactory life where they eat what they steal in a time of absolute conflict and dismay spread over their rain village. One day, Chibi is killed due to a battle involving two powerful groups of troops. They are befriended by a legendary ninja who teaches them new skills in order for them to be better saviors, but also because the latter has a firm belief that Nagato is the child mentioned in a mystical prophecy. Yet even after all efforts undertaken by their newly formed Akatsuki, peace doesn't reach the shores of the rain village, and Nagato loses his closest friend Yahiko. Thereafter begins the story of Pain, a man who's so ravaged by the hands of destiny he chooses to shake the foundations of the entire world so as to teach the hidden leaf village a lesson. Now you're probably wondering, what was all this information for? Nagato is a classic example of someone we in India would probably label as terrorist, even if he comes from Indian Occupied Kashmir and has watched his family crumble in front of heavy machine gun fire because "they were in the wrong place at the wrong time" because we simply choose not to empathize with his situation. Such is the case with all kinds of pain. Depression, anxiety; if there's one thing I've learned from psychology well it is that most facets of human nature have an underlying cause. And unless we have undergone a similar ordeal we can't possibly hope to fathom the depths to which a person's psyche might sink to in order to cope with the pain. Why do we consistently seek conflict with our neighboring nation? Why is it that even after 60 years of independence innocents are still being ripped apart on the streets of Kashmir, and the death of a jawan is used as a political maneuver all the time? How hard is it to find a solution without the loss of anymore bloodshed? These are questions for our leaders which they must ponder about if they haven't yet before it's too late and our two nations' are on the brink of war. The root of the problem must be tackled. And we as a country should encourage more psychological research especially involving the military wings of the army so as to make sure these individuals are effective soldiers instead of bloodthirsty hunters. History has shown us a countless number of times, violence begets violence. I pray we don't make a mistake with disastrous consequences.

• For those feeling low and lonely talk to someone, you can trust earnestly. Explore the probable cause(s) of your negative feelings by seeking the help of a professional. Group therapy is great to help some people with certain kinds of disorders, others respond better to medical treatment along with other kinds of cognitive and behavioral therapy.

• For those of you who have had traumatic experiences, follow an activity you have a liking towards diligently. I prefer reading, boxing, and streaming shows online. Start exploring; I would suggest a solo-trip where you can meet folks from other walks of life and interact with them. Sharing problems are an altruistic way of unburdening yourself