India, May 10 -- My journey into the world of mental health began early, shaped by personal experience and a natural call to care. I was just 18 or 19 when I found myself taking care of my mother, who was wheelchair-bound. At the same time, I was studying psychology at night, and it quickly became clear that nursing - especially psychiatric nursing - was where my heart belonged. Even while enjoying the life of a young adult, I was deeply curious: What causes mental illness? What pushes a person to the edge?
One case I'll never forget involved a man admitted in utter crisis. His wife had left him, his business collapsed, his home was destroyed in a fire, and his son became a paraplegic - all in a short span of time. He had reached breaking ...