Namita Thapar Says Learning to Say “No” Is Key to Better Mental Health

Renowned entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Namita Thapar has initiated a much-needed, nationwide discussion on social media about the grave physical, psychological, and emotional implications of chronic people-pleasing. The Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, in his digital video message, targeted at women, made a strong and personal call for Mental Health Awareness Month at the end of May. Namita’s talk encouraged women to actively break out of the decades of internalised childhood conditioning and create robust personal and professional boundaries, and the art of saying “no” without being burdened with a crushing sense of guilt for the structures around them.

Read More: The mental health benefits of saying ‘No’ 

Childhood Conditioning and Caregiver Trap

During her video message, Namita Thapar pointed out that it is important to understand the systemic nature of the social system that influences the development of young girls, all too frequently at their own personal expense.

• From an early age, women are taught to be submissive peacekeepers, passive caretakers, and to put everybody else’s comfort before their own.
• The Labelling Dilemma: The social conditioning that is constantly taking place explicitly teaches young girls that it is negative, selfish, and “bad” for them to put their needs first, to assert their boundaries, or to refuse a request.
• Suppressed Identity: Girls learn to regularly quell their own voices and silence their own desires, experiences, and discomfort to act calmly and gain external approval.

The price of suppressing emotions

Based on a tremendous amount of medical research and psychodynamic studies, Namita Thapar related prolonged suppression and the long-term lack of healthy boundaries to serious, debilitating, and life-threatening physical diseases.

• The Autoimmune Link: An alarming and specific medical statistic was shared: a staggering 80% of all Autoimmune patients around the world are female.
• The unspoken “no”: Namita said that if the mummy is suppressing her emotions all the time, smiling when she is suffering, hiding her needs and wants from other people, then this “no” does not go away; it resides in her body.
• Chemical Impact: Clinical data show that this constant emotional state, negative emotions that are suppressed, and chronic psychological stress create an ongoing state of elevated inflammation and cortisol in the body. As a result, over time, the immune system is directly damaged, and the body is susceptible to a variety of complex, chronic health conditions.

The Necessary Shift: Normalising Personal Boundaries

The prominent figure in the healthcare business sector advocated for an urgent and transformative shift in how women esteem themselves and their time, energy, and psychological security:

• Rejecting the Guilt: Namita Thapar emphasised that looking after one’s own body physically, mentally, and emotionally is not selfishness but a fundamental right and essential part of self-care.
• Active Boundary Setting: women must set their own personal boundaries, know when they are being physically or emotionally taxed, and speak up firmly when they need to set boundaries.
• The Power of “No”: She finally encouraged women to make “no” a very important daily tool to maintain one’s health and autonomy, as this word is not used enough and is too frightening for them.

Read More: Empower Yourself: The Art of Setting Boundaries in Everyday Life