‘Sabne peeth dikha di apni’: Samay Raina reflects on mental health toll and isolation following India’s Got Latent controversy; expert on dealing with fear

Describing the intensity of that phase, he added, “Koi contact nahi de raha, sabne peeth dikha di apni. Sab logon ke disappearing messages on ho gaye hain. Koi reply nahi de raha, jo reply de rahe the voh daant rahe the… Mujhe laga mera dil kabhi bhi dhadkna band hojaayega. I was so scared. (No one was helping; everyone turned their backs. Their disappearing messages were turned on. No one replied, and those who did were scolding me… I felt like my heart could stop beating at any moment. I was so scared.)”

Maine kabhi nahi socha tha main itna gir jaaunga aapni mental health main ki neend ki goli khaani padegi (I never thought I would fall so low mentally that I would have to take sleeping pills). He opened up about his therapist prescribing melatonin as he was under a lot of stress after watching the news, and as a result, was unable to sleep. “Main aadhi bottle khaa gaya neend ki goli ki (I ended up consuming half a bottle of sleeping pills).” 

Why situations involving public criticism or crisis trigger intense feelings of fear, panic, and abandonment

Dr Sakshi Mandhyan, psychologist and founder at Mandhyan Care, tells indianexpress.com, “Public criticism not only affects reputation. It touches something deeper. I usually see it trigger the fear of social rejection, which the brain reads as a threat to safety. From a purely evolutionary perspective, belonging was essential for survival. When that feels at risk, the nervous system reacts strongly.”

Even resilient individuals can feel overwhelmed because this is not just a cognitive experience. It is physiological. The amygdala becomes more active. Stress hormones rise. The body prepares for threat. “I notice that public situations amplify this because the feedback is visible and constant. The mind begins to imagine worst-case scenarios. It can also trigger one’s earlier experiences of rejection or not being supported. Panic in such moments is usually a response to losing a sense of emotional ground,” reveals Dr Mandhyan.

Risks of turning to quick fixes like sleeping pills during acute stress

According to Dr Mandhyan, quick fixes can feel relieving in the moment, but they usually bypass what the mind is trying to process. She notes that when people rely on sleeping pills during stress, they may switch off for a while, but the emotional strain certainly does not ease.

There is also a risk of dependency. The brain starts to link relief with external support rather than internal regulation. Gradually, this can reduce confidence in one’s ability to cope. “I suggest my clients to calm the system down instead of trying to silence it entirely. Simple practices help. Breathing exercises, reducing stimulation, and creating a predictable night routine support the nervous system,” explains Dr Mandhyan.

Talking to someone trusted also helps regulate stress. “The body settles faster when emotions are shared. Rest that comes from regulation is more restorative than rest that comes from avoidance,” concludes the expert.