Question

Now decide who you find functioning better than the other in spite of illness. Why?

1. Santosh is a drug addict. He has realized that his habit of taking drugs has caused him a lot of damage, physically, psychologically, socially as well as financially. Now he is determined to put an end to his habit. He failed in many of his attempts. But he is convinced that with continuous treatment, he will be able to lead a normal healthy life again and will be able to fulfill the needs of the family.
2. Lalita's parents are always fighting. Her father is an alcoholic and beats everyone in the family. She is extremely sad and is not able to focus on her studies. She has stopped interacting with anyone including her friends. She feels very lonely and feels that her life is of no use to anyone. She feels her future is dark and gloomy. When asked about what she wants to do in future, she says that she has no goals in life. She feels very tired and says she is fed up with life.

Answer 1

Santosh is functioning better than Lalita in spite of his illness because he maintains a resilient, goal-oriented mindset and an active determination to recover. Even though he has struggled and failed in past attempts to quit drugs, he remains hopeful, believes in the power of continuous treatment, and is motivated to rebuild his life to support his family. In contrast, Lalita is experiencing profound psychological distress and complete withdrawal due to an abusive home environment. She suffers from severe feelings of hopelessness, has abandoned her studies and social interactions, sees no purpose in her life, and lacks any future goals. While Santosh is taking psychological ownership of his struggle and looking toward a constructive path forward, Lalita is overwhelmed by despair and feels entirely trapped with no coping mechanisms.