DEPRESSION AND SOCIETY

 According to WHO 800,000 people die of suicide every year. That equates to one every 40 seconds.

A person’s mind has a lot to do with it. We go for our body check-ups very often. But what about our minds? What about mental health? Do we even bother to care for our minds? Why mental health is yet not a priority for any Indian?

“Why talking about mental health is still a taboo in this great country of ours?”

 When living with depression, we feel the need to keep distance from other people. We may also feel that we don’t have anyone to talk to. And we end up spending time worrying about how to cope up with it alone.

Depression can cause many people to feel lonely. It results in people withdrawing from relationships and new interactions as they don’t have power to maintain them. This withdrawal can then sustain the thought of worthlessness and hopelessness and leads in worsening of the situation. Sadness, anxiety, guilt, self-loathing just won’t go away. You can’t control your thoughts anymore. You are screaming inside but you’re smiling outside because you don’t want others to look at you the way you look at yourself. There’s an emptiness that can’t be filed.

Sounds familiar?

We all have been there at some point.

It’s never easy telling someone about what our mind is going through. It’s never easy trying to explain the darkness inside our mind. Even telling our friends feels like being a burden to them no matter how supportive they are. Their reactions are more confusing regarding mental health and that’s just because they don’t get it.

Judgement and discrimination are often the reasons why many of us choose to feel this agony in silence. 

Our world is a harsh place for someone who is dealing with depression and anxiety. One cannot even imagine the kind of pain a person must be going through without even being able to share it with anyone. It’s always difficult opening up about mental health. The constant fear for people giving nonsense advice, something which we do not crave for, holds us back.

Mental health shouldn’t be considered as a taboo.

It’s the demon many people fight with each passing day. It’s something that needs much more attention, care and time.

If this article of mine changes even one orthodox opinion on depression, I’ll take it as an achievement.

To all the people out there, If you’ve survived depression- kudos!

To all those who are seeking help- proud of you.

To all those facing symptoms – please reach out & break this chain of solitude because you are not alone! <3