Is this just a 10 letter word? Does this word mean nothing else but “oh! I am so sad”?
Does it have a real meaning or is it just used by teenagers who know nothing else but to gain acceptance by using the sympathy road? Is it a hollow word which can be used whenever you like? Some people describe their mood by using the word ‘depression’ and adding extra effect on that term.
Depression is clinically defined as “A common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” by the American Psychiatry Association.
It is not just another 10 letter empty word. It’s the cancerous equivalent to mental health. It can be a fatal disease. It has a cure but research proves that only 36.9% of the total number of patients get help.
It makes getting up in the morning a task, talking to people an inexplicable level of discomfort , yet some of them have to put up a fake smile to fit in among others.
It’ll come in between a laughter at 3 in the afternoon when you are with your friends and suddenly the past strikes. In between a class or comes pretty often when you are alone.
People believe that this is just a feeling which one day will go away. Yes, it would definitely go away. But "When" is the question.
When will the patient not feel the hollowness in themselves? When would it be easier to smile a little more not because you need to hide your true feelings but because you genuinely feel happy? When would the patient be able to say that "Life’s Good" and mean it? When will the patient be able to love the rains not because they need to hide their tears but because they like getting drenched in them?
As we all know there are always two extremes to anything. Thus there are two extremes to how mental illness is comprehended in India or even globally. Former being the punishment extreme where the patients are judged and perceived to be over sensitive and weak. Latter being the over accepting extreme where the patients are treated as specials and there comes a point in the lives of these people when their relationships become superficial and all those who actually don't suffer from this take it as an opportunity to gain pity.
One thing that I have understood is that all mental illnesses be it depression, anxiety disorders, stress disorders or eating disorders aren't about what happens to a person but rather the way it is interpreted by a person.
Suppose a person tells you that whatever you do you will never be enough for anyone and will never make a mark in the society and you'll always let people down. Now some can say "Yeah, whatever. I don't care how you feel or think about me. That is all secondary to me." Others can say " Hey, you know what I will show you what I can do and then lets talk." Some will get terribly hurt by such discouragement and the others won't even bother replying.
So you see one situation and 'n' number of outcomes. Do you think it is fair for a patient to go through the punishment extreme or the over-accepting extreme in such a case?
I believe that a median can be achieved to this unfortunate quality of society by two virtues of life: honesty and acknowledging people the way the are. If a friend comes to you with a problem and you have been in their shoes then provide a feasible advice but remember that it is their wish to follow it or not,no judgement. If you don't know how they feel then just say "I don't know what it is like to be in your position and hence i won't be a lot of help." Instead of giving experimental advice which may or may not screw them over completely.
What we, a general person who has human qualities, have to understand is that mental disorder is something which can control a person of any age. It is not just what you feel at that point it is something which can change a person’s belief system forever.
Such a life changing brain disorder should not go unnoticed.
So if we want the patients to go through the median state then we have to promise ourselves that their the illness will be treated like something which holds substance till a certain extent and not something which gets laughed upon.
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