There is a lot being said about mental illness, mental well-being, depression and psychological health. But are we really doing something for it? May be some are but most of them are not! Technology wise we are making massive progress but are we progressing in keeping our mental wellness? All these questions drive towards a person’s mental health and how to keep the mind healthy.
Often mental illness or depression is confused with emotional health and psychological health but it is different. Mental illness is a result of some biological changes in the brain where a person may behave or act differently, he/she can be depressed, may have impaired functioning and several alteration in the behavior. Whereas, psychological health can be determined by the absences of any kind of mental illness i.e. when a person doesn’t show any of the symptoms relating to mental illness. A good part is that psychological healthy people can think, react and behave properly in situations as compared to mental illness people.
So, what causes Depression? Why does a person feel depressed?
Depression or state of being depressed is very common these days because of the lifestyle we follow and the times we are living. The recent pandemic situation of COVID 19 is also adding up to increase in depressed people around.
People may misunderstand the feeling of sadness, loneliness and lack of interest as symptoms of depression, but, these are common feeling that every one of us feel in our day-to-day lives. When these simple symptoms take over your daily well-being and your life seems to go nowhere, you think your self-esteem is dropping, and you start feeling that you aren’t worthy enough then you must ask for help. You might be moving towards Depression.
Remember, Depression has nothing to do with age. It can happen to anyone at any phase of your life. You would be surprised to know that even children suffer from depression. It’s not temporary, that will stay for a while and go away. It stays with you until you do something seriously to get rid of it. There are several articles and research papers published that speak about various symptoms and how to diagnose Depression, hence I won’t be talking about them here. But, can we really figure out are we depressed or not? For me it was really hard to understand that there was a time I was depressed. Yes, you read it right, I went through depression. Although, not to an extreme, as I realized I was flowing down into some zone, falling apart and I knew I had to get out of it. Thanks to my family and my loved ones who helped overcome the situation in a positive way and today I’m able to write this.
Depression and its symptoms can be different for men, women, children, teenagers and old adults. Which means, you can’t treat everyone in the same manner and neither can the person himself recover at the same pace like others do?
What can you do? Everything!!
First thing, don’t be scared – If you think or find yourself in a situation that you feel you are going into depression or are depressed, there is nothing to be scared off. It is a mental state that and be treated and you can be back to normal self again.
Seek help – The best way to do it is talking to your loved ones, a friend, a family member, a well wisher or a health care provider. Talking solves half the problem. Many people in the fear of being judged don’t talk to others or express their feelings to the outer world. This creates a sea of emotion inside them and that just keeps on flowing inside. Bringing out your emotions in front of right people may help you easily come out the whole scenario.
The fear of being judged – I know that every person can’t express himself/herself in front of others as they have a fear of being judged. Our society is designed in a way that people create jokes about other person’s situation and laugh at it. But, till when you shall shut your mouth and be silent, because in the background the mind is still running with infinite thoughts and emotions. I agree 90% people are judgmental, so confide in those whom you trust the most. Share with ones you know will understand your problem and will try and help you.
Support from the family – Sometimes even your family members may not understand that you are feeling low or going into depressed state. What can you do now? My personal opinion would be – tell them still, make them understand your situation, let them know your feelings and state of your mind. Don’t hide anything. Our loved ones and family members will surely understand us no matter what.
Learn the art of meditation – The whole world today is experiencing the benefits of meditation and it is also proved that meditation works wonders for people who are in depression. Try practicing it daily in small intervals and even try with some soothing music to keep your concentration levels in place.
Lastly, start reading some positive books, exercise more often, speak and mingle with people, join some social groups, participate in fun activity, learn your childhood hobby. Let’s fight with depression together. Let’s help each other in staying fit and healthy. Remember, you are not alone in the battle; you have help around, find, approach and get back to your normal self soon. Don’t lose yourself in the process.