Depression is a word that we hear so often, yet know so little about. If you ask people what depression means, they might probably tell you that it is when a person feels sad or loses interest in doing things. But it’s much more than that. Let’s try to understand more about depression through a short scenario.
Kiara was a new girl who has just joined the eighth grade. She was an academic topper and had a beautiful voice. As she spent a few months in her new school, she settled down, made new friends and joined the school music club. But, one day, she suddenly started feeling dull, sad and gloomy. She no longer felt like going to school. She began to distance herself from her friends and spend a majority of her time in her room. She had fights with her parents for the smallest of small issues. As a few weeks passed, she realized that something was wrong.
Kiara’s condition persisted and she continued to be gloomy. She began bottling up her feelings inside and pretended to be normal. After a while, her grades deteriorated and she started losing weight due to lack of proper sleep. Her parents started observing her and were worried about her health and studies. As they asked her a few questions, she burst out crying. She couldn’t stop her tears. She poured out her feelings. Her parents listened patiently and understood her condition. They took her to a good therapist and within a few weeks she started feeling better. Slowly she was able to concentrate on her studies and her academic
performance improved. She also felt more enthusiastic to go to school and mingle with
friends.
This is just one example. There are many people who undergo a lot more challenges during their depression, all because of lack of awareness, knowledge and most of all social taboos. In our society it is believed that a person who is mentally unwell is mad and they are neglected and ignored. But, it isn’t like that. There is nothing to be ashamed about any of the mental illnesses just like in the case of a physical illness. It is just that society has programmed our minds to believe that only physical illness requires treatment and not mental illness. It is high time that this stereotypical mindset changes and we recognize, normalize and treat depression just like any other illness.
Comments