Why Depression Needs To Be Taken Seriously?

All of us  have heard about the the term,"Depression" . But the question arises, do we really understand what actually"Depression " is? This term has been so much stigmatized by the society that we feel like it is not a big deal and the person who are suffering from depression are  mentally weak or mentally challenged. Is it true? Definitely it's not. 

When i came to know that Bollywood Actor Sushant Singh Rajput committed sucide due to the same reason only, i decided to write a blog on this topic. Since, this is not the first time in our country that a person is commiting sucide due to depression. But the fact is our society consider the people suffering from depression as mentally challenged and eventually bullys them and makes them more depressed and provokes them to take such steps. 

So, in this blog i am gonna discuss everything about Depression and also i will explain why it should be taken seriously? And also, how we can help someone who is suffering from depression?

What Is Deepresion?

Depression—also called “clinical depression” or a “depressive disorder”—is a mood disorder that causes distressing symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working.

What Are The Possible Causes Of Depression? 

No one actually knows about the actual reason behind the depression, but some researchs say that biological, genetical, environmental, social factors play an important role in Depression.

Some of the main reasons are:-

1-  Bullying and Abuse:-

According to some researchers,  bullying and abuses(Physical, Sexual or Emotional) can trigger a person to depression to a great a extent.

2-Certain Medications:-

Some drugs, such as isotretinoin (used to treat acne), the antiviral drug interferon-alpha, and corticosteroids, can increase your risk of depression.

3- Conflicts:-

Conflict with family members or friends  may land a person into depression.

4-Death Or Loss Of Loved One

Sometimes when a person whom we love very much, dies  suddenly. It becomes hard for us to believe that he/she is no more with us and we becomes very sad and sometimes we fell into depression due to the stigma caused by the death of the loved one.

5- Major Events:-

Sometimes major events such as loosing a job,getting divorced, love failures lead a person to depression.

6-Substance Abuse:-

People thinks that consuming drugs and alcohol will help them to come out of depression, but sometimes alchols and drugs triggers the depression more inside you.

7-Pressure From Parents And Society:-

A student may fall into the trap of depression, when he is being forced to pursue a career which he/she is not intrested, when repeatedly scolded by parents for poor academic perfomance and when they are compared with the other students by their parents.

Symptoms Of Depression:-

• a depressed mood
• reduced interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• a loss of sexual desire
• changes in appetite
• unintentional weight loss or gain
• sleeping too much or too little
• agitation, restlessness, and pacing up and down
• slowed movement and speech
• fatigue or loss of energy
• feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or an attempt at suicide

Statistics Of Death Due To Depression

According to WHO, Globally more than 264 million people from all ages suffers from depression.

Every year about 8 Lakh people commit suicide due to depression.

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among 15-29 years  old people in all over the world.

A research in 2015 shows that, about 8934 students are committing sucide every year i,e. In 1 hr 1 student is committing suicide in India.

Every hour one student commits suicide in India, with about 28 such suicides reported every day, according to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The NCRB data shows that 10,159 students died by suicide in 2018, an increase from 9,905 in 2017, and 9,478 in 2016.

Available data suggest that the point prevalence of depression/affective disorders ranges from 1.2% to 21% in the clinic-based studies; 3%–68% in school-based studies and 0.1%–6.94% in community studies. There has been only one incidence study from India which estimated the incidence to be 1.6%.

Why People  In India Don't Take "DEPRESSION"  seriously?

According to a survey conducted by WHO, more than 200 million people in India may suffer from Depression i,e. 1 out of  5 people.

There can be many reasons for why ‘Mental Health is ‘Not a thing’ in India, such as lack of education, awareness, ignorance, pressure, social and cultural beliefs. There are many observations that show families, friends, and parents don’t want to listen. For instance, if a child goes to his/her parents talking about a mental health issue; it will either be swept under the carpet, or they will just create more panic. A recent study assessed of people’s attitudes towards mental health and they were asked, how would you describe a person with mental illness? 56% said someone who talks to themselves; 9% said depressed; 15% called them retards; 20% called them crazy/stupid/mad. Now, this shows the stigma attached to mental health in Indian society.

1. Judgement and Fear- 

Of course in a society that does not consider mental health an issue, coming forward and speaking about it will take a lot of courage, as you will be judged, and the fear of being abandoned is always there. Your own family and friends will ignore this issue, and are sometimes not ready to listen.

2. Lack of Empathy- 

People do not engage in an issues related to mental health, so they lack empathy. Many a time when you are not aware of something, you just cloud your mind with all possible assumptions most of which are negative. In order to empathise, you need to understand, and in order to understand, we need to talk and make people aware.

How to help someone who is suffering from Depression?

• Let them know you care and are there to listen.
• Accept them as they are, without judging them.
• Gently encourage them to help themselves – for example, by staying physically active, eating a balanced diet and doing things they enjoy.
• Get information about the services available to them, such as psychological therapy services or depression support groups in their area.
• Stay in touch with them by messaging, texting, phoning or meeting for coffee. People who are depressed can become isolated and may find it difficult to leave their home.
• Try to be patient.
• Take care of yourself.
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My Opinion:-

I request to all those who are suffering from depression, if you are feeling depressed, then talk about it to someone whom you trust and you think that they really care for you.  But dont think of committing sucide, because suicide is not a solution. If you think, no one is listening you, then contact any psychiatrist or any psycholgical expert and take advice from them how to deal with depression.

I also request to the people, plz don't  consider the depressed people like they are mentally weak or mentally challenged and bully them. They are also normal humans like us, they just need our presence and support. Please listen to them, and try to understand what they think, how they feel and make them sure that you care about them.