Depression is Incurable
The first thing that goes through a patient’s mind when he gets diagnosed with a psychological ailment is that he will never be healthy again. As no end to the tunnel of darkness is visible, people dive deeper into their own despair with no hope of ever coming out. However, I want to inform my fellow patients that depression, although very tricky to hold in, is indeed curable and manageable. Please don’t believe people who have either partial or no knowledge about the subject. With lifestyle changes, positive outlook towards the world, and medications, if required, depression can be successfully managed. Don’t stop walking, for there is not only light at the end of the tunnel but also a bright future.
It’s only a Psychological Disease
Though the roots of Depression indeed lie in mind, it is equally valid that when it reaches the stage of a chronic disease, Depression becomes physiological. It’s quite challenging to comprehend Depression as a physical disease, especially since it doesn’t present any visible symptoms. However, when you dig deeper, you realize that Depression and many other psychological ailments have roots deep in the human body. In Depression’s case, the release and regulation of many mood-altering hormones, particularly Serotonin and Dopamine, is affected, which in turn affects the psychological balance of the patient. So this disease presents physical and mental symptoms, both of which have to be dealt with accordingly.
Only Young People Get Depressed
While the youth of today are more vulnerable towards Depression and similar mental health issues due to the stiff and unending competition, they have to go through, they are not the only ones under threat. The rat race is the same for all ages in this technologically advanced and emotion ridden world. Every day there is a jest to be better than our neighbors, buy the next big car and buy the most expensive flat. All of these materialistic desires never get fulfilled because one desire leads to another, and the cycle never ends. In the end, it takes a toll on all of our minds, and though the aged might think that they are not in the danger zone, nobody is safe when it comes to Depression. So take care of your mental health and search for happiness in the smallest of things.
Depression is a First World Problem
Look around your office, college, community, and you’ll realize that this statement can’t be further than the truth. According to an ICICI Lombard study, today 65 percent of individuals in India between the age of 22-25 show early symptoms of clinical depression. A jest to prove themselves in this world full of unemployed and opportunity-rid people the tension to survive and stay relevant is what tops our minds. As India develops further, and health facilities become much more accessible, psychological diseases will become more relevant as we gradually move up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Depression is around us and waiting to take your next secluded friend in its hold. Be aware.
Successful People don’t get it
Success is subjective. Getting a high school diploma might feel like an achievement for someone, but for others, it’s just a stepping stone to the endless dreams they have seen for themselves. As one’s standard of living and awareness increases, so does the extent of his dreams and aspirations. If you think Mukesh Ambani doesn’t have any ambition left in his life and hence no anxiety, think again. The secret to living a mentally healthy life is hitting a balance between what you want and what you’ve got. At the end of the day, family, self-love, and being satisfied in where you are is what makes your life complete and fulfilling, not fancy cars and expensive jewelry.
Medicines are the Only Answer
I have mentioned in my previous mental health articles that though medicines are required to start the treatment of Depression, they are not the complete solution. As I said, Depression alters the release and regulation of the hormone Serotonin, which is responsible for the feel-good feeling we experience after completing a task. The absence of this hormone gives us a sense of doom and a lethargic reaction towards even the basic chores of life like eating and sleeping. Though medicines are required to tilt the balance of this hormone in our favor in the beginning, the long term solution lies in replacing the medication with activities you like to perform. In this way, activities like music, writing, yoga, etc. can slowly replace them and give you the same positive result that the medicines were providing. After all, you can’t live your entire life on pills, right?
Suburban Wordsmith 