Let’s talk about depression

Depression. 
Over time it’s meaning has changed from feeling just sad to a severe mental illness.
The only thing that’s remained constant are people’s reaction to it.
‘Don’t think about it’, ‘Think positive’ , ‘Do not worry so much’ , ‘Everything will be alright’ ,‘You have everything you need, be grateful’. These are a few dumb suggestions/solutions coming from even dumber people around us.

After the recent turn of events, social media influencers, celebrities and some random people are pleading everyone to“Reach out” and open up about your biggest, darkest secrets and feelings.
While some pivot to narcissistic behaviour sharing their own stories of depression hoping they might inspire, others provide examples of some people who have conquered it and how you can too.
These are the same inconsiderate, heedless beings who put you in the state you are.

Would you reach out to someone who uses your death as a platform to promote themselves and blabber on about how good you were when you were alive?
We need to learn how to value people when they are alive and breathing
not after they kill themselves.
It’s too damn late and too damn fake!

A human mind is capable of trajecting itself into an inescapable black hole. It’s both a blessing and a curse.
Nobody looks/seems depressed, they just are depressed. It isn’t just because you lost your job, broke up, unsuccessful that you would feel the need to distant yourself into a depressed state. It comes from losing trust in the entire system.
The system of love, compassion, friendships , relationships, work, family and of course, the society that eventually drives you insane.
To what extent can a stranger understand you when your own parents fail to?
When your best friend isn’ t able to wrap their heads around the severity of the situation.
The one’s closest to us are our biggest strength and our biggest weakness.
A slow poison.  
A ticking bomb. 
Think of it the way you want. The end result is grim.
Imagine yourself feeling multitude of these extreme emotions every moment of your life.
You try, try and try your hardest, but you eventually fail.
We all desperately want success, money and fame even through wrongful means.

Let’s get real.
We have a serious medical illness in our hands and its time to address it and treat it with the same vigour and dedication we put into finding a treatment for cancer.
So, what’s the cure?
Therapy or Pills? 
The problem with therapy is finding someone who truly understands your mental state and when you do, boy get ready to rob a bank!
On an average therapy sessions cost anywhere from $20 - $75 which translates to ₹1200 - ₹5000 per hour. You will have to shell out a minimum of  ₹10,000 per month just for 2 sessions of 1 hour each per week. This is where the gap is created. Not everyone can afford that kind of dough. It’s turned more into a business than a helpline. There’s no doubt that in that 1 hour you are in safe hands, but what about the remaining 23 hours in the day and the rest of 166 hours in the week? (If you opt for 2 sessions/week)
Do you really think they keep a check on you when they are in turn busy with their other clients.
I strongly feel that therapy must be included in a person’s health insurance in order to make it more affordable.
Pills on the other hand help reduce a portion of your anxiety and panic attacks but cannot solely cure the way you feel.

Apart from this, we must be nice to each other. It may be hard but it is essential. Why do we wait for someone to take a life to realise the importance of a situation that persists in the society from a long time. Selfishness will destroy you one way or another.
To look after and care for people around us is what we have been brought up on and it is our duty and to carry this tradition, acting saint-like just because Sadhguru said so won’t take us far as a race.
Being a justice warrior to genuinely help the society is much harder than posting about it.
We must learn to take responsibility for our actions.

Always remember,
Be kind. Be safe and take care of your circle.