Let me begin this review with a story from Siddhant: A young school girl commits suicide by cutting her nerve with a knife. The case is fought to get the harsh school principal punished for being inhumane towards the girl over a trivial matter.
Later it is found that the girl did not commit suicide out of humiliation meted by the Principal but actually by the behaviour of her Always Busy Parents, wherein the father was only interested in business & the mother, only in social organisations.
The emotional discordance between the parents, compelled the girl to undergo depression & frustration & finally, succumb to death.
I think this seems to be the most common issue that is seen practically these days. Depression has thus become the most common cause of umpteen ailments, ranging from mild bodily discomfort to becoming addicted to vicious habits & finally ending your life.
Cause of Depression: Emotional or Professional instability due to Stress
These words are self – explanatory. Be it:
Ravenous hunger for wealth, leading to lack of time towards family & thus, family conflicts
Cut throat competition & the desire to excel without accepting one’s limitations
Peer pressure & Fear of Ostracism if refusing to demands of peers
Humiliation, Indignation & Mortification
Lack of Physical / Mental appeal: Thin / Obese / Dullard
Abuse of Smoking, Alcoholism & Drug addiction
Getting affected with a Social stigma: Unwed mother / HIV patient
Ultimately, the lack of someone whom you could express your personal feelings with ease, is the Most common cause of Depression.
This occurs, since these days, we only find people who will make our bad matters worse, rather than providing a solution for the same.
People’s habits of gossipping & spreading the news like wildfire is constantly on the rise, since the news is admixed with data that was originally never present.
Thus our grievances are transformed into a Local Breaking News, similar to what is seen these days on almost all News channels.
Manifestations
This is a complex subject, since Depression cannot be diagnosed by any Laboratory investigations but only by a group of symptoms.
Thus, an apparently healthy person with all investigations related to Blood, Liver & Kidney Function tests normal, may be found suddenly Dead, with the cause of Death related to Suicidal attempt.
Depression includes symptoms at the level of Mind which are expressed at the level of the body.
I’m using the word ‘Mind’ & not ‘Brain’ since Mind encompasses Brain alongwith the analysing & evaluating capabilities of a person as an individual.
The chief symptoms include:
Little interest / pleasure in doing things
Feeling down, Hopeless
Trouble falling or staying asleep or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Poor appetite or Overeating
Feeling that you are a failure / of now use to society / would be better off dead
The persistence of these symptoms over a few days / weeks / months, determine the intensity of depression.
Fatigue is the very commonly seen as a symptom of Depression. But you would say that ‘If I work all day long, I am bound to feel weak, tired & fatigued.’ But remember that as per the Practical definition of Health, one should have some amount of energy remaining, even after the end of the day.
Also you need to consider the number of days, the above given symptoms remain, since the occurrence of these symptoms, once in a while, may be possible.
Complications of Depression, if not treated
Desire to resort to abuse of further stimulants
Overeating, leading to Obesity
Death if not treated in time
Prone to diseases related to Lung & Gastro – intestinal tracts
Treatment
This is the most difficult, since most people refrain from Psychological counselling, as the first reaction is Denial & feeling that it cannot happen to you
Another problem that arises is Self – medication, based on Newspaper articles. This is incorrect & can prove fatal in some cases.
So, the correct method is:
Accept your limitations
Speak to someone whom you feel, is reliable, but be assured that he / she will not disclose your problems to others. The best person is this case can be your parents / siblings / friends & Last but not Least, a Psychologist / Psychiatrist.
Remember: What if you don’t die, while attempting suicide & instead, become paralysed / blind? Your life will be further wretched than the situation that prevailed before you tried to make this mistake, thereby adding further psychological & financial burden on you & your family.
There was an incident wherein a student tried to commit suicide & a few minutes before dying, said that when he saw the Petrifying face of death, he desired to live, but in vain.
If you still find it difficult, visit a nearby garden / beach. I consider this to be the Perfect way to release your frustrations. Seeing the serene yet strong waves, often give you the desire to
make another attempt. This may seem to be taken from a Hindi movie but mind you, it does soothe the mind
Make another attempt. Seems difficult again, but do so. Always do this to assure yourself that you tried but it was Bad luck that you didn’t win. And who knows, you may succeed this time. So, B Positive
Always see your rivals laughing at you. Would you like them to be Happy? Of course, if you get depressed / commit suicide, your rivals will surely become the Happiest persons on this Earth, by your act of Sheer Cowardice. So, see to it that you win over them & for that, you will need to Face the situation rather than Flight.
Educational professionals & parents also need to be explained, how to behave with students. Humiliation often by parents & teachers, acts as a Deterrent to the child’s welfare, since it can make the child either a Pessimist or a Rebel.
So, parents need to spend adequate time with the child, rather than merely handing them cell phones & car keys.
Laughing: I need not talk more on this, just see Dr. Asthana(Boman Irani) in Munnabhai MBBS
A Final word of Advice: All the treatment modalities mentioned by me, are only to cheer you & make you Optimistic. They are not intended to harm anybody but to encourage you to prevent you from doing something, which you may never be able to Reverse.
Always think Twice before you make a Nasty decision
A well – balanced nutritious diet with regular mild to moderate disease is equally essential.
Just remember: Life comes only once, so live it fully.
An example: A young man lost both his hands at the age of 6, when he was working in a flour mill. This man, driven by firm courage & determination, learnt how to drive with his legs & has taught several persons how to drive cars. When given help, he says No Thanks.
If this man can be so Optimistic, why do the Fully Able – Bodied persons need to resort to suicide, as a result of Depression.
