Depression: A short note

“I’ve always considered myself to be a strong person, so overcoming depression shouldn’t have been such a big deal to
me. However, when I actually went through it, I miraculously transformed into a helpless shell of the person I once used
to be. I noticed a sudden decline in my appetite, and I would feel these instant pangs of nausea every time I tried to eat.
Getting out of bed seemed like a Herculean task. I was too exhausted to perform even the most mundane everyday
activities. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, or see them. People terrified me to a point where I would feel waves of panic
gush over me every time someone came near. My dark, dingy room was where I found solace, and getting out of it
seemed impossible. Social isolation seemed like the perfect answer to all my problems. I wasn’t myself. I wanted to
change, but I didn’t know how. I wasn’t comfortable with telling people about the way I was feeling because I knew
they would judge me. My world was completely devoid of hope for months. There was no point of living for me.”

Depression has a myriad of emotions attached to it, it isn’t merely a feeling but a serious mental illness that has been
trivialized over the years. It’s appallingly common to find people claiming to be depressed for a couple of days, but
they don’t realize that depression isn’t quite that easy to get over. Overcoming it is a challenging journey that only the
bravest can embark upon.

Being depressed comes with feelings of worthlessness, despair, suicidal thoughts and a multitude of other negative
emotions that result in anti-social behaviour, psychotic tendencies and a complete halt to living a normal life.

Sue Baker, director of the ‘Time to Change’ programme set up to change negative attitudes towards mental illness,
says nine out of 10 people with mental illness say they have experienced stigma and discrimination.
"Yet, paradoxically, 'coming out' can be the best thing for someone with a mental illness. It can have a powerful
influence," says Baker. "If you don't disclose, then people who might help you aren't going to be able to."

There are various kinds of medically recognized depression, the most common type being major depression that
typically lasts more than two weeks. A few other common types of depression would be-

• Psychotic depression – This is often accompanied by a distorted view of reality, such as delusional thinking
(negative and untrue beliefs) and hearing voices. People with psychotic depression often end up going mad because
of all the hallucinations that they experience.

• Atypical depression – Involves extreme exhaustion and an inability to move your limbs. People tend to overeat and
oversleep and hence experience a massive weight gain during this period.

• Postnatal depression - triggered by pregnancy or childbirth. Around 15% of women go through postnatal depression.
They often start resenting their newborns. Some women go to the extent of trying to kill their babies for relief, in
extreme cases.

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - periods of depression that occur in particular seasons, particularly winter, and
related to low levels of sunlight.

“The moment my mom noticed symptoms of depression, she figured that clinical therapy would be the best option.
I was unsure about it, but I reluctantly agreed. The psychiatrist asked me a couple of questions to pinpoint the reason
behind my sudden mood changes. He told me that I was a rare sufferer of endogenous depression. This basically
meant that there was no particular trigger to my depression. It had something to do with sudden hormonal changes.
He prescribed an anti-depressant and another pill that would increase my appetite. The medication helped, but the
support that I got from my parents and friends were invaluable.”

Anti-depressants are just one of  the various ways to treat depression. Psychotherapy is another common method
where talk therapy is used to help depressed patients improve coping skills by expressing themselves. For severe
cases, clinical treatments can be used, where neurons are simulated to relieve depressive symptoms.

Depression has always had negative connotations. This is because no one understands how completely normal it is to
fall prey to it. If society would become more accepting towards depressed patients, we could get rid of the stigma
that has been perpetually attached to mental disorders. This would enable people suffering from depression to be
more verbal about their condition and receive the required help and support without the fear of being judged.