Climbing up from the depths of depression

Her shoulders are drooping, Reena took each laboured step as she drifted aimlessly. Head bent forward, eyes on the ground and lost in her own world. Her world was not a pleasant place right now. “What is there for me to look forward to in life? Nobody understands me or cares for me… Everyone has given up on me. Not that I blame them at all. I am not worthy of their love, a burden on this world." Preoccupied with these thoughts, she trudged on.

She wondered when she would reach that place described by the kind old man in the park. He somehow seemed to sense her pain without knowing anything about her. He had told her that if she made it to the cliff, she would find an end to her troubles once and for all. Reena did not have the energy to complicate things. She had decided that she would jump over the moment she reached the cliff’s edge.

Then it was there, a grassy plateau leading to a cliff. She neared the edge without fear. Hadn’t she come there with a singular purpose? Yes, this would be the end of all her troubles. Forever.

Image credit: Pixabay

As she stood at the edge, she peered down, out of curiosity. The majestic sight made her sit down on the grass. What a mesmerising landscape it was! Below her, she could see a thin layer of whitish clouds till her eye could see. The beautiful layer looked like a magic carpet bathed golden by the soft rays of the setting sun. There was a rainbow on the horizon and birds were flying around, the likes of which she had not even imagined could exist. It was simply spectacular.

She lost count of the time she had spent taking in the experience, all by herself, the strong breeze enveloping her. A calmness took over her. Her spirits seemed to soar along with the birds which raced against each other.

“How stupendous is God’s creation! How did I miss the magic of life all this while?"

She got up and after a last glance at the scene turned back. Reena had finally realised how exquisite life was. 

She then made a decision. “I don’t care what others think or say about me anymore. For that matter, I don’t want to think about what they think about me or say behind my back. Why should that upset me? Life is beautiful beyond imagination. And it is my life which I shall live on my own terms. No, I just cannot throw it all away in a moment of desperation.”

As she walked back, she wasn’t exactly smiling. Yet, gone was her lack of purpose. Though still tired of the body, her spirit had come to life.

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WHO states that India is the depression capital of the world (the increasing number of suicides supports this). "It is estimated that by the year 2020, the burden of depression will increase to 5.7% of the total burden of disease and it would be the second leading cause of disability-adjusted life years after ischemic heart disease," according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Related read: Going through depression? Here are 5 simple ways to get your life back on track

Are we awake to this threat? What is depression? So often it is passed off as a phase of sadness and the person suffering is labelled as a weak person with a negative attitude to life. Sadness and depression are entirely different. While sadness is transient and is experienced by most people at some time or the other, depression, is a state that is marked by severity, duration and the incapacitating effect that it has on those afflicted. A marked sense of hopelessness, of being worthless engulfs the afflicted. A depressive phase can last for several weeks to months and even years. 

Rather than dissect the medical aspects of depression, let us focus on mental well-being. An excessively aspiration-driven lifestyle, inadequate rest and recreation and poor physical fitness are breeding grounds for the mind to self-destruct. If depressed, treatment and counselling are a prerequisite for there is a very strong link between depression and suicide. 

Image credit: Pixabay
 
What can be done to alleviate depression if one is already afflicted?

— Adopt a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise (preferably outdoors). Exercise is a fabulous mood booster as it releases endorphins in the brain.
— Pick up hobbies or passions other than your normal routine.
— Socialise more, invest time and resources in relationships.
— Spending time out in the sun is said to be beneficial too.
— Specific yoga asanas relieve depression.
— Meditation is a powerful healing tool. It calms the mind and relieves anxiety.

Awareness is the key, as is vigilance on behalf of those around the afflicted. Is there a way we help someone smile once again?

Watch: WHO's insightful video on depression