‘Depression’ is a phenomenal and subterranean classification represented in ten letter word. But its constitution is so entangled and cohesive that anybody who lives the stage of being depressed or in depression that to emulsify and express in action, words, or say feelings is an ineffectual task. It vehemently kills the willingness, will to act or will to react. The atmospheric juxtaposition of this medical condition is multifarious, segmented and symptomatic that being associated brings only agony and anonymity.
Sadly highly stigmatized and cocooned that mere mention of the same impedes at the obstruction of meeting teeth and can’t be read aloud. Indeed, tough moral fibre is needed to claim and proclaim to have lived the stage. It does happen at times that the sufferers are taken critically, and the disease is short-lived as they are blessed enough with right prognosis, where the psychiatrist acts as Messiah in not only prescribing the appropriate treatment but also counselling the family surmounting the convalescent. Or it might ensue that if the sufferer is left untreated forever, then the number and severity of symptoms are on rising bent, further leading to being in shambles on the pretext of bad karmas or being chained, beaten, cursed and mocked.
Looking at the available resources, a lot has been said and documented about the illness. As per the World Health Organization in its new Global Health Estimates on Depression for 2015, there are 322 million people living with depression worldwide of which 50 million are from India. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. However, the underlying statement is-depression is the most treatable of all mental illnesses but what we lack in is the knowledge and awareness of same.
Let the knowledge built in should not be confined to books and brains. Let us as community construct the resilience and support the patients in coping with the mental disorder. As they need to be loved, cared and encouraged. Lot many therapies are available such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), behaviour therapy or say mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Equally rationalised are pet, music and art therapy. Under pet therapy, pets help in reducing stress, anxiety and loneliness thus bringing in more playfulness and encouraging exercise. Music and dance therapy support people in exploring and transforming difficult emotional imbalances and relieving anxiety. Art therapy has no comparison as here not words, but creative expressions become the outlet may be on canvas or clay. Also, innovative methods that of Virtual Reality is also now helping in combating depression or simply adhere in practising the archaic and most beneficial Yoga therapy.
The boom in euphoria an antonym of depression can happen if we realise one important aspect that of chaffing the inhibitions and open to talks. Talking when we find ourselves being magnetic to isolation, talking to one when we find is building walls around, talking about the cons of all the mammoth paraphernalia that enwraps the illness. Talking about that the phase can surely end when all make it a welcome part of life that yes, it happens to cease.