DEPRESSION
~Let’s Talk About It~
Depression. The
moment you read that word you instinctively flinch. The word itself elicits the
feeling it defines. Sadness but not just any sadness, overwhelming sometimes incontrollable
sadness. Approximately 350,000,000 people are affected by some form of
depression globally. That is a lot of people that are affected by a disease
that we are often times scared to talk about. So why are we so put off by the
very mentioning of the word?
On a societal level
depression is unacceptable. When someone says they are depressed an image
immediately pops into our heads. That image is of a boy/girl in a black moping
around whining about their terrible life, this image is also completely false
9/10. Reality tells us that depression affects everyone. Whether it’s the star
athlete on the high school basketball team or the neighborhood soccer mom, depression
does not discriminate and that is something we as a society have to learn. We don’t want to hear our loved ones tell us
that they have depression, and we don’t want to talk about it. But why? Why is
it so unacceptable to hear that our loved ones are struggling with something
much bigger than them? Why are we so quick to throw that word out the window
and ignore those who claim to suffer from it? Because as a society we are told
to be strong and happy. We are constantly hearing quotes like “happiness is a
choice” or “you control how you feel”. What if that isn’t always true? What if
we were being suffocated by feelings that we had absolutely no control over?
Did you know that
nearly 30% of college students admit to feeling depressed? College students!
These are the guys who are supposed to be having the times of their lives and
yet 30% of them feel trapped and alone. Most parents don’t talk about how the
pressures of the world can affect our life, we don’t warn our kids about the unforeseen
realities that sometimes life hits us in the face with and that needs to
change. We need to start teaching our children that sometimes you can’t get
everything right, sometimes life doesn’t work out the way you plan and that it’s
okay. See we are so caught up in being positive and pushing our children to
believe in themselves that we forget to mention that sometimes it doesn’t work
out. I’m not saying that we should fill our children’s heads with negativity or
be any less encouraging but we also need to prepare them for when life doesn’t
pan out the way they thought it would. False hope leads to no hope. The next step
we need to take is talking about when life does throw a curve ball that it’s
okay to feel upset. Those feelings of darkness, and loneliness they’re okay to
have. But we need to talk about them in order to work through them!
11% of adolescents
have been diagnosed with depression disorder before turning 18! 11% may not
seem like a large number but in the bigger picture its huge because how many
kids do you think suffer in silence? In our society we are very quick to judge
one another and push unrealistic expectations on one another, especially in
this internet driven era. With sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
being platforms for portraying a life that hundreds of other people “see” we
sometimes get lost in who we are on the internet and who we really are. Kids
are so worried about being accepted and liked that they create personas to
please those around them. They are so afraid to be themselves because being
yourself isn’t good enough anymore. Especially if yourself means being depressed.
Young children who exhibit signs of depression are ostracized which is why so
many suffer in silence. They fear being isolated when in reality they’re more
alone than ever by not accepting themselves.
As a society we need
to stop being put off by the word depression. We need to stop setting
unrealistic expectations of who young men and women should be and we need to
talk. We need to talk to our children, talk to our friends, and talk to our
students. Depression. See I say that word and I don’t flinch. I say that word
and I feel relieved that I can say it and tell you I have it and not be
ashamed. I say that word knowing that there are 350,000,000 people suffering
from it right now and they too should not be ashamed. I hope to see the world
become more accepting of this disease that tears lives apart from the inside. I
hope to see those who suffer from it start reaching out and I hope to see those
who are reached out to accept their loved ones for who they are.
Depression – talk about
it.
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