We, as a society, have made some progress in the realms of mental health. But is it as rosy as they say? Girish Dutt Shukla shares that talking to a person you trust is the first step to recovery
Depression seems to be the word of the day. You hear about it in pop culture, read about it in books and even may have made comments about it yourself online. But do we understand the gravity and the intricacies surrounding it? How does it feel to be trapped inside your head? To see the world in all its glory but somehow, for some reason not being able to take part in it? If only you could feel all the colours in the rainbow. But is that what depression is? To not be able to see all the colours of life? How about we toss the coin and discover the other spectrum of it? How about when you are way too aware of yourself and your surroundings what then? Is it possible that too much feeling can also push you down the hole? Whatever may be the case but the result sadly is common; withdrawal from oneself and the world and overreaching coldness that can leave you in an abyss.
We, as a society, have made some progress in the realms of mental health. There are healthy discussions going on about it. Researchers are pouring their time and money to understand the essence of the many mental health issues. These are positive steps for sure, especially keeping in mind how far we have come in comparison to hiding such things under the rug. But is it all rosy, as they say? Can we talk about it?
The world can go light-years ahead but that doesn’t accelerate your own growth. You may be in a middle of healthy conversation about mental health but may feel ashamed or simply too vulnerable to open about your own demons. It is hard to talk about what is eating you. There is no timeline or a simple roadmap to understand how long you have been suffering. For some it is just what they have to live with as they don’t know any other way. Can you feel happy and be in the moment at all times and not fall in this invisible rabbit hole that only exists for you? Can it be better? Can you tell someone how it feels? That you feel like you are alone in this world, even when you are surrounded by all the people you love. It is hard to open up, to show your emotional scars. To lay it out in the open and show your inner suffering.
For some, it is the sharing part that restrains them to talk. To some it is simply the matter of coherence, of not being able to describe how it feels. For some, it is the fear of being labeled as a ‘sad person’ but that’s not who they are. How do you open up and will that help? More often than not, these are the crippling fears that make you stay silent but silence is the only thing that will not help. It is essential to look within and find the strength to talk about it, to find a person you believe and trust and just explain how you are feeling. There are no right words here, the essence of healing lies in being vulnerable.
People who are suffering from depression for a long period of time may feel that is the only way to live and this feeling can cast a shadow in any hope for a bright and happier future. You may feel life is too hard. What is the purpose of keep going on? The perpetual tiredness that comes with it can be hard to bear but it is incredibly important to reach out at times like these. It is essential to understand that it is a disease that needs to be treated like any other ailment and yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel. However, the first step towards the journey is to open up and talk.
You may think how will talking help? Well suppose you are going to a friend’s house and get lost and your phone isn’t working. What to do now? Someone in the area might be able to help you with the right directions. Depression is exactly like that. Here you are lost within yourself, tangled between questions about your own life’s worth. You need to have a broader perspective and talk about it.
When you talk, people would listen and help you. Talking is acceptance. Acceptance that you are suffering, acceptance that it is not the way of life, acceptance that yes life is worth living and your life is important. Silence is your worst enemy. Talking to a person you trust is the first step to recovery.
(The writer is a computer engineer and author of the book — Maroon In A Sky Of Blue.)