Thursday, 11 October 2018

Mental Health matters

Some circumstances lead to inevitable reactions. Reactions pile up and we land up in a situation which is incomprehensible for us. Sometimes it is not the fault of circumstances but brain's chemistry. 
I am talking about mental health in a very casual manner. 
What makes a person depressed or what causes OCD, Schizophrenia and all other diseases with huge names can never be explained in layman terms. How to cure them is a bigger challenge, that is why maybe we don't talk about it. 
Then we watch a standup like Nannette or a movie like Perks of being a wallflower which appeals to our emotional side and we start posting things for a while and then we are silent. No I am not saying to share ' mental health is important' posts everyday. However, all I ask for is a proper conversation and understanding which lacks, especially in South Asia, especially in India. 
I am not going to quote statistics but if you search Clinical Depression on google it says that one out of five is affected. Yet, I rarely see people talking about it. And those who talk are misusing the term- 'Oh, I am so depressed no holidays this semester'. 

So why is it vital to talk about mental health even though we cannot understand it? 
I am suffering with severe depression along with bipolar (2) disorder. Sometimes I am so numb that I myself cannot comprehend my own pain. Somedays I am so out of words that I need my loved ones to fill in me with their own. When I was diagnosed my parents were in denial. They thought it is my vertigo to be blamed for panic attacks, my friends were like I am too young to go through this. And other people? Who saw my confused and sad expression always judged me. 
I felt like I was trapped. I used to read some mainstream articles on mental health like this one and gauge where I am going. One day my relatives came to know and they suspected that it might be because of a relationship. 
So we live in a society where jests, humour and sarcasm is honoured and a serious talk which may cause us to think is disregarded. 
Coming back to question, it is important to talk about mental health because unlike physical health it locks you inside an imaginary room. You are locked with all the demons and please understand no one can defeat them my their own. You need weapons and guidance. 
Medicines and external support do that work. 
I have faced pill shaming where people ask me what anti depressant do and it all depends on me.
I have been asked by my best friend to stop talking about it as people will start stereotyping me as a 'depressed human'
I hate how we assume that a person going through depression is spreading sadness and I hate how self-help books quote that we need to be happy to attract good energy and spread positive vibes. Believe me it is bullshit. There is no button inside head to switch off thoughts. When someone is clinically depressed often there is no control over thoughts because it is lack of serotonin and other harmones which are responsible for controlling negative thoughts.
For once I want people to stop, okay lets not talk about this if you have to ask annoying questions and use your insensitive tongue.

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