The worst part of having emotional pain is that it is not visible to the naked eyes. We don’t see or recognise signs of emotional despair in others, the way we identify signs of a cardiac arrest or a breathing difficulty arising from lungs infection. The pain is, however, the same, often lethal.
The tragic death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput should serve as an eye-opener that the sufferer and the observer both take cognizant of the warning signs of a sad heart before the person suffering takes up the most drastic step to cease the pain of the mind by terminating his/her life.
Life of humans is exposed to harsh difficulties and sometimes insurmountable obstacles. We all are destined to live through it. Failures, heartbreaks, losing loved ones etc. are common to all of us living on this planet. Then why some people choose to end their lives? Is it because surviving is difficult? Is not taking one’s own life demands more courage than bearing with pain? Then why is it, that the victim finds relief in even speculating such options let alone indulging in one such an act?
Of all the maladies of human life, depression is probably the most misunderstood mental ailment. Often misconstrued as sadness, the victim and the people around have no clue where it triggers. Depression is sometimes denoted as the “problem of the elite” that has the time and luxury to indulge in such thoughts. However, it is time to bust such myths as people from all strata of lives have taken extreme steps of ending their lives in some unbearable circumstances. Thus, surfacing a glaring truth that depression can hit anyone irrespective of age, sex, economic background and social status.
Depression is often made a great deal worse by an altered emotional state of hope and frustration. Sadness, as often felt by all of us from time to time, is a fleeting feeling. In contrast, depression is a persistent state of prolonged and deep sadness that refuses to go away. These feelings are real and cannot be brushed aside by calling it figments of imagination. A depressed person is “sick” and cannot lift her spirits by mere willingness to do so, as much as it is impossible to fly in the air by willingness or positive thoughts. Therefore, pieces of advice that people often give to the depressed such as watch movie, go for socialising, distract yourself, focus on work etc. is ridiculous. If these bits of advice never helped a person having a heart attack, it won’t ever help someone suffering from depression.
Let us look at some of the common early signs of depressions, which are as follows:
It is interesting to note that depressed people are not less courageous. They are often brave and mighty successful in their professional front. They could talk and behave as normally as other people do. They are even ambitious and hard workers. Physically, it is not possible to demarcate a depressed from a healthy individual. There are no physical abnormalities to identify.
The most crucial first-aid that can save a victim of depression is attentive listening. Suggestions for close friends and caregivers:
Depression strikes unannounced, often trap a person in the middle of a whirlwind of emotional pain, devouring bit by bit his body, mind and spirit. With adequate awareness and information, we can help the depressed, or the victim can help him/herself out of the clutches of this ‘Silent Killer.’
(Professor Sreystha Beppari is an applied psychologist, author and wellness coach.)
