Ask. Talk. Listen. It's time to address the matter.

Ask. Talk. Listen.



Depression - such an overused term, isn't it? But more than overused it's over felt.

More than half of today's population is victim to this disease. Now you would ask me, why is it even termed as a disease ? But that's where we go wrong. It is as important and serious a disease like any other so called "medical" disease. Maybe it is not always visible to the naked eye like when a person is down with fever you can understand that but depression is not easily understood or detected. It's more like saying the person is suffering from mood swings or has some anger management issue or maybe they just had a bad day at school/work. No. They didn't. And the victims generally hide it well with their ever enthusiastic smile, because they neither seek for attention nor sympathy.

My question is why can't we treat depression just like we would treat a heart patient or a cancer patient? Why would we have to be all "hush-hush" about this? It needs the same care, the same amount of patience, the same kind of attention and most importantly the same way of being loved. 
Just because the person doesn't want or ask for it? 

So when you see a girl/boy/uncle/aunty whoever be it sitting amongst a group of friends silently at the corner with a sly smile don't judge that person to be an introvert or unfriendly. Maybe he/she is just trying to fight their loneliness by sitting with them. Though that might not be helping.
And depression is not always when a person can't get up from bed or have a low appetite. Sometimes depression can give you an amazing week with full of happy times and then suddenly one morning you feel as hollow and empty and alone as ever. Depression is not feeling tired. It's feeling nothing. At all.

How you cure a person with depression! Unlike "medical" diseases, for depression you only need some simple gestures that can make them feel a lot better. The very first thing you do is, ask! They will inevitably say "Everything's is fine and nice!" but if that answer doesn't satisfy you ask again. And again. And again. And as many times it needs to open them up. It takes just a caring shoulder, a loving smile, a warm hug and an assurance that they are not alone in this. And you are with them, to help them fight it out.

So, the next time you see someone standing alone afar from the crowd or someone behaving in a cranky manner. Stop. Don't judge. Give them a genuine smile. Hug them tight. Ask. Listen. And love.
Let's fight away with depression tagging us down. Cheers!



- Angira Sen

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