There Are Many Ways To Deal With Depression
Reena Singh
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You might know someone who often feels sad and lonely, or for no apparent reason, hits the blues. In other words, someone who is `depressed'.Many look upon depression as a form of karmic suffering, a black hole with no escape. But linking karma and depression may be too simplistic an approach to the problem. Quite often, a person suffering from depression doesn't know the reason for his own sadness.According to the World Health Organization, global figures for depression stand at around 5%. The number of depressed worldwide grew 18.4%, between 2005-15. Depression can afflict anyone poor or rich, successful or unsuccessful, young or old. Hollywood comedian Robin Williams succumbed to depression whereas Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone succeeded in pulling herself out of it, thanks to help from family and professional counselling. I knew a retired senior police officer, who was the life and soul of every party . One day, he took his life. He had been depressed because of a painful back ailment.
Would empathy and compassion for the depressed person help? Yes, say spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama we must first recognise the gravity of a person's misery , empathise and put ourselves in his shoes.
Close family members may make a depressed person feel worse by making statements like, “Come on, cheer up; the world is not coming to an end.“
How can friends and relatives help? It could be as simple as reintroducing the person to that t forgotten, simple lifestyle of yesteryears where outdoor spe activity and friendly banter with tr neighbours, relatives and friends were a part of life. The human touch is important for everyone.
WHO is observing 2017 as the Year of Depression. Henk Bekedam, WHO repre sentative in India, blames modernisation for the increasing incidence of depres sion. “Modernisation brings its own challenges,“ he says. He reflects on his own youth in the Netherlands after school, every day , he would play football.
But today's children are instead busy on their smartphones and PCs.
Physiologically speaking, outdoor play is necessary . It releases endorphins those hormonal gifts that the body releases to cope with stress and depression. But with the Indian education system's obsession with superlative marks as the he criteria for admission to a aking good university , children are skipping play periods and ee opting for tuition instead. Older people are so caught up in the rat race of work and commuting that they , too, skip the outdoors. Play and social interaction teach life skills a sense of sharing, team spirit and how to take winning and losing in our stride.
We also need more celebrity role models like Deepika to come out and tell the world that it is okay to seek help and talk to professional therapists if you are unable to deal with depression on your own.
Still others may describe the emotions a depressed person has of unexplained anger, frustration, rage, sadness and despair as a demonic spirit that takes control of rational thought processes. This may not be the right approach. On the other hand, spiritual masters do recommend mantra chanting, meditation and seva (service) to enable one to overcome self-obsession and become more giving and compassionate.
Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh says, “The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention.“ But the one who is depressed also needs to acknowledge the problem and be open to receiving help.
Would empathy and compassion for the depressed person help? Yes, say spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama we must first recognise the gravity of a person's misery , empathise and put ourselves in his shoes.
Close family members may make a depressed person feel worse by making statements like, “Come on, cheer up; the world is not coming to an end.“
How can friends and relatives help? It could be as simple as reintroducing the person to that t forgotten, simple lifestyle of yesteryears where outdoor spe activity and friendly banter with tr neighbours, relatives and friends were a part of life. The human touch is important for everyone.
WHO is observing 2017 as the Year of Depression. Henk Bekedam, WHO repre sentative in India, blames modernisation for the increasing incidence of depres sion. “Modernisation brings its own challenges,“ he says. He reflects on his own youth in the Netherlands after school, every day , he would play football.
But today's children are instead busy on their smartphones and PCs.
Physiologically speaking, outdoor play is necessary . It releases endorphins those hormonal gifts that the body releases to cope with stress and depression. But with the Indian education system's obsession with superlative marks as the he criteria for admission to a aking good university , children are skipping play periods and ee opting for tuition instead. Older people are so caught up in the rat race of work and commuting that they , too, skip the outdoors. Play and social interaction teach life skills a sense of sharing, team spirit and how to take winning and losing in our stride.
We also need more celebrity role models like Deepika to come out and tell the world that it is okay to seek help and talk to professional therapists if you are unable to deal with depression on your own.
Still others may describe the emotions a depressed person has of unexplained anger, frustration, rage, sadness and despair as a demonic spirit that takes control of rational thought processes. This may not be the right approach. On the other hand, spiritual masters do recommend mantra chanting, meditation and seva (service) to enable one to overcome self-obsession and become more giving and compassionate.
Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh says, “The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention.“ But the one who is depressed also needs to acknowledge the problem and be open to receiving help.
