My Take on Clinical Depression — My Journey and What helped
The dreaded alphabet “D”
In my humble opinion, the alphabet “D” has some of the most dreaded words known in English. Death, disaster, drugs, divorce, dread, dearth, dismay, diabolical, devil, and the most feared of them all, depression. Through this write up I would like to bring to everyone’s notice some truths about depression and how it may affect people irrespective of caste, creed, age, or even color.
Clinical depression or what the doctors call major depression is a medical condition that has a lasting effect on people but can be cured with professional help. It is different from other forms of depression that may arise due to the death or loss of someone close (like family or a pet), or due to medical conditions and likewise.
I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and wanted to highlight some symptoms and methods that would be of help to try and help others cope during such a mind racking time. I hope that this article helps people in whatever format to realize and seek help before it is too late.
Some of the symptoms associated with clinical depression may be as under:
· Extreme sadness, remorse, tearfulness.
· Extreme sleep patterns like sleeping in excess or no sleep at all.
· Loss/lack of interest in different activities or hobbies.
· Loss of appetite or eating in excess.
· Extreme sense of guilt or being a failure, or taking self-blame for almost everything.
· Anger, frustration, or irritation on trivial/small matters.
· Suicidal or self-harm thoughts and sometimes even attempts at doing the same.
· Some complain of headaches, whereas some complain of anxiety as well.
· People have also seen to experience droopy body postures, slow movements, or even concentration levels are diminished.
I have experienced almost all of the above at some stage and would have kept going down if it were not for certain timely decisions made in my life. Some methods or solutions that helped me get through to a fairly great extent have been listed below to try and help similar brothers and sisters.
1. Seek professional help: It is extremely critical to seek professional help. In India, mental health is never looked at with compassion. People are bound to treat anything associated with such conditions as drama or madness. Do understand that it is not any of the same. Your mental well-being is in your hands. If you face any discomfort mentally or even have a remote inclination seek help from professionals. They will not judge you they are in the profession to help and get you better. Psychologists and Psychiatrists are two different things and sometimes people may need help from both of them. In some cases, rehab also may be suggested for some individuals.
2. Read: Lethargy is one of the associated symptoms, exercise, and other activities will be the least interesting thing for some individuals. During such time reading some self-help books do help. You can also try and read more about clinical depression and redirect all your energies to try and work towards making yourself better.
3. Keep communicating: During these times you need people to understand and bear up with you while you go on crying or feel low. The family usually helps as they will be the best to understand. Sometimes even family may not help, find yourself a friend or a confidante and keep two-way communication on. Share some articles with such an individual as well on clinical depression, so that just in case he/she sees you sinking, he/she may raise an alarm to some professional or your family and guide you correctly.
4. Meet people no matter how bad you feel: Being lonely or alone is the worst thing to happen to someone going through this phase. The best thing is to meet people, you may call them over or you should get out and catch up. When people talk/meet plans like movies, a holiday or something interesting may come up to take you out of the slump. The renewed you, that day may understand the point of being happy and you might end up seeking help from professionals so as to continue in this fashion.
5. When suicidal thoughts hit: When depressed compounded with lack of sleep and immense feelings of guilt hits; one tends to Google for methods/ways to commit suicide. My suggestion is that you should keep the suicide helpline number handy (some links are mentioned here http://www.aasra.info/helpline.html; https://icallhelpline.org/ ). Talk to them first they will listen patiently and assist you. Try and Google for survivor videos rather than suicide methods. It will fill you with hope and makes you understand how to cope with the situation you are in. All this seems easier said than done, but yes at that moment it might help the individual to a great extent.
6. It is about “YOU”: When you go through this stage relationships get spoilt, it may break as well. Sometimes it may be a wife, it may be your parents or even your kids. Yes, when all the guilt hits you it will play on your mind that you are the cause. At this point, you should re-focus all your attention on nothing but your well-being. You and only you are your biggest asset, realign everything to focus on your health, post that if the relationships valued you they will stick with you. Else you can always rebuild yourself with all the renewed energy you have got from the help you have sought.
7. Yoga, activities, and support groups: Walking and cycling along with talk therapy and medicines like anti-depressants and sleeping tablets have helped me cope with my depression to a great extent. I do not do the things that I did a couple of months ago, the dam of emotions from the eyes does not keep flowing now. I do feel the same will be helpful to many of you as well. With energies realigned and with a renewed spirit, the phase and years of depression will pass and you will be positive and happy with life.
8. Keep away from toxic people: This is of utmost importance, keep them out. They should not have any place in your life. They will do nothing but make you worse. They will not only sink you deeper but will keep treating you like SH*T. So turn a blind eye to them and keep them barricaded out they deserve that only. Self-Healing is your priority and nothing else.
9. Feel free to reach out: I may not be a professional or the best consultant, but I am a survivor-in-progress. I may not be able to give you the best solutions but I can advise on whom to or how to go about with the professional help you need. I want to support you and show you how it is to battle with depression, with feeling alone, with suicidal thoughts, and how to emerge and rebuild no matter how bad things may seem. You can reach out to me at koshy.sums@gmail.com or +919739976226. Let’s work towards a better you and a better tomorrow for YOU.
Thanks to Google and related parties for the images and Strava App.