What is depression?If we want to find a English synonym very close to depression, the word ‘exhaustion’ will come firstand this term is also medically marked as a disease. Most of the people in our society misinterpret theconcepts of depression. According to WHO, depression is characterized by persistent sadness and a lack of interest or pleasure in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities. It can also disturb sleep and appetite; tiredness and poor concentration are common. Depression is a leading cause of disability around the world and contributes greatly to the global burden of disease.
Depression is technically a mental disorder, butone can not address a depressed person as a ‘lunatic’ one. Depression can end one’s life if is not noticed or counselledby his or her surrounding people.
According to the World Health Organization, about 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression which pushes them towards disability.
The number of patients suffering from depression is increasing day by day in Bangladesh as well. Depression causes mental breakdown which turns into a disease if it is not counselled at the right time .
Depression affects our feelings, thoughts and actions. We oftenmeasure sadness and depression on thesame scale. Sadness is a temporary problem. No treatment is required for this. Depression, on the other hand, is a long-term problem. Appropriate treatment and advice are needed if it crosses the last line.
It is not possible to say why one gets depressed.Commonly, social or family disarrangements,personal grief, hereditary influencescan make one depressed. One's unstable personal relationships,loneliness and insecurities, effects of medication and unexpected incidents have strong role to play as well.
Having a routined life style can help us overcome depression. When we see or hear a depressed person, we get no interest in knowing the cause of his depression, rather we immediately reach to a conclusion. In a developing country, where its culture, literature and history glorify humanity, there are some people who lack general humane quality in their judgements.These people may be someone close to us and they are the ones who need to listen to the depressed people around them. Loving ourselves is must to overcome depression. It is the first step towards having a sound mind.
Depression can be a detrimental to one which will lead him or her to death if not treated at the right period. Depression leaves one helpless. To get rid of it, oneneeds to prepare himself for a variety of therapies and treatments. It is almost impossible to get rid of this disease without strong determination.
To get rid of depression, one need to make changes in his or her daily activities, eating habits and lifestyle and most importantly perception. This procedure is done under Psychotherapy / cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Getting counselled by a psychologist or consulting a doctor should be an unhesitatingchoice when it is needed.
Wadia Ayshi is a student at the Department of English, University Of Dhaka
