Start Believing That Depression That Is an Illness, And Not Just An Emotion

Thanks to pop culture, depression has become a buzz word of today. We hear the word depression being used in such frivolous situations that taking this illness seriously becomes a monumental task. Especially when the topic of mental illness is considered taboo in our society. While there is an argument that celebrities and responsible pop culture has helped initiate the conversation around mental health, it is still worth noting that there is enough frivolous content out there that people consume on a daily basis and believe it or not, pop culture plays a huge role in molding are perception about things like depression therapy. “I feel hungry but can’t order my favourite cheesecake! I’m so depressed!” Things like these make us feel that depression is an emotion, something you feel at some point and then not feel it later. However, depression is a form of mental illness.

Depression and sadness are two completely different concepts. One is a mental illness that stays with you and needs to be treated, while the other one is a feeling. Sadness is what you feel when your favourite football club loses a game, depression is what makes you feel paralysed, and helpless. Depression needs therapy. There is group therapy for depression which is much cheaper than regular therapy but is just as effective. We need to make people understand that depression requires treatment. And that it cannot be clubbed with sadness. Yes, prolonged sadness can result in clinical depression, but it is still a long shot away from being used the way it is today. Above everything else, we need to educate people about the important of mental health and the importance of talking about mental health in a society.