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A tale of victory over depression

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depression

After an arduous four years battle with depression, he finally got estranged from its claws. Numerous relapses and a mulish addiction to alcohol, brought him miseries that he could barely imagine in his wildest dreams.

“Depression strolls in one’s life begging for its existence. Once it senses any hint of odd, uncovers its majestic form, under different highs and lows.” He said.

An abusive father, bad companions, and maltreatment in school made the ground of depression fertile for him. He was one of those, who would suppress his emotions and cover his thoughts, no matter how devastating they are.

In the beginning, he was totally clueless about the series of unwanted events happening with him. Craving for high-calorie food, sleep issues, increased argument with his girlfriend, feeling numb and hazy every time, became his regular routine.

After much contemplation, he could match signs with depression. Spaced out, he decided to disclose the matter to his parents. But his surprise jumped in amusement when his dad brought him a Brainolia (a kind of memory enhancing syrup) while his mom massaged his scalp with Navratna oil (a soothing ayurvedic hair oil).

Finally, seeking a psychologist was his only choice left. He was prescribed with antidepressants. For four years he soaked in antidepressants, with higher doses every week.

A conversation about his struggle with prolonged depression

As he says, “Depression is all about self-esteem. We have a monitor in our mind. When we do good, it feels good and when something bad happens, it feels bad. But once you learn to distinguish between good and bad, learn to stand for yourself, that self-esteem gradually builds up.”

Q: How was depression, your old friend?
A: I broke up with her now. There are times when she didn’t let me sleep for days. That phase was horrible but it taught me many things.

Q: How did it all end?
A: I was drained, both mentally and physically. Depression had taken away my health, sleep, and my life completely. And antidepressants, they deteriorated the situation more. Around 4 am, one day, I was lying in bed and staring at the ceiling. Out of sheer frustration, I walked out of my home. Kept walking, heedlessly. After few hours, I felt good. And then, there’s no stopping since then.

Q: Did you get hook on to any sort of drugs?
A: Yes, I was an extensively into alcohol and marijuana. In one instance, I drank a full raw bottle of whisky, with a hope to gain some sleep. But woke up with wide eyes within two hours. However, I am all clean now.

Q: Did you experience any suicidal ideation?
A: I felt total numbness but there were no suicidal thoughts. Also, I was not afraid to die. It was like let things happen their way.

Q: How were your parents and friends? Did they support you?
A: My parents and siblings were quite supportive, unlike my friends. When I discussed my condition with my friends, they lend a hand with alcohol. They were just waiting for me to get well. When I was recovering, still battling, they influenced me toward alcohol, once again. Further, relapse knocked.

Overcoming depression

After the fourth cup of coffee, he put forth some of the important practices he followed that helped him in his battle. Below are some of them:

  • Journaling helps a lot. I jot down all my good, bad, and ugly feelings. These anecdotes now help me in making music.
  •  Stay away from bad influence and from any sort of drugs. Eventually, you will fall into the trap of addiction, further depreciating things more.
  • Avoid narcissistic people. Learn about narcissism and co-dependency.
  • Avoid any kind of spiritual modality. You will likely fall prey to these. Be VERY CAREFUL.
  •  Exercise is a must. You will feel lethargic, not want to even think of it. This is a very slow process. It took me a year. But exercising augmented my thought process and helped in enhancing my self-worth. I started loving my life.
  • Self-counseling helps. I treat myself as a child. I ask questions, about things that hurt me, why did I feel bad about something that the other person had said, is it good? Is it bad? Then I come to the climax.
  • Know that you cannot please everyone. Society is a huge problem. Prejudices like you are too good to revert to an elderly person’s (wrong) views, would subsequently want you to restore their faith in you.

There have been numerous times when he was raped, mentally. After four years of living in absolute darkness, Ankit finally defeated his demons. He is now happy to embrace the scars left by his kick-boxing practices than by those dreadful four years.

Struggle of distinguishing depression

The word “depression” is powerful enough to frighten anyone. In a world with more than 300 million people struggling with depression, only a handful of them dares to speak up about their mental status. And others? They suffer in the shadows of misery, despondency, and ultimately seek suicide as their final destination.

Camouflaged by societal stigma, prejudices, and indifference, people battling with depression or any other mental clutter could barely distinguish their problems or seek professional guidance.

There are people who may not even realize the signs and intensity of depression and in turn, can fall in the vicious cycle of drug or alcohol addiction. Thus, it’s imperative to know and understand the signs before it is too late.

 

Editor’s Take: We will update an article on the signs and symptoms of depression in our health section soon.

Also, don’t forget to share this article. Help us reach this story to others in need.

SUICIDE – Know the warning signs

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warning signs, suicide

In every 40 seconds, a person commits suicide, leading to over 800,000 suicides every year. Albeit every suicide is a personal tragedy, its effect on family, friends, and communities are far-reaching and devastating. As per World Health Organization (WHO), it is the second leading, yet preventable cause of death among 15-29-year-old globally.

Tragically, suicide failed to be recognized as a serious public health concern despite its growing statistics. The taboo and stigma encircling it stood intact. People struggling with a mental cramp barely could stand to speak up about their condition. Fearing, they could be estranged from the society or look down upon as not normal.

The idea of a happy and satisfactory life varies from person to person. While some muddle through the thorns with proper guidance and support, most others fall flat on them. Thus, is normal for anyone to experience suicidal thoughts at some stages of life.

A number of factors can collaborate to intensify a person’s vulnerability to suicidal behavior or suicide. These includes personal, social, psychological, cultural, biological, and environmental.

Furthermore, a person who plots to end his/ her miseries through suicide, exhibit a number of clues or signs to demonstrate their sufferings. Some of these signs see light, while others get choked, poisoned, bled, or drowned in hopelessness and despair.

Below are some of the warning signs that can save a life if acknowledged at the right time.

  • Alteration in one’s personality or behavior:

A person who considers suicide will display strange behavior like acute sadness or lost amid their own mind, speaking or moving with unusual speed or slowness, abnormal sleeping habits, distraction from everyday chores, eating disorders, involvement in unsafe sex, and increased use of drugs or alcohol.

  • Visible signs of mental distress:

Enduring with a prolonged grief, sudden and persistent mood swings, and unexpected rage are some of the common signs that should not go unseen. Besides, major mental health issues like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia are recognized as the leading cause of suicide worldwide. This is because people who undergo these depressive phases find it difficult to connect with the happiness string of life. They are wired to feel less pleasure from life and difficulty to match steps with everyday routine.

  • Sudden calmness:

Shifting to a tranquil state abruptly after a period of depression is a serious sign that the person has found a way to put an end to his or her sufferings.

  • Social isolation:

Due to loss of interest or pleasure from life, a person fighting with his/her inner demons, often isolate himself/herself from social influence. They will find excuses to constrain from interacting with family or friends.

  • Recent trauma or life crisis:

Traumatic life events like rape, sexual abuse, war, break up, divorce, or death of a loved one can trigger feeling of helplessness, guilty, or ashamed. An individual, under such distressing circumstances, is likely to seek peace through suicide.

  • Preparing suicide:

Self-mutilation, past attempts to suicide, or covering a family history of suicide can inevitably increase one’s risk to suicide. A person who considers suicide will engage in unusual affairs that they normally do not do. These include visiting friends and family members, making a will, giving away personal possessions, putting businesses in order, and so forth.

Respond to the warning signs at the earliest

Suicides or suicidal thoughts are desperate attempts to escape from a pain. When that plea for help fails miserably, locking all doors of a new beginning, people consider suicide as their final destination. Thus, it is imperative to understand the signs and give the person a chance to talk out their feelings and help in dragging them out of their griefs.

So the next time you find someone losing track with reality, talk to them. Help them find their lost routes.

Warning signs of suicide you should not ignore

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In every 40 seconds, a person commits suicide, leading to over 800,000 suicides every year. Albeit every suicide is a personal tragedy, its effect on family, friends, and communities are far-reaching and devastating. As per World Health Organization (WHO), it is the second leading, yet preventable cause of death among 15-29-year-old globally.

Despite the unprecedented increase in the number of suicides cases every year, little has been acknowledged on its cause and effect relationship. Tragically, suicide failed to be recognized as a serious public health concern. And regardless its growing statistics, the taboo, and stigma encircling it remained intact. People struggling with a mental cramp barely could stand to speak up about their condition. Fearing, they could be estranged from the society or look down upon as not normal.

The idea of a happy and satisfactory life varies from person to person. Some of them muddle through the thorns with proper guidance and support while others fall flat on them. Thus, is normal for anyone to experience suicidal thoughts at some stages of life.

A number of factors can collaborate to intensify a person’s vulnerability to suicidal behavior or suicide. These includes personal, social, psychological, cultural, biological, and environmental. Furthermore, a person who plots to end his/ her miseries through suicide, exhibit a number of clues or signs to demonstrate their sufferings. While some of these signs see light, most others get choked, poisoned, bled, or drowned in hopelessness and despair.

Below are some of the warning signs that can save a life if acknowledged at the right time.

 

  • Alteration in one’s personality or behavior:

A person who considers suicide will display strange behavior like acute sadness or lost amid their own mind, speaking or moving with unusual speed or slowness, abnormal sleeping habits, distraction from everyday chores, eating disorders, involvement in unsafe sex, and increased use of drugs or alcohol.

 

  • Visible signs of mental distress:

Enduring with a prolonged grief, sudden and persistent mood swings, and unexpected rage are some of the common signs that should not go unseen. Besides, major mental health issues like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia are recognized as the leading cause of suicide worldwide. This is because people who undergo these depressive phases find it difficult to connect with the happiness string of life. They are wired to feel less pleasure from life and difficulty to match steps with everyday routine.

 

  • Sudden calmness:

Shifting to a tranquil state abruptly after a period of depression is a serious sign that the person has found a way to put an end to his or her sufferings.

 

  • Social isolation:

Due to loss of interest or pleasure from life, a person fighting with his/her inner demons, often isolate himself/herself from social influence. They will find excuses to constrain from interacting with family or friends.

 

  • Recent trauma or life crisis:

Traumatic life events like rape, sexual abuse, war, break up, divorce, or death of a loved one can trigger a feeling of helplessness, guilty, or ashamed. An individual, under such distressing circumstances, is likely to seek peace through suicide.

 

  • Preparing suicide:

Self-mutilation, past attempts to suicide, or covering a family history of suicide can inevitably increase one’s risk to suicide. A person who considers suicide will engage in unusual affairs that they normally do not do. These include visiting friends and family members, making a will, giving away personal possessions, putting businesses in order, and so forth.

 

Respond to the warning signs at the earliest

Suicides or suicidal thoughts are desperate attempts to escape from a pain. When that plea for help fails miserably, locking all doors of a new beginning, people consider suicide as their final destination, desperately. Thus, it is imperative to understand the signs and give the person a chance to talk out their feelings and help in dragging them out of their griefs.

So, the next time you find someone losing track with reality, talk to them. Help them find their lost routes.