Devil of Depression

Clinical depression affects millions of lives worldwide, destroying their mental stability, even pushing them to the point of suicide. Yet, practical awareness of the disorder is by far limited only to those who suffer from it. 

Common understanding of depression is circumscribed as deep sorrow.. unfortunately, it is far more worse than one can imagine.

" Clinical depression is not a simple state of mind, like sadness or boredom. It practically alters the chemicals inside one's brain. You can no more cure depression by just wishing and motivating, than you can cure diabetes or fracture. One needs to seek help and take measures to treat it. "

Many factors cause clinical depression, or sometimes it just hits you out of the blue with no obvious reason. It does not affect everyone, but those of whom it does are inherently neurologically predisposed to it.

Clinical Depression from one's own perspective:

NOTE: The following passage might be grim to read for some people..  if you are of faint heart do not read this. You can only imagine how it would be to those who actually experience it.

In imagery, it is like a devil under your feet that keeps your body chained, which you constantly try to free yourself from but in vain.

You feel a burden in every thing you do, every thought, every word, every action.

One becomes very confused, not sure of what is needed or not anymore. With a heavyness in the head, even breathing becomes unwanted. The saddest part is that most of the time one is not aware that it is the depression that's getting you.

There is a viscious cycle of negative thoughts running in the mind 24x7, that cannot be stopped. Eventually one loses their will to act. The daily routine, work and productivity takes a huge hit, and worst of all, one loses sense of themselves.

Like having a ton of rock over the head, it is very difficult to wake up and go about daily tasks, let alone professional work. You will want to do it, but you cannot. 

After having done nothing more than their morning routine.. they'll want to get right back to bed, because they're mentally exhausted.

It is not Laziness/Procrastination in the sense that one does not consciously or willfully postpone or avoid things.. with Clinical Depression you'll fight so hard to do it but you cannot.

Despite all this, nothing can be seen on the outside.. The person is almost as cheerful, stable, and well spoken as always, but the will power they require to behave so is tremendous. Having a proper conversation will mentally exhaust them. 

They are usually perceived by others as 'Lazy' or 'Indifferent', or 'Dumb', because they don't do anything, or are mostly into themselves. Yet, they may have been one of the most productive people in their past. 

If someone happens to come by a person suffering with clinical depression, try your best to gently motivate and support them. 

Though you may be unable to help, do not disrespect/make fun of them, and make their lives worse.
It cannot be fathomed what they're fighting inside, or how hard it is for them just to do what they do.

I had been suffering from depression during my entire college life. It took me almost 5 years to realise I had clinical depression and another couple of years to come out of it. It's been 10 years now, and I'm still recuperating from it, not yet completely back to myself.

 

To Those who are suffering from chronic depression, 

Seek medical help from a Psychiatrist, initially. Do not hesitate. It's better to accept and change it, rather than suffer through it your entire life.

1. Pray & Meditate EVERY SINGLE DAY

2. Exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY 

3. Get some sunlight EVERY SINGLE DAY 

Doing this EVERY SINGLE DAY is very important, make it a part of your routine. Trust me, it will change your life.

Pray. Pray everyday. Make it a point to go to The Holy place every morning.

Whatever you do or want to do, just do it. Initiate it. There's this threshold of resistance, that once you overcome will become much less harder. Never stop yourself. Tell yourself, "I will not let the devil get me." Fight it. It is not going to be easy, and it's not going to stop, but you'll have your life back, if you keep fighting.

It'll never stop.. It'll keep finding loop holes to come back, into your life. Don't give way. Always be ready to fight it, every day of your life.

- R V Shantharam