Sir,

This refers to the write-up titled ‘World Health Day: Depression – Let’s talk Lifestyle’ by Dr. B. R. Pai (Star of Mysore dated Apr. 3). Cambridge English Dictionary defines Depression as ‘the state of feeling very unhappy and without hope for the future; a mental illness in which a person is very unhappy and anxious for long periods and cannot have a normal life during these periods. Tiredness, loss of appetite, and sleeping problems are all classic symptoms of depression.’

We are living in a fast-paced and a self-serving world. Values have changed. People use you and discard you and the resulting disillusion can trigger depression. Very often, disgusting and nasty bosses in your place of work can destroy your mental health.

Failing in exams, unsuccessful love affairs, death of a loved one, financial loss and unsteady income, loss of esteem etc., are some of the major causes of depression. Poverty, sub-standard living conditions, corruption and delays add to the miseries and can agitate you, making you feel depressed. But even so we must carry on and fight the life’s battle.

Do not lose sight of your vision and dreams when you’re going through a bad patch. If you have successfully tackled a short bout of depression early in your life, the lessons learnt during the upheaval come in handy when you encounter difficult situations in the later years. Pain in small doses can be managed. But depression overwhelms. The best way to fight depression is to take the bull by its horns.

Find out the ‘fault lines’ and what brought you the depression in the first place. Jot down and prioritise what’s bothering you. Then deal firmly with the issues one by one. Nothing is insurmountable.

Touchy and over-sensitive people suffer most from depression. Be thick-skinned and ignore criticism when your mental health is endangered.

Be strong. Play football and other games and get physically tired to get a good night’s sleep. Remember, recall and cherish all good things that have happened to you in the past and hope for even better things in the future. Your situation improves if you avoid meeting pessimists and negative characters.

‘You’re what you think’. When you’re going through ‘hell’, which is what depression is, keep reminding yourself that ‘This shall also pass.’  John Maynard Keynes, the influential economist once said, ‘In the long run we’re all dead’. So why be depressed. Cheer up!

– Mubasher Mirza, Bannimantap ‘C’ Layout, 6.4.2017