In the modern world, more and more people face stress, loneliness, depression and mental breakdowns. Depression is generally associated with desolation, perpetual sadness, ennui and restlessness.
Doctors say depression is the denouement of a combination of factors — over-expectation from parents, friends and self, an unusual dependence on technology and friendship and an inability to handle setbacks.
Depression and feelings of inadequacy and guilt cannot be separated. Fluctuations in mood do not constitute depression. So are temporary emotional responses to the challenges of life. Depressed people generally exhibit reduced interest in things that cause happiness.
Genetic basis
Research has revealed that the genetic basis of depression overlaps significantly with that of other psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Very often, the importance of sleep is underestimated. Dr. Allan Pack of the University of Pennsylvania says in a Time magazine article that “sleep is not just a passive state but a fairly active state on the molecular level.”
Depression needs to be handled with the same seriousness as with any other mental aberration. Our goal is to create a healthy society. All of us should maintain a reasonable level of mental health. But individual differences are there. We have to accept the reality and strike a balance between too many rules and no rules. When we face an adverse situation, it is desirable to seek professional help.
It is necessary to develop a stoic attitude early in life. In his work Managing Your Mind , S.H. Kraines has said that life is neither a rose garden nor a garbage dump; it’s both.
He declared: “There are arid places that can be removed. We, like our environment, are in process of becoming; we are capable of modification and change.”
Krains offers this advice: “Don’t accept anything you don’t wish until you have used all your imagination and sincerity and graciousness to make it better.”
Satyasundaram@yahoo.com
