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In this blog, I am going to elaborate on 3 mistakes people make when going through depression.

But before that I would like to set some context with respect to the process of decision making itself so that it can help in avoiding certain mistakes.

Let us face it. Our decisions decide our life. It is as simple as that.

When we talk about decisions, we need to address at least two dimensions that are significant. They are

1. The Importance of the decision itself
2. Our approach in taking the decision - Rational / Irrational

Depending on the criteria, we can classify the decisions into 4 buckets elaborated in the table below

Now let’s take mental health. Ideally, the decision regarding handling a mental health issue like depression must fall in the 3rd bucket - Research based decision. But, unfortunately, in most cases, it falls into the 4th bucket leading to - Indecision / lack of conviction in the decision.

In this blog, I am going to outline 3 common mistakes I have seen many people make in handling depression.

1. Waiting for the depression to get resolved on its own
2. Keeping it as a secret
3. Non-Acceptance/ Refusal of treatment or help

Let’s see each of these aspects in some detail.

1. Waiting for the depression to get resolved on its own.
People jokingly say, cold - it treated gets resolved in 7 days, if not in one week. But, let me tell you, a condition like depression is remarkably different from cold. It is not as simple as a cold. People don’t have intuitive knowledge about it as in the case of a cold. This being the case, waiting for it to get resolved won’t help you in any way. The problem in case of depression is, there is some disorder in our mental functioning due to chemical imbalance in our brain and during that period, the mind thinks way too much and in too many directions characterized by negativity. It requires careful attention, right approach, and immediate action to avoid further damage. Not acting can lead to complications like hopelessness and suicidal thoughts.

So, if you feel your / a loved one is going through depression, seek professional help. The worst possible decision in this case is not taking any decision.

​​​​​​​2. Keeping it as a secret

The single most important reason that prevents people from seeking help when they are going through depression is the stigma. They worry more about how the society will perceive them, instead of what action to take. Let me assure you, I am seeing a lot of positive signs around how society is perceiving sensitive issues. Nowadays, more people are educated, they understand the importance of mental health and in fact people who are taking action are perceived to be strong. This was not the case decades ago. So, if you are worrying too much about society's perception, you are probably fighting with an imaginary beast in your mind. In reality, people are more open and more forward thinking these days. So, don’t let these perceptual barriers affect you. Just go ahead, search for the best mental health centre in your vicinity and book an appointment.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​3. Non-Acceptance / Refusal

There are 2 reasons why people don’t accept a condition like depression.

One- The social stigma associated with it which we have seen in detail.

Two - It is not perceivable as other medical conditions - It is not like a fractured leg where there is pain in a particular area.

Here it is more a case of one’s thoughts leading to pain and suffering at a mental plane. Since it is not physical, it is difficult to perceive.

So, let me give you a symptom Check List to look out for.

1. Persistent sadness
2. Hopeless outlook
3. Loss of interest
4. Sleep problem
5. Fatigue
6. Anxiety
7. Irritability
8. Appetite and weight changes
9. Crying spells
10. Suicidal thoughts or death wishes.

If five or more of these symptoms are present for two weeks or more, it is a cue that you may be going through depression.

It is time that we, as individuals, make sure that we use a rational approach in decisions that are important. The irrational approach does nothing but postpones the action and aggravates the problem. So, to conclude, look out for the cues. If you feel that you need help, seek help.

Get your depression treated and get out of it, Go live life fully!

Cheers!!

Dr K Selvaraj.