Almost all the mental illnesses I’ve described so far are incurable. But the good news is, although depression is a very common mental disorder, it can be completely cured with proper treatment. Often, when someone is depressed, even family members may not realize it. They may think it’s just a temporary mood swing, or maybe they’re upset about something, or they might think it’s a problem at work or a disagreement with friends. But if this phase prolongs, it can lead to consequences ranging from addiction to suicide. Therefore, do not neglect depression and seek medical treatment immediately. Doctors usually prescribe antidepressants for the treatment of depression. However, taking medication alone is not enough to completely cure this disease. It’s also necessary to follow certain lifestyle changes, which play a big role in overcoming depression.
Remember, while antidepressants are available on the market, never self-prescribe or give them to loved ones. Always consult a doctor. Another thing to consider is that when you’re depressed, you might think, ‘I don’t enjoy anything, I want to be alone.’ But you’re forgetting that many other lives are intertwined with yours, and they might be hurt by your neglect of yourself.
Lately, nothing in life seems good. They spend all night scrolling through Facebook, watching random videos and reels, and then sleep until dawn. They wake up around 1 or 2 PM, have a cup of coffee, and then either sit on their phone or go drive a taxi. Their eating, sleeping, and overall lifestyle are very irregular. They think, ‘I don’t want to, I won’t eat.’ But they don’t consider that they have two children at home who are unconsciously imitating their father. Gradually, they are getting used to their father’s unhealthy lifestyle and negatively influencing their own lives.
Jibon, a Bangladeshi man whose father was a wealthy industrialist back home, now drives a taxi in a foreign country. This significant change in his lifestyle has been a major contributor to his depression. Although his wife Nishi is highly educated, beautiful, and has a good job, making him quite proud, Jibon unknowingly starts to develop an inferiority complex. This leads to various problems and misunderstandings between the couple. Their two children, growing up witnessing these issues, blindly imitate their father. Like most girls, they don’t spend much time with their father, especially during meal times, bedtime, or while watching movies. They don’t get much time with their mother either, but they don’t seem to mind. They’re used to seeing their mother constantly busy with studies or work. However, seeing their father constantly sleeping or spending time on Facebook, the girls initially vowed never to marry a boy, claiming that boys are very lazy. But over time, they too unknowingly follow in their father’s footsteps. As soon as they return from school, they start playing games or watching anime on their phones. They no longer find interest in creative arts like their mother. Day by day, Nishi becomes tired of all the shouting and eventually stops arguing.
Four people live under one roof, but each is drowning in depression. They’re each busy in their own dark corners of their rooms. Nishi, the mother, returns home from work and hugs her daughters. The girls run to her and want to hear about her day, and they share a little of their own as well. Jiban (life) prefers to stay in her room with headphones on. When it’s time for coffee, she comes to the kitchen, makes her own coffee, drinks it, and returns to her own world. Is this what a family is? Nishi is gasping for breath, she can’t take it anymore, she feels so suffocated these days. What should she do? Should she tell her mother or sister? They’ll all give the same answer, “Adjust.” You have two children, keep going for their sake. Nishi doesn’t have any time for herself anymore, she doesn’t have her own life. She works day and night, manages all the expenses, and no one else in the world knows what she does with her life, which she spends with headphones on. Her entire life has been the same. Earlier, she used to do almost all the household chores, and Nishi handled the outside work. Today, she has given up everything – home, outside work, children, the market, everything seems to be Nishi’s sole responsibility. What should she do? What do you readers think? Doesn’t Nishi have any physical, mental, or other needs? Is it that a mother cannot have any happiness of her own? She is so tired of asking herself these questions. She is giving up, functioning like a machine. She once took her life to a doctor after fighting a lot, and the doctor prescribed antidepressants. She doesn’t feel that the medicine has helped much, and she’s even more withdrawn from the house now. She sleeps all day, and when Nishi returns home, she goes out to drive a taxi, returns home while Nishi is asleep, and stays up late at night. Life goes on like this, there are no desires or wants in this life, only a continuous flow like a river.
Their daughter hadn’t been going to school for quite some time. Apparently, she wasn’t feeling well. The 15-year-old girl, who had always topped the class, seemed to be withdrawing into herself. She was pushing everyone in the family away, spending all day alone in her room, either dozing off or playing games. Nishi was very worried. Her husband, however, didn’t seem to have any concerns about it, and he would still be glued to his phone, wearing headphones. Nishi couldn’t understand. Was this what a family was supposed to be? While one person was struggling to make ends meet, the other was so indifferent? After a few weeks of observation, Nishi finally pulled her daughter aside and asked what was wrong. Her daughter replied, “Mom, I don’t feel motivated for anything anymore. Please take me to a doctor.” This was a very good sign, as the patient herself realized her problem and wanted treatment. But in most cases, patients don’t realize or don’t want treatment. Nishi took a day off from work the following week and took her daughter to the doctor. Along with prescribing antidepressants, the doctor explained that when hormones like dopamine and serotonin decrease, people can no longer experience pleasure. As a result, it was necessary to work naturally to increase these hormones. The doctor advised that in addition to eating healthy food on time, it was necessary to get sunlight, exercise, get enough sleep, and increase social interaction. In this regard, the doctor also reminded that social interaction does not mean being immersed in Facebook or Twitter. Nowadays, people’s fixed notion is that social interaction means those media, which can be found on mobile phones.
The doctor strongly emphasized the importance of face-to-face human interaction. However, not all people are the same. It’s crucial to regularly interact with those who uplift your spirits. Negative people, on the other hand, not only fail to benefit you but can also exacerbate your mental health issues. Therefore, the people you associate with daily are of paramount importance. This is especially crucial when choosing companions. As the saying goes, ‘Bad company ruins good character.’ Just like iron can be corrupted by its surroundings, even the strongest individuals can be negatively influenced by their companions. Regardless of your resilience, it’s essential to be mindful of the people you surround yourself with. Spending time with positive individuals is even more critical. Loneliness is a significant contributor to various mental illnesses. So, at work, try to interact with positive colleagues and spend your breaks with them. At the end of the day, during your leisure time, spend some time with someone who can appreciate your accomplishments and minimize your perceived shortcomings. They should focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Stay positive yourself, and spread positivity to others.
