Depression has become an inevitable component in our day to day life. Bit by bit, it prompts a ton of difficulties including various mental disorders and suicides. And thus, the question arises. How to battle it out? In this discussion, Dr. Debilal Mishra, a young communication specialist, currently working as an Assistant Prof., Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication at Ravenshaw University, Cuttack is addressing the questions on the subject in this column titled Finding Hope with DLM.
Depression has become a part and parcel of our everyday life. What do you think are the reasons for the sudden upsurge in the cases?
Ans: See, Depression happens due to various reasons. It’s certainly an intense emotional phenomenon. Depression mainly results from an emotion we are extremely attached to. We need to understand that an emotion, if can’t be controlled, leads to attachment; an attachment, if can’t be managed, leads to expectations; and expectations, if not fulfilled, leads to a lot of trouble including depression and/or things of that sort.
If emotions are to be blamed, how is someone expected to oversee them?
Ans: A very good question indeed! There should be emotion in our lives. A life without emotions is hardly enjoyable. But, we should be in a position to control our emotions. Emotion is enjoyable as long as it can be controlled, the problems arise when it becomes uncontrollable. To control or manage emotions we need to develop our capacity to know, understand and reflect on things we experience. We shouldn’t make ourselves so weak that we can’t live without something or someone. Our thoughts make us ultimately. We need to understand the nature of our thinking. It is how we think that affects our behaviour, and it is how we behave that affects our existence. So our thoughts shouldn’t make us weak. They must make us explore our positive strengths.
How to deal with people around us? Because they are the ones who directly and indirectly influence our emotions.
Ans: Everyone in this world is unique as regards their perception, personality and performance. We need to understand this unique nature of people. When everyone is unique there can be no comparison and expectation. We simply can’t expect people to behave the way we like. The less we expect externally, the more we explore internally; and this inner exploration only leads to excellence. The simple formula is we should stop judging, comparing with and expecting from people. Let’s do our duty without judging, comparing and expecting. If someone is genuinely connected, they will act in that way. So why worry at all?
The question that still haunts many. How to satisfy ourselves?
Ans: The first thing is we must love ourselves and have an unflinching self-belief in every situation. We can if we think we can. The idea of happiness is individually unique. There can be no universal formula. But the real happiness lies within. Sometimes it lies with smaller things and smaller goals, and sometimes it lies with the bigger ones. It all depends on your idea of happiness. But the real happiness leads to and comes from learning and self-exploration. It leads you to live your positivity, passion and purpose in whatever small or big space available.
We must remember that life becomes beautiful when we replace fear with faith, pain with patience, loathing with love and ego with enlightenment. Lastly, we must realize our own uniquely precious nature and act accordingly.