DEPRESSION DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE: URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

It is high time, the discussion around depression launches itself into action in Bollywood as well. It has been only spoken for a very long time. Associated mental help resources are essential for this to happen. The various associations must create mental health resources for everyone. Mental health does not only come from going to therapists and taking medicine but also creating resources around wholesome cognitive-behavioral therapies and other mindfulness therapies. 
Many celebrities have spoken about struggling with grief. Successful people often become lonely because of the number of people they can honestly trust and depend upon dwindles. They find themselves surrounded by disingenuous people and often hypocritical circumstances. Compound that with the constant pressure to look perfect, stay in the know, and be responsive to media and social media demands, it is not surprising that most celebrities reach the breaking point quicker. 
Angela Jolie, Dwayne Johnson, Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts, Winona Ryder, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Hamm, Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Phillppe, Naomi Judd, Ashley Judd, Kristen Bell, Michael Phelps, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, J K Rowling, Sheryl Crow, Jim Carrey, Ernest Hemmingway, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Sigmund Freud, Johnny Depp, Eminem, Harrison Ford, Anne Hathway, Demi Lovato, Dolly Parton, Matthew Perry, Brittany Spears, Brooke Sheilds, Channing Tatum, Emma Thompson, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon are only some of the celebrities who have openly discussed their battles with depression.

Depression does not discriminate. It is not selective in who it decides to impact. It affects people from all walks of life. It causes emotional and psychological grief. Most people suffering from this deep pain look happy and involved with their lives. The truth is that they are slowly drifting away from a position of connecting with friends, family, and colleagues every day that they pretend to be okay. 

While some depict depression as "residing in a black hole" or having a feeling of imminent catastrophe, others feel listless, vacant, and melancholic. You can also feel angry and agitated. 
Though it varies from person to person, the symptoms also vary depending on age, social status, financial state, and state of health.

Common symptoms to look out for in your friends may be one or more of the below. 

a. Signs of vulnerability: When they start talking about a dark future – gloom, and doom.
b. Diminishing interest in daily regimen or activities: When they lose interest in hobbies. Social interaction, or even sex. 
c. Appetite or Weight Change: Significant weight loss or gain could be another sign to look for. Eating habits should be another warning sign, especially if they are eating more "comfort" unhealthy food. 
d. Sleep Cycle Changes: Either insomnia or drastic changes in sleep cycles. 
e. Petulance or Anger Issues: Violent, agitated reactions with drastic mood swings with low levels of tolerance of deviation or frayed nerves. 
f. Low Energy:  They have fatigued and sluggish responses to everything. No enthusiasm for anything and the smallest tasks exhaust them. 
g. Loss of Focus: Trouble with concentration, decision making, and memory. 
h. Body aches and pains: If they cannot explain why their body is in constant pain – mostly head, legs, back, or even stomach cramps.

Depression also leads to suicidal thoughts. If people around you are showing the below signs or speaking these thoughts, this should raise your alarm about mental health. 

• Talking about killing or harming one's self
• Expressing strong feelings of hopelessness or being trapped
• An unusual preoccupation with death or dying
• Acting recklessly, as if they have a death wish (e.g., speeding through red lights)
• Calling or visiting people to say goodbye
• Getting affairs in order (giving away prized possessions, tying up loose ends)
• Saying things like "Everyone would be better off without me" or "I want out."
• A sudden switch from being extremely depressed to acting calm and happy. High levels of mood swings. 
If someone around you or you are triggered, you need to contact a Mental Health Professional who is qualified to help you get out of your abyss. 
Talking to friends or family is a great way to share your anxiety, but this is NOT a solution. People not trained in working with depression or anxiety are not the right people to help you overcome this state of mind. 
The causes of depression or anxiety may be varied. For some, it may be a hormonal imbalance; for others, it is a recurring process complicated by several life episodes. The reason could also be atypical, where the mood swings of the affected person improve with positive news but are highly sensitive to the mood of their environment. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects people as the seasons' change and amplifies when winters with dark days and nights arrive. Lack of light and sunshine causes this depression. 
Depression is the most massive epidemic of our time. It stealths upon us unexpectedly and unannounced. 
It is high time, the discussion around depression launches itself into action in Bollywood as well. It has been only speak for a very long time. Associated mental help resources are essential for this to happen. The various associations must create mental health resources for everyone. Mental health does not only come from going to therapists and taking medicine but also creating resources around wholesome cognitive-behavioral therapies and other mindfulness therapies. 
It is high time, the discussion around depression launches itself into action in Bollywood as well. It has been only spoken for a very long time. Associated mental help resources are essential for this to happen. The various associations must create mental health resources for everyone. Mental health does not only come from going to therapists and taking medicine but also creating resources around wholesome cognitive-behavioral therapies and other mindfulness therapies.  #ripSUSHANT #actionisurgent #mentalhealthresources #epidemicofourtimes

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