The feeling of void
A Privilege to introduce a warm write-up from the MIES R M Law College Director’s daughter Ms. Madhurima Majumder a brilliant medical student. She wrote an informative article on the depression framed in The Feeling of Void. She had brilliantly described in this article the role of depression and the remarkable remedies of getting out of it. MIES R M Law College is one of the Top law college of LL.B degree course, Kolkata. MIES R M Law College is one of the Top Private Law College of West Bengal. Situated at Sonarpur, South Kolkata.
“It’s so difficult to describe depression to someone who’s never been there because it’s not sadness. I know sadness. Sadness is to cry and to feel. But it’s that cold absence of feeling — that really hollowed-out feeling.” —
– J.K. Rowling
Introduction of The feeling of void
Depression – a term we are particularly aware of, yet it’s considered an apparently hush-hush topic in our society. Perhaps it’s time for us to shift attitudes around mental health. And moreover, the first step towards bringing a change is to come forward and talk about it.
With the recent growth of social media users, many have found a platform to share their experiences with the hope of helping someone who’s out there dealing with it.
What is Depression?
By definition, clinical depression is termed as a persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest. Moreover, this can lead to a range of behavioral and physical symptoms. It is often misinterpreted as bouts of sadness. While sadness can be one of the symptoms, depression in itself is much more than just that. Depression and anxiety are basically interlinked. Thus people with depression often experience symptoms similar to those of an anxiety disorder.
When asked what depression normally feels like some patients described it as a feeling of emptiness, hopelessness! Where do you go when you hate our own company? How do you escape you? It’s always easier to win a battle when the enemy is on the outside. But what the enemy looks like you? What if the enemy is you?
Statistics
Statistically, according to the World Health Organisation, 264 million people suffer from depression worldwide. It is the leading cause of disability in the world. Hence we must educate ourselves about mental illness and how to comfort someone suffering from it. It’s time we try to be a little more compassionate towards each other. Well, I’m no expert in this field but with as much knowledge as I’ve gathered on this topic, I suggest we begin by starting to talk openly about mental health. And smash all the taboos surrounding it.
Let’s start treating it like any other illness. When we have a fever, cough, and cold, we run to a physician to get ourselves checked. Likewise if we suffer from any forms of mental disorder we should seek professional medical help without being ashamed of it. Our brain is as important as any other organ in our body and we must protect it at any cost.
We often meet people in our lives, be it our family members or friends who are blatantly ignorant. And end up using phrases such as ‘it’s all in your head’. ‘It’s just mood swings’ or ‘just be happy’. ‘Get over it already’, without realizing how this insensitive and negative approach can cause damage to someone’s life which is beyond repair.
Cause
There could be various possible causes of depression including genetic vulnerability, stressful life, trauma, medications etc. It could also result from faulty regulation of a particular neurotransmitter called serotonin in our brain. It’s often said that its chemical imbalance in our brain which affects the way we think, feel and behave. However, that figure of speech fails to justify the complexity of this disease.
Treatment
According to various researches and studies, the most effective treatment was found to be the combination of medication and therapy. Depression can be mild, moderate, and severe. Hence the treatment for every individual differs, based on cause, duration, type, and various other factors.
We ought not to put forth our opinions on what one is supposed to do so as to overcome depression until we are qualified enough. Sometimes all they are looking for is someone who would just be there and empathize with them. 2020 hasn’t been the best year for most of us but we are all in this together. With the increasing rate of suicides, unemployment, and numerous other hardships, it’s safe to say that we are all are working a little bit every day towards keeping our sanity intact. At this point, the utmost priority should be to focus on our mental peace. This year, in particular, is so difficult already, hearing someone out is the least we can do.
According to psychologist, Ali Mattu, ”treating anxiety is much more about learning how to experience anxiety”. Neuroscientist, Robert Sapolsky said in an interview that people can survive with the right amount of anxiety. Thus the plan is not to get rid of it, the plan is to just have the biological rational, real bases of it turning our system on.
Conclusion of The feeling of void
I chose this topic with the hope of instilling awareness into people and assuring them that it’s absolutely okay to feel a certain way at a certain point in our lives and there’s no need to feel embarrassed and ashamed about it. The best thing to do is seek help, go to therapy, talk to qualified people around, talk to friends and family and overcome it one step at a time. Let’s promise to prioritise our mental health over everything else.
A beautiful ending line from Ms. Madhurima which touched the most is “every individual is unique and goes through life’s experiences in their own manner. Therefore, every individual experiences healing in their unique way and a ray of hope in people’s lives for them to see possibilities of a beautiful and fulfilling life.”
“Our mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy”
Ms. Madhurima Majumder
