Talk before it's too late!

There has been talks about depression like never before. People are coming out of their safe zone and talking about the much taboo-ed subject ‘Mental illness’. Now, when I use the term mental illness, I very much intend to emphasize on the word ‘illness’. Our body gets ill, likewise our mind could get ill too.

Celebrity like Deepika padukone, Bobby deol, Honey singh talks about being depressed and coming out of it. However, people only talk about depression when they have won the fight against it. When their mind is healthy again. When the sickness is gone.

I wonder, what would happen, if some of them could not get out of the trap? Would they talk about it in public with this much persuasion? Would they encourage people to come out and seek help while they are on their way to recovery? Or Does it always end like Anthony Bourdain, Chester Bennington, Jiah Khan, Pratyusha Banerjee?

When you see people like above, ending their life, most of us wonder, what it could be that would have been missing in their life? They had it all. Fame, Money, a fulfilled life. But do we ever wonder, is this all that makes one happy? That makes one understand the meaning of life? Or the struggle is not being able to understand life at all? Do you still think happy people could not get depressed? Or if the person is partying every weekend, he or she is not depressed? Does it only take a partner, a good job, good clothes, good food to be happy? What about the inner dilemma that a person might be going through? What about the void he/she feels all the time while he is taking holidays or eating out every other night or wearing the best clothes and has world’s best family for that matter?

I wonder, what is it that goes into the mind of the person who comes to the point of ending his/her life? How suffocated and tired and defeated he/she must be feeling. And then, we as people tops it by never paying attention to the symptoms. By taking their action as just another tantrum or call for attention. There are numerous help lines and help centres to support the troubled mind, but who cares if the person who need it the most is even using it? Many of us who are depressed might hide it under our paintings or writing or alcohol or anything that would help them to get some sack out of it. But is that a solution? Is that all? Why don’t we ask people (and mean it) when we ask them how are they? Why don’t we, for a second, stop judging and try and understand what the other person might be going through? When will we, as a family or friend, start taking care of each other? There will always be people who are ready to ask for help. But there will also be people who would never let you know what they are going through, atleast not directly. That how insane they are going with the sleepless nights and the tired body and mind. How withdrawn they are from the things they once loved. How taking care of themselves is not on the list anymore. And why they cry for no good reason.

And imagine, one of the day when you finally get to know, the battle they have been fighting. And that day, it’s too late to help them, to hold them and tell them that it is ok. It is ok to feel this way and that you are there for them and that you understand them. That it is ok to not be ok at times.

But then, it will be too late. Help them while you could. Be with them when you could. And tell them they are not alone. That life could be tough but they have you by their side. Tell them and help them, before it’s too late.