Fabiha Atiq
Freshman
School of Life Sciences
Independent University
June 16th, 2017
A widely circulated quote on the internet states, “Sometimes when I say ‘I am okay’, I wish someone would look me in the eyes, hug me tight and say, ‘I know you’re not okay, but it IS okay to feel like that.’ ”. Put in the context of mental health, I tend to agree. It is okay.
So what does mental health actually mean?
Mental health refers to one’s emotional, psychological and social well-being, and affects how one thinks, feels and hence acts.
Depression is not just about feeling down. It is a serious, and one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide, and also in our country. Studies suggest that the prevalence of mental health illness among adults in Bangladesh can vary from 6.5% to as high as 31% in many regions, while WHO has reported that more than 4% of the population are seen to be suffering from depression. Frighteningly, it is rising. According to a fellow loved one, here is a short explanation on what depression feels like:
Do you ever feel like staying in bed all day long even though you are not someone who would sleep all the time? Do you ever feel like your smile is forceful or that you want to cry out loud but all you’re doing is smiling? Or maybe that you’re drowning even though everyone around you seems fine? That’s what basic depression feels like. Depression affects one’s mood, thoughts, behavior, feelings. One usually feels anxious, empty, useless, and lonely. Ultimately, then, depression affects one’s functionality.
Depression can be triggered by a range of social factors, on their own or in combination: childhood trauma, mental/physical/sexual abuse, stress, grief, dysfunctional family, difficult life circumstances, and the list probably won’t come to an end! Research shows that even these factors don’t necessarily need to trigger one’s depression. It could be anything and nothing at all; people who come from wealth, well-adjusted families can be depressed too.
Alongside social factors, biology plays a huge role here. Genetic inheritance, hormones and chemicals in the brain can be involved in various capacities. Certain genes, when inherited, may increase the risk of depression in response to social and environmental risk factors. Depression and other mental health disorders have been associated with changes in the levels of various hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, but it is difficult to establish whether this causes depression, or vice versa.
Deep in the brain there is a structure called the amygdala. It is concerned with emotions like anger, sorrow, pleasure and fear among other emotions. A study has shown that the amygdala is overly active in people with depression when a sad stimulus is presented to them, but is underactive when a positive stimulus, like smiling faces, is presented.
Having said all of this, when people think that depression is just caused by the biomedical changes in the brain, it robs them of the realization that society and the environment can have a huge impact on mental health. It is important to understand the biochemical bases of disease, but it is just as important to identify the social, political, and economic structures and practices that are likely leading to the rise in incidence of depression we are observing. People generally do not understand how dangerous depression can be. Both chronic and acute depression can result in self-harm, substance abuse, or worse, suicide. It leads to much more severe mental illnesses like psychosis if not treated.
Famous actor Robin Williams, a person who made people laugh for decades, died by committing suicide. He had been suffering from depression for a very long time till at the age of 63 he finally hanged himself in his home and took his own life. Even success and humor were not adequate defenses.
In this generation, may they be children, teens or adults, people suffer from depression and usually don’t show it due to social stigma.
“What if people judge me?”
“What if no one marries me?”
“What if I am declared crazy?” and so on.
I have friends and family who suffer from depression. And it isn’t something to be taken lightly. If you are reading this, and you’re suffering from depression, seek help. There is no shame in taking medication either. If you have a supportive family and a supportive friend circle, talk to them. OR NOT; If you do not feel like talking about it with your friends and family, then you don’t have to. The best thing about this generation is the internet; go online, make a blog, talk to people who feel the same way you feel.
Watch movies, eat, drink, breathe, live. Seek help if you need.
Take one step at a time. Get through one day at a time.
And always remember, you’re not alone.
“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is talking about it. It’s #TimeToTalk” – time-to-change.org.uk
Fabiha is in her first year at IUB, and aspires to be a forensic scientist. She is a bookwork, a shutterbug, and loves to write.
Freshman
School of Life Sciences
Independent University
June 16th, 2017
A widely circulated quote on the internet states, “Sometimes when I say ‘I am okay’, I wish someone would look me in the eyes, hug me tight and say, ‘I know you’re not okay, but it IS okay to feel like that.’ ”. Put in the context of mental health, I tend to agree. It is okay.
So what does mental health actually mean?
Mental health refers to one’s emotional, psychological and social well-being, and affects how one thinks, feels and hence acts.
Depression is not just about feeling down. It is a serious, and one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide, and also in our country. Studies suggest that the prevalence of mental health illness among adults in Bangladesh can vary from 6.5% to as high as 31% in many regions, while WHO has reported that more than 4% of the population are seen to be suffering from depression. Frighteningly, it is rising. According to a fellow loved one, here is a short explanation on what depression feels like:
Do you ever feel like staying in bed all day long even though you are not someone who would sleep all the time? Do you ever feel like your smile is forceful or that you want to cry out loud but all you’re doing is smiling? Or maybe that you’re drowning even though everyone around you seems fine? That’s what basic depression feels like. Depression affects one’s mood, thoughts, behavior, feelings. One usually feels anxious, empty, useless, and lonely. Ultimately, then, depression affects one’s functionality.
Depression can be triggered by a range of social factors, on their own or in combination: childhood trauma, mental/physical/sexual abuse, stress, grief, dysfunctional family, difficult life circumstances, and the list probably won’t come to an end! Research shows that even these factors don’t necessarily need to trigger one’s depression. It could be anything and nothing at all; people who come from wealth, well-adjusted families can be depressed too.
Alongside social factors, biology plays a huge role here. Genetic inheritance, hormones and chemicals in the brain can be involved in various capacities. Certain genes, when inherited, may increase the risk of depression in response to social and environmental risk factors. Depression and other mental health disorders have been associated with changes in the levels of various hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, but it is difficult to establish whether this causes depression, or vice versa.
Deep in the brain there is a structure called the amygdala. It is concerned with emotions like anger, sorrow, pleasure and fear among other emotions. A study has shown that the amygdala is overly active in people with depression when a sad stimulus is presented to them, but is underactive when a positive stimulus, like smiling faces, is presented.
Having said all of this, when people think that depression is just caused by the biomedical changes in the brain, it robs them of the realization that society and the environment can have a huge impact on mental health. It is important to understand the biochemical bases of disease, but it is just as important to identify the social, political, and economic structures and practices that are likely leading to the rise in incidence of depression we are observing. People generally do not understand how dangerous depression can be. Both chronic and acute depression can result in self-harm, substance abuse, or worse, suicide. It leads to much more severe mental illnesses like psychosis if not treated.
Famous actor Robin Williams, a person who made people laugh for decades, died by committing suicide. He had been suffering from depression for a very long time till at the age of 63 he finally hanged himself in his home and took his own life. Even success and humor were not adequate defenses.
In this generation, may they be children, teens or adults, people suffer from depression and usually don’t show it due to social stigma.
“What if people judge me?”
“What if no one marries me?”
“What if I am declared crazy?” and so on.
I have friends and family who suffer from depression. And it isn’t something to be taken lightly. If you are reading this, and you’re suffering from depression, seek help. There is no shame in taking medication either. If you have a supportive family and a supportive friend circle, talk to them. OR NOT; If you do not feel like talking about it with your friends and family, then you don’t have to. The best thing about this generation is the internet; go online, make a blog, talk to people who feel the same way you feel.
Watch movies, eat, drink, breathe, live. Seek help if you need.
Take one step at a time. Get through one day at a time.
And always remember, you’re not alone.
“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is talking about it. It’s #TimeToTalk” – time-to-change.org.uk
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