Depression: The Unspeakable Monster

Depression traps the soul of the person, as a black hole traps all the light

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It is difficult to describe depression, especially to people who have never experienced it. Many people suffer through it and don’t even realize that it is a mental illness that needs attention. We live in a society that celebrates strength and boldness while being vulnerable is looked down upon. Thus, those who realize having the illness usually keep it to themselves due to the fear of judgment. Because of this, more and more people are suffering in silence in modern times. Although the pandemic has brought much-needed awareness about the issue, a lot of work still needs to be done to bring it to the main stage.

According to WHO, mental health is one of the most neglected areas of public health. Close to 1 billion people are living with a mental disorder, 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol and one person dies every 40 seconds by suicide. In low and middle-income countries, more than 75% of people with mental, neurological, and substance use disorders receive no treatment for their condition at all.

The closest analogy I can think of to describe depression is that of a black hole. Depression traps the soul of the person, as a black hole traps all the light. It is a dark void…