Every Damn Thing I Did to Fight Depression
I had no option but to fight.
I suffer from depression. There is no shame in accepting it. The stigma around it is never going to end anytime soon. Especially, in India, where sharing your trauma, struggles & pain isn’t easy.
Everybody hesitates to share their feelings. If someone shares, words fall on deaf ears. People are ready to mock you for being weak. You could be branded crazy by your own people. Some may ignore it. Some may understand but they are too busy to be on your side. But the worst of them are the ones who don’t recognize the existence of mental illness. According to them, such kind of illness doesn’t exist. Very few may ask you to see a psychiatrist and that too isn’t considered as something good.
It’s easy to share your feelings with your loved ones. But, it takes tremendous courage to open up and share your feelings with a stranger. Some may gather courage and may seek support. But 90% of the people suffer in silence fearing embarrassment.
I’ll recommend people to seek the help of a mental health professional. A chance I didn’t get because of having a father who was bedridden and a mother busy with household chores. Being the eldest one, I had to figure out all myself. There was no one to guide me. I was on my own. I was suffering in silence.
Thank god we live in an era of technology. Google came to my rescue. Anything can be googled. And the search engine never disappoints.
Through the internet, I came to know about different kinds of mental illnesses. There were a thousand articles and more than 100 mental health blogs. People were sharing their struggles. I ended up gathering enough information about it. I was happy to know that mental illness is curable. People who suffered found a cure. And there are endless ways to heal yourself.
One way to cure mental health was to seek a professional. Many recommended the advice. I too thought of seeking a professional. But my fears kept holding me. I could have taken this route if someone accompanied me. But there was no one.
A lot was going on in my mind. I had fears and questions. I didn’t want to get embarrassed and feared the reaction of friends and family. I didn’t share anything with my mother. She was already struggling and this could act as fuel to her pain. The reason I kept my pain within myself. Tried to share it with my friends. They were in no mood to listen. Most of them were too busy to pick up my call.
I was alone.
It was me, my pain & a little hope.
I decided to fight.
One friend understood my problem. He could relate to all the shit I was going through. He shared his story. He was in a similar position a few years ago. Finally, someone was there who understood me. His story gave me strength. He restored my hope and confidence. I found a friend who could listen to me non-stop. And even understood what I was going through.
He shared everything he did to overcome his mental illness. He suggested many things. But asked me to avoid any kind of medication. We started spending more time. We both were writers and even worked for the same agency. He suggested books, blogs, and Tony Robbins. And made me do physical activities that were once difficult for me. From there it was no looking back.
These were the activities that helped me rebuild my life. My mental health improved. I wasn’t the same person as before. My faith in life was restored. My confidence was back. Though mental health problems still persist I’ve found a way to keep them in check. And more important I found the courage to fight my inner demons.
I’d suggest these to anyone struggling with any mental illness or the ones who have lost hope to live.
Trekking: Trekking is my favorite physical activity. It eliminates all the clutter in your mind. Climbing the hill or mountain keeps you in the present moment. It calms your mind. Reduces stress. Improves cardiovascular strength, mood & overall health. It injects you with freshness and positivity. It has enormous benefits. Try and see it yourself.
Long walks: A long walk is another physical activity I do. I daily walk for one or two hours. Start your day with a walk and see the magic yourself. Walking relieves you from stress and anxiety. Improves both physical & mental health. Boosts your creativity. Elevates your mood. You sleep well. Good sleep means good focus. Good focus means good productivity. And good productivity benefits your personal & professional life. What else a person needs.
Self-talk: When you are alone, stand in front of the mirror for a few minutes. Give yourself a motivational pep talk. And you can’t lie. And no soft talk. It should be hard talk. Where you talk about your fears, limitations & fears. It’s a way to remind yourself of who you are and what you want to accomplish. Motivate yourself to take action. This will help you to train your mind. And one way to be mentally tough.
Reading: A book is a man’s best friend. Reading has many benefits. From enriching you with knowledge and wisdom to giving you clarity and focus. Reading is the best stressbuster. Improves your communication, writing skills, vocabulary, analytical skills, and much more.
Journaling: Journaling is healing. Journaling helps you in organizing your thoughts. Helps you calm your mind. Documenting your own life will help you understand yourself and your problems. Will remove the burden on your mind and the extra weight of your shoulders. It gives you clarity. Helps you in organizing your thoughts and tasks. Daily journal for 30 minutes & see how your life improves.
