Be sensitive

Opening up about depression can be challenging. I began grappling with persistent depressive disorder at 22, that is since 2017, post my master's degree. Along with the struggles, this experience has been enlightening. It taught me to be a compassionate listener, attuned to others' emotions, and to avoid romanticizing aspects of life. 

'Encouraging' someone grappling with clinical depression to overcome their insecurities, or read books or stay outside, or grasp/understand their self-identity, or confess their sin, or act normal or....................can be a complex task, as normalcy is highly subjective. Tell me, How can an individual with a quivering heart, struggling to rise from their bed, find the strength to read or venture outside?  Tell me, what is normal?? (I dont want to be philosophical at this juncture)  It's important to recognize the impact words can have, understanding that such suggestions might inadvertently lead to a whirlwind of emotions and bring them back to square one.

This post brings happiness if it helps someone alter their perspectives. Years of medication and therapy, coupled with substantial unlearning, have shaped my daily survival. I am doing it beautifully. Yet, a single word from you can easily set a person into a loop. I  recognize that not everyone has the privilege to unlearn societal conditioning. My awareness quite obviously stems from the luxuries and privileges, and social and cultural capital I possess, and I understand that such exposure isn't accessible to everyone.

But, try to be sensitive. Please be mindful of each other's feelings and emotions, recognizing the impact your words can have on someone. Opening up and being vulnerable requires considerable energy and isn't an easy process.

Just posting a poem that I scribbled years back🙂

The sun shines above my head,

Shivering and shaking, I feel cold.

The rain lashes down,

Sweating like a pig, I feel hot.

The boss gives a loud laugh,

The chest tightens, I feel afraid.

The phone rings,

Anxiety surges up, I feel nervous.

The world sleeps at night,

Looking at the sky, I am awake.

Wearing blue glass,

Tears flow, I feel blue.

Standing in the middle of a crowd,

Faking a smile, I feel lonely.

Sitting in the virtual world, A marketplace of ideas, I feel empty.

Then, you ask me, "What's up?"

"I am fine! And how about you?"