Blog: Social media helps people open up about depression

Depression can affect anyone and it is one of the most widespread physiological disorders. According to a World Health Organisation report, globally, over 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. The problem is so severe and at such verge of growth that WHO has claimed by 2030 lives lost due to depression will be more than that from war, accidents, cancer, heart stroke or any other health condition.
 
In India only, over five crore people suffer from depression.  

There are tons of research on depression with haunting stats painting a clear picture of how severe this problem is and as we are prepping ourselves to enter 2019, in just a few months, our dialogue over the issue still remains profoundly anaemic.

However, the situation does seem to be on the improving side with content depicting the effects of depression sneaking into our lives through social media feeds and forcing us to think and talk about it.

As discussions about mental health are becoming far less taboo day by day, relatable feelings are going viral with an increasing number of such content creators expressing themselves with pictures, videos using hashtags and triggering a conversation about mental illness.

The recent boost in such category of social media content is provoking a dialogue on mental health by perpetuating a common thought, that, yes there are many people who are going through the same circumstances as you are. 

Earlier this week, actress Deepika Padukone shared a video on social media using the hashtag - #NotAshamed and urged fans to open up about depression.  

Dr. Jaya Maheshwari, a psychiatrist who works in a clinic in South Delhi says, “Social media content based on the theme of depression are becoming popular with people and is raising awareness about what it’s like to live with a constant feeling of sadness and hopelessness”.  

She also observes that with the growing awareness among people, it is also making them more comfortable to talk about the illness.

“With the growing awareness, some are even more comfortable talking about their depression. Though by no means, such content is a solution for mental illness, however, it is definitely an effective coping strategy for pain.
Someone might see a picture or a video describing a complicated feeling they struggle in expressing it and realise that they are not the only one because at the end of the day that’s what many of us expects from our close ones; letting ourselves out without being judged,” she said.

I strongly feel, when choosing between suppression and expression, the latter is always a better option.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)