The Blues, The Blahs and The Blackdog..

I totally agree that we are very prone to depression. As technology advances, and we are easily accessible to media around the world, pressure to "fit in" increases, and thus individuality has been suppressed and we get a lot of peer pressure to "look good", "be at the top", "be the best", "always look beautiful" and so on. The focus is no longer on kindness or spirituality, but on status and beauty and wealth.


Where I come from, depression is still considered a 'taboo' subject, and people are reluctant to talk about it or to accept that it happens to everyone around us, even to ourselves. We wave it away as a "growing up" or "passing" phase. Parents are saying that their children will "grow out of it", peers are saying that their friends will "get over it". It is treated more as something we brought on ourselves that something serious that we cannot always control.


As a result, help is not always readily available or actively seek in our region. We do have professionals who can give guidance and counseling, but people are reluctant to go for fear of being called "crazy".


Our culture is also less "touchy-feely", which can be frustrating. We don't tell each other "I love you", we don't confide in others easily. A person can feel very alone and unloved in this part of the world.


I believe every individual can help, even if it's just by lending an ear to listen, or telling someone that you care. We must be aware of the people around us, be able to empathize and reach out....