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Bhumika Goyal
Depression and suicide are serious issues that affect individual of all ages, gender, and backgrounds, especially among young people, and they should never be treated as a laughing matter by anyone. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 164033 Indians committed suicide in 2021. Of which a huge percentage were below 30. This is a tragedy not a joke and this tragedy demands our urgent attention and action. The significant factor of suicide and depression among youth is mental health issues. According to research, the vast majority of people who tries to attempt or complete suicide have a mental health disorder such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, or any substance abuse issues. Some of the reasons of depression in youth could be particularly challenging as they have to struggle a lot to cope up with different problems and stressors in their life such as academic pressure, bullying, emotional abuse, fear of being judged, loneliness, and persistent feeling of sadness and many more reasons like that which makes teenagers think that if they are worth enough and that generates overthinking in them and which eventually leads to a depression and it is concerning among youth as they lack life experience and necessary coping mechanism to navigate difficult emotions.
One of the most troubling aspects of depression is it is often not taken seriously enough by our society and the continuous jokes which we see in the society because of which if anyone feels that they are facing any symptoms of depression are afraid to share their feelings to anyone thinking no one will take them seriously and make fun of them. Which is the problem we need to remove from society because those who are struggling from any such mental issues are afraid to tell anyone but they need someone’s support and understanding.
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Unfortunately, despite this growing trend, there is a significant amount of stigma surrounding mental health that prevents many young people from seeking help. Instead of taking these issues seriously many young people are ridiculing mental health issues in an insensitive and morbid manner. Youth really need to educate themselves better and create awareness about mental health issues.
The reason behind the stigma surrounding mental health issues is complex and is difficult to understand by everyone as our cultural, social, and historical factors have all played a major role in shaping our view of how we see and treat mental health issues. Unfortunately, this stigma causes struggle to those who are suffering from such mental health issues and want to share their experience openly.
One of the major reasons behind this stigma is using humour as a coping mechanism for mental health issues. Humour can be an amazing tool to deal with difficult emotions but it can also become dangerous if we use it in an insensitive and morbid manner. So that’s why it is highly advised not to think that by just being humorous can cure your depression you also need to talk to someone about how you feel.
Now the only best thing about depression is that it is preventable. We can prevent young people from slipping into depression by just creating little awareness in the society and make them feel that it is a safe space for them and they can share whatever they feel.
We can do that by creating such an environment in which they feel that it is okay to seek help if we are not feeling okay and if we have any problem because many people are hesitant to share their mental health issues because they fear judgement and discrimination they need to face. However, by creating a culture of understanding and acceptance we can encourage people to be open about their problems and this will eventually remove the stigma of mental health issues.
Young people can also create awareness by advocating for change in society. This can include advocating for more funding for mental health issues services, a comprehensive mental health issue program in school so that children at a young age understand what mental health is and it is okay to talk about it, and lastly better training for mental health professionals.
In conclusion, depression and suicide is a serious problem worldwide which is affecting everyone and especially youth. But by creating awareness, and by sharing our own experiences of mental health issues we can together break down this stigma of mental health issues such as depression from our surroundings and create a better environment for those who are struggling from depression.
