Talk please

Read an article today in The Toronto star about talk therapy for fighting depression. It also talked about seeing feel good movies. The article set me thinking. I heard the term post partum depression after coming to Canada. Though I had studied psychology but had not studied this phenomenon. Then I read about SAD- Seasonal Affective Disorder.

The culture I grew in, we had no time for depression. We would play in streets, and would get our clothes all dirty with dust and sweat. We would be so tired by the end of the day what with finishing loads of homework and then play, we would hit bed and fall asleep. Today I hear psychologists saying, there is too much workload on kids and this is affecting their mental health. As far as I know my generation had the best mental health. We talked with our friends instead of being on the phone, visited each other instead of texting and generally had a good times in spite of many of us not even having television.

A lady with a newborn child had so much support system with so many family members to take care of the child. Plus there were at least two functions for the new baby with so much of festivity that she had no time to get depressed.

The SAD I understand because it not possible here to sit outside in winter and eat oranges or shell peanuts. But we can always take up some activity. There are community programs available. One can join so many meet up groups. People feel isolated here because they have isolated themselves from each other. In the west, expressing emotions is considered rude and odd. In South Asia we shout when we feel angry, we laugh with gusto when happy and we gossip for hours and then end the session with what is it to us.

There you go. You have purged yourself of all the negative energy and you are ready for a fresh start. Now don’t think I am simplifying matters. We do have our share of issues. But the main thing is to talk and let out the steam. Have a support group where you can unwind. I am lucky to have such a set of friends. I feel rejuvenated after meeting them. But that comes with you actually taking steps to connect with people and nurture the relationship. For that some times you have to compromise your own needs for others and you have to think of others too.

Take the first step today and call a friend right now and meet them for a coffee. You will come back buoyant.

So be it!!!