Written By Aadya Kataruka (Grade 9)
13th birthdays are the best birthdays, people say as you get into your teen years which supposedly are the best but who knows what issues it brings along with it. Once you get into your teens, everything changes, be it good or bad but what people don’t see are the bad ones, the ones that take a toll on you, the ones you struggle the most with and they expect you to be happy all day every day.
Who knows what this judgemental society can do to you? With so much pressure from academics, the so-called social world, friends, family and whatnot, who knows how you can be happy all the time? Wasn’t just puberty enough for them to get us? Especially when these are said to be joyful times. But for me these are the times giving me anxiety, dragging me into depression and turning my world upside down.
Depression, it’s not just a word, it’s real, start accepting it without making a good face in front of that person and being like “Ohh, so sad to hear, you should seek a therapist, take care and try to be happy!”, And then going behind that person and making it worldwide news stating “Ohh, you know that girl over there, is facing depression, what a shame!” You know what the real shame over here is, you treating a girl who is going through something very serious so poorly and if you don’t wanna help her don’t, but at least don’t go around gossiping about her illness.
Depression, the word might be small, but the problem is huge and so are its effects. Depression is not just a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest, but can also interfere with your daily functioning and increase the chance of risky behaviours such as drug or alcohol addiction and also end up ruining relationships, A lot of people going through it don’t even get proper medication or help. In the U.S alone, 3.2 million teens are going through depression, with an increasing rate too.
The increasing rate itself shows that there is no end to it. So it is very important for us to prevent ourselves from getting into depression and helping out the ones who are already into it instead of making fun of them or getting away from them. So let’s do our small little part cause small little steps at a time can make it go as well, cause nothing is impossible. We as the people of a society can start off by creating a healthy and positive environment. Let’s just stop being judgemental for a while and see what miracles it does. Every time we do something, why does it come to our mind “What will the people think?” Let’s stop this from coming to our minds and create a non-judgemental society where everyone has a right to live freely and happily without facing issues.
Featured Image Courtesy – Everyday Health
