Suffering From Depression Is Now Fashionable
- by Sofia Blue
- May 7, 2017
- 2 min read
"Oh yeah, it's so fashionable nowadays to be depressed." This is what a girl I met once told me.
I felt terrified! Not so much about this comment - I've heard it before and have my theories about why this trend happens. I've heard it from many ignorant and closed-minded people. That wasn't her case. On the contrary, her father is a psychologist...
You know how every time we people discover and start talking about something a lot, it becomes too popular. We start to see it as a cliche. Same applies to depression and anxiety. Add to this the fact that in the US for example selling cannabis for medical purpose is legal. Many abuse this right (nothing against that) but end result it this:
- Oh you smoke weed?!
- It's for depression.
- Yeah right, that's what they say...
The bad news is people start to associate depression with excuses not to be functional. Irrespective of how much we try to raise the awareness, it will always come with misunderstanding. Some simply decide to ignore it and attribute it to those who are trying to be hype. It is scary to see we live in a society that struggles with the epidemic of the broken mind yet still naively denies its existence.
Maybe it is because I am investing a lot of time researching, thinking and paying more attention to the subject but I like to believe we are waking up. I'm seeing this movement around better mental hygiene grow. There are so many TED talks by renowned professionals and people with experience. I will create a short list on some of my favorite talks on mental health and mental illness but I do recommend you continue with your own research. It is quite easy - just follow YouTube's next video suggestions.
Here is a list of 3 TED videos on depression:
Depression, the secret we share by Andrew Solomon
Andrew Solomon is one of my personal favorite specialists. He is engaged with the topic of mental health and specifically depression on professional and personal level. He is best known for his book "The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression". I recommend reading it - Solomon has collected a number of interviews with clinically depressed people additionally to scientific research. MAKE SURE you are in a good place if you are suffering as well. It is hard to read if your head is a mess right now.
Why we all need to practice emotional first aid by Guy Winch
This is a new video for me. Didn't know much about Guy Winch but seems he is really devoted to emotional health. Check out his books in his website.
Why we need to talk about depression by Kevin Breel
Everybody has their own story but if I must choose a great summary of a typical story of a depressed person that would be this kid. He also speaks about the stereotypes we face and how to break them. This talk gives you some great food for thought.
Hope you enjoy those videos and subscribe to get more articles like this one.
With love,
Sofia Blue
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