There is nothing funny about mental illness. Millions of people across the globe suffer from debilitating mental illnesses like depression.
Despite advances in the understanding and awareness of conditions of the mind as clinically recognized medical conditions, there is still a negative stigma attached. Many people are still ignorant to the true reality of depression, often shrugging off the behavior of a depressed person as “attention-seeking” or “weakness.” These false beliefs about depression result in negative attitudes and reactions toward the disease, with some expecting the depressed person to just “snap out of it,” or that becoming more spiritual or religious is the only solution.
The truth is that unless you have experienced depression yourself, you cannot claim to know what it feels like. Even when you have watched someone you love and care for struggle with depression on a daily basis, it is difficult to comprehend exactly what they are going through.
Art has always been the most effective way to express emotion and convey complex issues, and these 5 comics do just that by depicting some of the truths about depression that everyone needs to understand.
You can’t always see depression on the outside
It is not always obvious by someone’s outward appearance that they are feeling depressed. Depression is a chronic illness that needs to be managed for life. Some may be lucky to completely escape the clutches of depression through therapy and medication, but for most it is a darkness that they have to carry around inside them for the rest of their lives. Can you imagine how exhausting it must be to don that suit of happiness every day?
Depression makes you feel like you have lost yourself
Depression causes you to feel a sense of hopelessness and despair that sucks all of your energy and motivation for life. This can cause you to withdraw from daily living to the extent that you hardly recognize yourself anymore.
You struggle to feel joy
One of the symptoms of depression is known as “anhedonia,” or the loss of the ability to experience enjoyment or pleasure where one would ordinarily experience it. No matter how hard you try, you just cannot feel joy in anything.
Depression is an illness just like any physical disease
You wouldn’t tell someone with cancer to “just get over it” would you? Then why do we think it is acceptable to expect the same of persons with depression? Depression, like all other mental illnesses, is known as an invisible disability because there is no tangible physical evidence of the disease. Depression manifests itself in the person’s behaviors, and these are harshly judged by society as negative traits of the individual. It is important that we recognize that depression is an illness, not a choice.
The reason it is hard to tell family and friends
It is extremely difficult to talk about depression, especially when you yourself do not understand what you are feeling. Sometimes, when you reach out to a loved one, they do not really listen to what you are saying because they cannot imagine the pain you are feeling. There tends to be an expectation that there should be a reason for feeling depressed.
The truth is that depression does not discriminate. It doesn’t care how good your life is, your age, your gender, your wealth, or physical health. Depression is an inexplicable darkness that engulfs you, and that is not easy to explain to the people you love.
Featured photo credit: Depression is an illness, not a choice! via themetapicture.com
The post The Truths Of Depression Explained In Comics That Everyone Should Read appeared first on Lifehack.
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