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One of my distant relatives lost her only daughter recently. She took her own life due to depression. We found out that the girl was 17 and was disappointed in failing her 12th grade exams. It was a very sad time for all her family and the people who knew her. Later on we were told by one of her family members that she was not really feeling good about herself for a long time and that she was put on medication and under vigil constantly for depression. So then, this was an on-going thing for at least a couple of years, not an instantaneous incident.
I remember one of my cousins who committed suicide when we were in grade school. I went to school with her and we attended all the family ceremonies. I remember how sad her parents were for the longest time. Why do people commit suicide? Why do people go into depression? How could a person take his/her life by themselves? I can only imagine the pain they must go through in making such a tough decision. I believe that many people who commit suicide do not truly mean to kill themselves. Either they do it without thinking about it in haste or they are desperate to get over the problems they have and take death as the last resort.
Although suicidal thoughts in adults prevail, they seem to be more prominent in teenagers between 15 and 18. At that age they only allow enough time to formulate an idea and execute it without thinking of the consequences. Sometimes they don't even think that it's their life that they are losing. Death seems like the easy way out of any problem for many people in depression.
Symptoms of depression are often overlooked by close family members and friends. Some kinds of depression are nurtured from a person's childhood and grow enormously, while others come with medical, family, marital, educational, or financial problems. There is yet another kind of depression that comes with pure loneliness. Different countries face this problem for different reasons. Countries like India face this problem because of its growing pressures for academic excellence, financial growth, political turmoils, religion and culture that dictate the societal infrastructure and famine. United States has another issue to face and that is its social structure, wherein the name of privacy people suffer from extreme loneliness. In countries like Japan, they face the highest number of executive suicides from work pressure. Whatever the reason may be there is one thing in common for all the people who commit suicides, and that's lack of human interaction.
People who suffer from chronic depression often don't know what to do with themselves in certain situations. The amount of mental dependency on others is extreme. When it is not met by family and close friends, there is a feeling of not belonging to anyone. And when the lack of that sense becomes unbearable they take extreme measures to put themselves in jeopardy. They cannot express their disappointment to anyone; instead they take it upon themselves. Husbands look for attention from their wives while the women tend to divert it towards the children. Wives look for affection from their husbands, who work or have other extra-curricular activities. Children look for their parents' love which is becoming a rare commodity in the present world where a run for the buck is most common among families. Workers looks for bosses' approval and promotions in turn. Girls look for boys' admiration. Boys look for girls' acknowledgment. Lovers look for the loved ones' undivided attentions. The poor look for getting rich. The rich look at growing accounts. The devotees look for God's grace.
Everywhere there is something that's being sought out for or someone being pursued. People with chronic depression develop it over the years without symptoms. They are not noticed until it is too late or after the fact. These people are often loners. They do not like to socialize. People often mistake these symptoms for reserved or conservative behavior. They tend to look normal, and behave normally. They carry out day to day operations and conversations with others as if nothing is going on. When they are alone it hits them. Some people are better at self-diagnosing and taking him or herself to a counselor. But even after the counseling it is not guaranteed to be completely cured.
In most cases medications and counseling are not enough. Compassion, affection, understanding and assurances are needed from loved ones. Patients with mental disturbances need to be talked to. They need to know that there is someone to listen to what they are going through. Often they do not like to reveal their true feelings because of the fear of being ridiculed. They need to speak to someone that is trustworthy. They need to be assured that they are trusted with their inner thoughts. Once they are assured that they can confide in the person they are interacting with, they may reveal their intentions of committing suicide. Most of the time indications are given in remarks or statements about not carrying on with life or plans and ways of killing themselves. Actions include crying, getting upset for small things, arrogant behavior, not speaking to anyone, and wanting total solitude. If people who love these patients could detect these symptoms and get professional help as well as mental support than there would be a fair chance in saving them. Most people have some kind of depression at times of stress but these emotions are momentary. Chronic symptoms are crucial to be found and treated and only people closer to a person's heart can do that. Because, OUR LIFE MATTERS.
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