Rising Depression: Fighting The Demons Within
Did you know that there has been a sharp rise of 47% of major depression among the American millennial? Malaysian youth are no exception to this, with the country’s ministry of health reporting that teens aged 13 to 17 are suffering from mental health issues.
An equally worrying fact is that one out of every five such people do not seek treatment for the illness. Financial issues and lack of job security have proved to be major causes pushing the youth towards taking their own lives.
“The most prominent symptom of major depression is a severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair,” according to Harvard Medical School.
The persistence battle with depression may ultimately lead to self-harm or suicide. This was evident in May this year when a 16-year-old girl fell to her death after she asked her followers on Instagram whether she should live or die. More recently, in November, a Chinese man jumped to his death at his apartment in Cheras after he faced severe financial pressure.
Whether it be a perpetual stress to achieve better grades, living up to the expectations of others who have pinned hopes on you, absence of mentorship, lack of job security or repayment of student debt, the millennial have to go through a lot of stress every single day of their lives.
According to 2018 Pew Study, 61% of American students felt pressure to get good grades, 29% to look good and 28% to fit in socially. The millennial are, in fact, termed one of the loneliest generation, as endorsed in a recent study. Why does depression continue to exist, with the millennial going through a lot of pain and suffering on a daily basis? The answer is evident in the severe neglect of the issue. We tend to live in a state of denial, and this is the reason that we have failed to spot the elephant in the room.
The negligence of the opinion leaders, the policymakers, decision makers and legislators across the world has led to a lack of recognizing depression as a global illness, playing havoc with the lives of the future leaders of this world.
TRT World on YouTube: Why are K-pop stars committing suicide?
https://twitter.com/LoveeeLoren/status/1203745414727557123
What’s even worse? Whenever the youth attempt to question any established hardcore principle or rise to defy the norms, they are subjected to criticism and stereotyping. We have failed to realize what goes on in the mind of such an individual, the demons within that he or she has to fight and the uphill task he or she has to surmount every single day. What happens to the depressed behind closed doors is beyond imagination and often leads to causing harm to themselves.
"The government must train more counsellors and psychologists to help those suffering from depression and other mental problems," says Malaysian Psychiatric Association patron Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
But what’s the solution to all of this? How can the disease be ceased and the ailing be healed? According to a recent report by the journal Pediatrics, a sense of connection can build protective associations and could reduce emotional distress and suicidal ideation, amongst other benefits.
The solution is in paying more attention to those around us, especially millennial, and in knowing that they are suffering. It is also imperative to recognize depression as a ‘real’ mental issue. The recipe for rescue is in developing a comprehension of the problem and intervening in time. It is important to look beyond and above and rise above our ego. Let’s start caring before it’s too late!
