How to Handle Depression

Biggest question in front of today's young generation I believe, following massive environmental changes and who's better out of Messi and Ronaldo, is depression. Close to 800,000 people die out of suicide every year, which is the second leading cause of death in 15-29 year olds.

My biggest purpose of writing blogs is to reach to all young people and tell them how this situation can be taken care of. I have gone through this and I believe I have come out of it victoriously. And I agree, hands down, that your situation is far more trickier than all of mine combined. No doubts about that. Yet, when it comes to facing them, I believe you have more strength than I have. I think that makes us equal.

People suggest various reasons for increasing number of cases of depression. For example, lack of hope/ vision, higher education costs, higher cost of living, rise in unemployment, comparison with others - be it with parents or peers. Few even blame global warming! In my opinion these are all external factors. There could be number of our friends out there who don't get affected from either of these factors and yet facing depression. Then what causes it? What is the solution?

As a young generation, we want liberty. What we don't realize is we possess something better than that - Freedom! Liberty comes from outside whereas freedom comes from our mind. No two people respond to the same situation in the exact same manner. Why? Because we have the option to choose our response. Everyone chooses his/her response, consciously or unconsciously. What do YOU want to choose?

Viktor Frankl says in his book "Man's Search For Meaning" -

" We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in numbers, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, every moment, offered the opportunity to make a decision. A decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you would become the plaything of circumstance, renouncing freedom and dignity to become molded into the form of the typical inmate."

In my previous blog "Antibuddha", I suggested to create health instead of removing weakness. We do not have to bother about the cause. We just have to create a habit of becoming stronger by adapting what makes us better and better continuously.

Now the question is, how to choose our response? People always suggest us what to do but fail to explain how it's done. I have, through blogs, so far tried to share with you how to keep ourselves driven. For example, very first topic "Mind Your Own Business" asks for the clarity of what do YOU want and then focusing solely on it. "Purpose Drives Passion" argues that we need to find the purpose for our every action. Rather now I suggest to have a purpose for every thought. Further way is the habit of improvement on continual basis. I believe, this can be made possible by using 'Cycle of Improvement'. Mentioned articles are the preliminary steps which can guide toward the healthy habits, self-satisfaction, clear conscience and consistent growth. I think these ways are good enough to begin with.

I am only trying to show the path as I cannot walk it on someone's behalf. I hope you find your destiny. I hope you find yourself. I am no expert with degrees but I have figured the ways for myself and have suggested methods which have worked for me to stay upbeat. So, do ask me if you have any questions and I'll try to respond them directly or indirectly, to the best of my capacity.

You, in this whole world, deserve your love, as much as anyone else.

                                                                                                -Buddha