It’s been couple of days that TV’s popular actor Pratyusha Bannerjee committed suicide and the television industry and most netizens are trying to grapple with this piece of news. According to her family, friends and fellow actors from the television fraternity, Pratyusha was a vivacious and happy woman. And knowing that she chose suicide as an answer to end all her troubles is an unexpected yet massive blow to everyone.
Was it unrealistic expectations, was it a staggering discontentment in life, was it a lack of composure or was it the vulnerable, powerless or overwhelming state of mind, no one can clearly ascertain that one reason that triggered the suicidal streak in this otherwise bubbly woman.
When a person chooses to end their life and after they are gone, only then the magnitude of their sufferings and insecurities and the gravity of their troubled situations come to the fore. But ironically, when a loved one is depressed, feeling hapless or going through trying times, there are very bleak possibilities of finding out.
Most of the times, the one suffering from depression tries to wear a facade just to protect themselves. They are uncomfortable unleashing that particular side of their personality to the world, especially people close to them. They prefer staying in oblivion. The thought of letting anyone know what is making them hollow from inside or making them unhappy of who or what they are is anything but terrorizing.
Mental illness is common subject these days and thankfully it is better perceived in the society, but despite this, where do we fail in detecting a red flag in a loved one?
Is there a right way to sense a loved one’s withdrawal symptoms from life?
Or is there a way to know when they have reached the saturation point?
Can we find out if they have little too many regrets to worry them?
Maybe, maybe not.
Depression is not the same for everyone. Some feel sad; some feel gloomy, some feel nothing at all and some just count days or wait for a miracle to happen which they negate simultaneously.
But here are a few common ways to sense if they are hitting the formidable rough patch.
Change In Sleep Pattern
Other than breakdowns, mood swings and the general feeling blue state of mind, sleep pattern is also a vital sign that can help us tell if a person is going through depression. If they are sleeping too much or too little, consider it as a warning sign that they are fighting a bigger problem inside and so are finding solace in that temporary cut off from reality.
They Mostly Talk About How Life Isn’t Worth Living
Every individual deals with depression differently but one feeling which is common among all is the belief that life isn’t worth living or everything around is meaningless. The frequency of expressing this may vary from person to person, but what needs to be addressed and understood first is, this is an underlying issue. If a person around brings this up more often and has a strong pessimism in the way they look at life, or anything in general, take it as a strong sign.
They Struggle To Reciprocate Love And Affection
The extended period of sadness, gloominess or negativity looming over their minds takes a toll in the way they meet or talk to their closest of friends and family. The constant reiteration that no one understands them or their condition makes them dodge or snap out of emotional support. They struggle in reciprocating. They struggle to feel the same way and begin to feel guilty of not reciprocating or appreciating efforts made by loved ones around. They feel stuck in a situation where they don’t know how to appreciate what people around are doing for them. How they are walking the extra mile to make sure they feel al right. So, they prefer evading any meeting with the closed ones.
Everything Becomes A Challenge
Simple everyday tasks become a challenge. Right from getting out of bed, to heading to work, attending meetings or even eating, for a person who has lost the will to feel/do anything, everything around, including their life becomes a challenge. With every passing second, the feeling of being pulled down increases dramatically.
Mental illness will forever remain a bone of contentment but the least we can do is keep a check on our loved one.