Depression

Part 1: Addressing the Elephant in the room.

This topic has been at the forefront of my life lately. Depression. It’s real and it’s raw.
I want to talk openly about it because it’s affecting many people that are extremely close to me and I feel compelled to address the elephant in the room.
There will come a time where one will experience a very low state of mind in their lives, the thing is that it is a part of us whether we want it to be or not.
Depression stems from many factors throughout our lives and to better understand it we must accept that its real. Recognising it is the first step to heal from it and learning to manage it when it arises allows us to rise above it.
As I said it stems from many factors, but from the most part it comes from childhood, what we were lead to believe and how we were conditioned to think, how we were raised and the environment we grew up in.
It also could stem from genetics that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Being exposed to drugs and alcohol or making poor life choices. All of these factors are concluded to the source of what contributes to depression.

The problem that lays dormant is that people are either too afraid to admit that they suffer in some form or another or too embarrassed to talk about it.
As the saying goes, it takes courage to change peoples hearts.
I use this saying because we are so closed off to those that are important to us. We don’t want to let them down or be a burden, so instead we choose to close our hearts.
What people lack is communication, expression and openness and a sense of feeling safe. Why? Because it would mean that they would first have to let down their guard and become vulnerable.
If only we were a little bit braver and to start to strip back our layers and begin the healing process. To then be the first in this generation to allow for the next generations to come to be more vulnerable to a cause that affects each and everyone of us.
It does take courage but with that courage comes change and with that change comes an impeccable strength from within.

Starting the conversation about the realities of mental health is good – continuing it, is vital. Let’s talk about the elephant in room! Together, let’s breakdown the stigma surrounding mental health.

Part 2 to follow …

Written by Elizabeth Pozoglou