Written by Jiya Rajput, a grade 10 student of Sumermal Jain Public School.

Mental health disorders, especially among the youth, are a common occurrence. They do not just affect the body, but also the mental faculty. Depression and anxiety are some of the common mental health disorders that occur among teens.

Are Depression and anxiety the same?

Depression and anxiety are different conditions but they may occur together . Depression is defined as a feeling of sadness and hopelessness -whereas anxiety -creates feelings of nervousness, worry, or dread. Both anxiety and depression go hand in hand.

The stigma surrounding mental health often leads young people to shy away from seeking the help and support they need, leaving them to face discrimination and exclusion. Mental health conditions can have a significant impact on young people’s development and integration into society and the world of work. Parents or guardians of the sufferers often ignore these types of problems, leaving one with questions galore as to the reasons why mental health is considered – taboo. – Here are a few of the many reasons to seek help: 

Busting some common myths:

Depression and anxiety are-common emotional disorders that can be faced by anyone. Even seemingly happy – events such as marriages, getting a new job, or -d graduation  can lead to depression and so- can moving, losing a job, getting divorced, or -failing – = People facing depression often get-to deal with insomnia, oversleeping- lack of interest in sports or -any normal -activity

But all’s not lost, Here are a few solutions

Ideally -educational institutions should provide counsellors -who encourage students to confide in them without any fear and personal information of all kinds should be kept confidential.

A few ways to deal with anxiety and depression: 

• Take time out for  yourself
• Limit- caffeine and alcohol intake,
• Get- enough sleep,
• Eat-a a well-balanced diet –
• Most importantly consult- a therapist.

At times depression-may -cause suicidal thoughts , in such cases getting  help is a must. People dealing with -such an issue should talk to their loved ones, a  close friend, – a mental health provider, or any other health care provider. 

Covid-19 and anxiety

The pandemic has led to a worldwide – economic downturn. Many have lost their businesses and quite a few were rendered jobless, thereby losing their means of earning a decent livelihood. Covid 19-is  also- a major cause of anxiety and depression.

The pandemic not only affected the economic growth of -a country but also drastically impacted the lives of its citizen Families lost their loved ones to the pandemic and are – still trying to deal- with their losses. Constant related news and social media feeds have led to -a lot –  of negativity in -people which in turn has led to emotional disorders. Some were able to deal with -such issues, whereas some were unable to do the same, thus leading to some severe effects on their mental health. 

Some ways to deal with a person suffering from a mental health disorder  

We need to remind ourselves that -depression and anxiety are treatable diseases and medication can take care of them. Encourage people who are exhibiting signs of a mental health disorder to talk or express their feelings. Ideally, mental health issues shouldn’t be considered – taboo. This may be combatted, through education and empathy. We need to help people, on time, before it’s too late.

The society too plays a major role in the exclusion of people dealing with emotional disorders and this just adds to their woes. Let’s help destigmatise mental health issues and treat them like any other medical emergency. Awareness of these can be provided — through thoughtful videos, messages, or books.

People who suffer from such mental ailments need to be accepted, treated through medication and regular consultations with therapists, and made to feel a part of our society after all, like all of us,  they too deserve respect and love.

Jiya Rajput is a grade 10 student of Sumermal Jain Public School. She is very passionate about writing and loves to write poems and articles based on everyday things and teenage life.

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