Ninety per cent of the suicides are committed by people who are depressed. And if senior psychiatrist and founder president of Global Mental Health Foundation, Hiranmay Saha, is to be believed even the trigger for the remaining 10 per cent cases can also be traced to a sudden bout of depression.
“According to a report of the WHO, depressive illness will emerge as the second most devastating illness after coronary heart diseases by 2020. However, there is a serious lack of awareness about depressive illness in our society,” he added. The GMHF launched a campaign titled “Detect Depression, Defeat Depression.”
The campaign began on August 6 which is observed as the National Mental Health Awareness Day. “We want every one to realise that mental illness is like any other illness which is treatable,” Dr Saha said.
To improve public awareness about mental depression, the foundation is distributing free booklets in different Indian languages, organising seminars and putting up posters et al.
Dr Saha said that the changing life styles, rat race feeling, increasing life expectancy and loneliness were some of the main reasons for depression. “Among the youth, suicide is the second most common cause of death and most of the suicides are directly related to depression. Sadly, depressive illness is also rising among the children,” he added.
A depressed person is an unhappy man who does not like his work or even meeting friends. “He feels that life has become a burden,” Dr Saha added.
Spending time with family, developing some hobby, listening to music and outing are the best antidotes for depression.