Depression and its consequences

Depression: A Perplexing Condition

Depression is a perplexing condition that affects both a person’s physical and psychological well-being. People who have suffered from depression at some point in their life describe the disease as surprisingly painful and elusive. Some of the symptoms of depression include self-hatred, low self-esteem, and a sense of being unworthy, unloved, and useless. As indicated in ’Darkness Visible,’ William Styron was to receive the Prix Mondial Cino del Duca for his debut work, but sadness took its toll on him. The award was supposed to have restored his ego, but it did not. At the time William Styron was travelling to Paris for the award presentation, he was at a critical stage of his life. Depression had taken hold of him far more aggressively than he cared to admit to himself. During that trip in October he had to come in terms with the fact that he was suffering from depression. William Styron had planned to leave almost immediately using some of the money he had received to buy tickets and go back home, United States of America. Here he already had an appointment with his psychiatrist so as to solve his problem of depression having hope all will be well as soon as he started treatment.

The Agonizing Effects of Depression

Memory loss, confusion, anxiety and dread that are what revolved around William Styron life as he came to terms with the fact that he was suffering from depression. This led William Styron to be unreliable for he would forget appointment set earlier and make new ones. With time, Styron’s mood changed and turned to the worst to a point he could not function well. William Styron became forgetful, less conversational turning his answers to be monosyllabic and concentrating was hard as he was in indescribable pain. ‘It is a positive and active anguish, a sort of physical neuralgia wholly unknown to normal life.’- William James (13)

The Impact on Lives

Depression affects many lives directly and indirectly. The people who are depressed are affected by the former as the family members with the latter. Insomnia, suicide and the feeling of being lost are some of the effects of depression. Many people who have committed suicide due to being depressed have done so because the pain became unbearable for them and were looking for a way out. Family members tend to feel helpless as they do not know how to help and understand their loved ones. If their loved one commit suicide due of depression, the family member tend to hide the truth for they suffer guilt as they think of what they should have done differently.

The Taboo of Depression

The society does not speak about depression as much as it should to educate the general public about what a person goes through as he is depressed. The subject has been termed a taboo to some, which makes people suffer in silence. Depression is a very complex disease in its causes and symptoms. It vary from one individual to the next and it progresses differently too. Depression strikes indiscriminately with no bounds, class, race, age and sex. However, women are more bound to be affected by depression than men. The experience of undergoing depression is traumatic. The changes to someone’s behaviour are gradual and one should stay in check of their moods.

Conclusion

Depression is life threatening and its impacts affects not only the primary victims but also the extended social relations. People suffering from depression ought to seek help to manage the condition and prevent further effects.

Work Cited

Styron, William. Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness. New York: Open Road Integrated Media, 2010