Youth depression is on the rise around the world, including in Singapore. Is our society doing enough — are we proactive or reactive — to help curb youth depression and the rate of attempted suicide? (“When kids think of suicide”; Talking Point)
The word “depression” carries a stigma. Many do not want to associate themselves with being depressed, but everyone somehow experiences depressing moments in life, knowingly or not.
Being depressed for too long will lead to dire consequences, but depressed people will not tell others or admit openly that they are going through a tough time. It often takes someone close to them to detect signs of depression.
We should listen to our own emotions and seek help, which can be as simple as talking to a friend about our problems.
We must be personally responsible for our reactions, which would affect our thinking, emotions and even our soul.
In our relationships, we must keep our eyes and ears open for danger signs of depression from people close to us. We must take ownership of our relationship with the depressed party and take the initiative sometimes to ask the right questions. The other party may then acknowledge that someone cares and is willing to listen.
At the community level, we must be equipped to help others, so when a need arises, we can persuade them against negative thinking that may cause self-harm and, more importantly, encourage them to refer to professionals for help.
Societally, we must redefine our response. Depression is something normal and can happen to anyone, anytime. Overcoming it makes one a more resilient person and builds tenacity. We must remove the stigma and its negative effects.
We should start being happy and encourage others to be happy. There is hope if we learn to acknowledge that all of us need help and to proactively seek help.
It only takes a spark to trigger a fire, so let the right fire burn for the right reason. Every negative or at-risk behaviour has a back story, and the question is whether we would be willing to listen.
