Rajani’s headaches would not go away. Her doctor prescribed her medications, though Rajani wanted to beat the headaches naturally. She tried everything: sleeping earlier, eating healthier, exercising more, getting massages and even watching less TV. There was nothing that helped. Her doctor also could not pinpoint a single physical cause despite running numerous tests.
Bandana, a 75 year old Indian woman, sat by the window watching the rain pounding on the driveway. She felt like her face was very heavy and almost as immobile as the concrete in front of their house. The thought of smiling felt so burdensome and she wondered if her facial muscles knew how to move that way anymore.
All of Viraj’s friends were going to a café after school to study for the upcoming AP Biology test, but he didn’t feel like going. His friends would not let him get out of studying so he agreed to meet them after a nap. As he lay in bed, he wished he could sleep for a week. He wasn’t actually sleepy but he felt like all he really wanted to do was sleep for a week.
Raya’s teacher called home for the fifth time in two weeks. “She cries at the drop of a hat,” her teacher complained. “I have to spend a significant amount of time consoling her, which is taking away from learning time.” Raya also stopped going out during recess, preferring to stay in the classroom.
Farukh was angry all the time. Every thing around him would upset him. If the coffee wasn’t hot enough or the computer moved too slowly, he would become agitated. He felt his blood pressure rise, his fists clenched and he would curse in his head. Sometimes, Farukh would take out his frustration on the people he loved around him. His supervisor, who was very close to Farukh, mentioned in passing to him “You seem on edge lately. Everything ok?”
It started with a glass of wine with friends whenever she went out. But before she knew it, Bindu was drinking almost daily. At home it would be a glass of anything for any reason. Good news at work, her children coming home, because it was Friday, any excuse would do. When they went out with friends or attended an event, she would drink to the point of slurring her words and feeling very loose. Her husband was concerned but she waved him off. “I still do everything I’m supposed to do. I deserve a chance to unwind once in a while.”
Salim couldn’t sleep. He found himself awake until 2 or 3 in the morning. Some days when he was exhausted he fell asleep on time but would wake up around 4am and would not be able to go back to sleep. It affected his grades and he became worried about whether he’d be able to manage a full course load that semester. That anxiety made him have an even more difficult time sleeping. He began relying on coffee and energy drinks to keep him awake during the day but he could never shake off the heaviness that he carried with him all the time.
Depression has countless faces and these are only a handful. The symptoms vary from person to person, with South Asians commonly exhibiting physical signs such as headaches, stomachaches and changes in sleeping and eating patterns.
Infants, children and teenagers can become depressed, just like adults can. The causes of depression can vary widely from having a neurochemical imbalance to relationship stress, academic pressure, low self-esteem, financial stress, social isolation and abuse.
Depression is the most easily treatable emotional health issue. Educate yourself on the many facets, symptoms and presentations of depression and you can prevent it from becoming a bigger, more complicated problem. Untreated depression can act as a major risk factor for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease as well as other emotional health issues like anxiety.
If you notice that you are depressed or identify some concerning symptoms in a loved one, getting a consultation with a physician or a mental health professional is a very helpful first step. Some South Asians feel comfortable beginning counseling, others prefer anti-depressant medications and yet others prefer to manage the depressive symptoms alone by exercising and eating more healthily. Research shows that a combination of all three is the best treatment option to reverse depression and prevent its relapse.
How have you seen depression present itself?