We need to talk about depression. We need to talk about depression because we think depression is going to fix itself but it isn’t. We need to talk about depression because we’d rather have our Facebook and Whatsapp status as “Not feeling well because I broke my leg” than “Not feeling well because I’m depressed.”

We need to talk about depression because teenagers think posting anonymous poems on Facebook is more therapeutic than talking to their parents about their feelings.

We need to talk about depression because we cannot just keep reading the news about suicides and act as if nothing ever happened.

We need to talk about depression because when kids don’t sleep at night or are not motivated to eat or even take a shower, we label them as lazy instead of asking them the reason for their paralysed motor activities.

We need to talk about depression because depression is the second leading cause of death amongst youngsters.

We need to talk about depression because people choose to end their lives or self-harm instead of saying that they need help. And you know why they’re scared to tell their parents/teachers/friends that they’re depressed? Because of the stigma. Because of the laughter, the labelling. Because some of us believe that mental illness isn’t a real thing.

We need to talk about depression because we’d rather go to the hospital to see a relative or a friend who met with an accident or had a heart attack than we’d go to see a relative or a friend who committed suicide and was saved “luckily”.

We need to talk about depression because people think it’s a fad or a trend, but it isn’t. It’s not trendy to be depressed, it is heart wrenching, dark and a terrible feeling of helplessness.

We need to talk about depression because we, as a society, suffer from depression. We are all moving towards the biggest depression the world has ever experienced. And I’m not talking about economic depression.

We need to talk about depression because we have leaves for physical illnesses but not for mental illnesses. We need to talk about depression because we are moving toward a civilization of depression. Almost more than half the population is suffering from mild anxiety or depression.

We need to talk about depression because we think it is funny when we make memes about a serious condition like this, but it is not. It is a serious problem that needs our attention, right now.

We need to talk about depression because it’s okay to not be okay. It is okay to suffer from a mental illness, you’re not different, or a bad person if you’re depressed. It’s okay to not feel like yourself sometimes.

We need to talk about depression because people who suffer from depression are not just their mental illness. They are more than that, they have a story and they have a life other than depression.

We need to talk about depression because we need to start accepting that a problem like this exists and is real. We need to understand the severity of it.

If we don’t start talking now, if we don’t end the stigma now, depression will not fix itself.