The Wall_Spring 2023_Issue 9

around - “just concentrate”,“aren’t you grateful?”,“stop using excuses”,“don’t be lazy”,“give me a valid reason”.Why is suffering from an illness treated as some thing that can be switched off? Being depressed is never simply feeling sad. Depression is an illness- made up of physical well-being, motivation, frustration, dissociation and anxiety. Depression may be something we, as a society, can never figure out or solve. Maybe some people are just born like

that. Maybe it is upbringing, maybe it is your social circle or your relationships.We will probably never know its cause. But the things we do know, are methods for lessening the symp toms of depression, yet these are rarely explained. Hopefully, upon reading this article you have a clearer idea on the struggles of this imprisoning illness, as well as ways that you can help. Most importantly, don’t ever tell your suffering friend to “get it together”.

catastrophically for the person struggling and for the friendship altogether. Communicating with your friends is crucial for any relationship to work out, but it is specifically important when somebody’s mental wellbeing is on the line. People with depression see the world in dulled down colours - meaning they lose motivation in many areas of their lives. Schoolwork, instead of being merely challenging, can seem overwhelming. Hobbies, instead of fun, can seem like a chore. Even going outside can seem irritating, the sounds over whelming and interactions draining.This results in many people with depression staying inside more, and consequent ly making their illness even worse. According to government statistics, 22.8% (nearly one in five) of adults acquired symptoms of moderate to severe depression during the coronavirus pandemic, solidifying just how important going out and being active is to a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, this is never an easy step for people with depression to take, as they get sucked into a cycle of sleeping, procrastinating and dealing with their thoughts. However, there is always something we, as friends, can do. If you notice that your friend is going through Motivation and Lifestyle

Artwork: Sonya Kurylova, S

a depressive period, the best thing to do is to keep them active, both physically and mentally. It does not have to be anything major - a simple walk in a park, playing a card game, or cooking something

together - these are all great ideas to get someone engaged with something and help them through a rough period of meaningless time. Conclusion Depression is often treated as some thing that can be fixed overnight, or something that you can eradicate in a person’s behaviour. Phrases constantly get thrown

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