DEPRESSION: A BARRICADE TOWARDS GRADUATION

By Shuvyneal O. Salud

“I am tired.”, “I hate myself.”, “Why am I being like this?”, “I wanna die.” Have you ever made
mentioned one of these statements out of anger, exhaustion and sadness? Well if you do, then be careful
for you might be suffering from depression. Have you ever heard of this word? Have you ever known how
can this be a barricade in reaching your dreams?

Depression is a mental illness that severely strikes students nowadays. According to World Health
Organization (WHO), it is a medical condition that can affect a student’s ability to work, study, interact
with peers or take care of themselves. It is sometimes characterized as being too stress and feeling tired
all the time in which one doesn’t have much interest on physical activities. Some who suffers from this
might either have the feeling of being too sensitive or numb, gaining o losing weight or even have trouble
sleeping or oversleeping. Usually, depressed students are those who isolate themselves in the class and
prefer sleeping than socializing with others. They’re the ones who make sleeping as an excuse to the
feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness. Upon waking up, they feel that
nightmare begins again. Moreover, they’re those students who are so complicated and are hard to
understand. Their actions really show that they wanted a friend to talk to but they are very fond of shooing
other persons. Some of them uses stomach ache, headache, fever or any other reasons on their excuse
letter when having frequent absences where the fact is, they’re just tired of going to school. Some of them
even does things that can make other persons unhappy. How bad of them, right? On the other side,
students who are depressed are the ones who laugh the most. They’re trying to eradicate the thought of
being depressed at day, yet still haunts them at night, disallowing them to sleep. It seems that every night
is hell time for them and all they ever wish is to fall asleep forever. Furthermore, waking up in the morning
burdens them since they have to cover their faces with masks again. Trying their best to be fine and happy
infront of others. Some of them had experienced crying inside the cubicle of their school’s comfort room
and afterwards, getting out smiling like nothing had happened. Some of them are even the ones who tell
jokes to let other be happy. How hypocrite of them, right?

How bad or hypocrite might be the depressed students are, still no one has the right to judge
them. Judging them without knowing the true reasons behind their actions makes a person more bad and
hypocrite than they are. Thus, the American Psychiatric Association had given several reasons why
students suffer from depression: differences in certain chemical in the brain, genetics, low self-esteem
who are easily overwhelmed by stress and environmental factors such as continuous exposure to violence,
neglect, abuse or poverty. Furthermore, going to school with loads of requirements, backstabbing friends
and failing grades make depressed students think of not going to school anymore. On the other hand,
coming back at home facing quarrels and fights from their parents make them think that they shouldn’t
live anymore. Those scenarios mentioned above are also enough reasons why depressed students
shouldn’t be judged because of their bad temper, mood swings and any other traits.

Depression is a serious problem that can be an obstacle to students on getting their diplomas. It
can be very destructive to the performance and grades of the depressed students of where they might be
able to fail their subjects. Not just because of the reason that they are mentally ill but also because they
are now physically ill. The WHO even reported that of all illnesses, depression is the leading cause of ill
health and worldwide disability. This might not be able to just cause failing grades of the depressed
students but also the total end of school days for them. Worst of all is that if they’ll end up their lives
through committing suicide.

Depressed students oftentimes don’t know anymore what they’re going to do. This calls for an
action and as a classmate or a friend, it is a responsibility to lend a hand to them since were the one of
those who know them the best. However, the fact that only thyself can help thy self is the depressed
students’ responsibility. No one can ever untangle himself with depression unless he does his best to solve
this problem. Moreover, the best thing to do is to pray and never lose faith on Him since He knows
everything and our lives’ plans depends on Him.

“Life is a combination of happiness and pain. Pain may be inevitable but suffering is optional.” – Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar