Many times in life, people encounter situations that could result in depression. It is a lot more common than we think and it is entirely possible that a lot of us have experienced it in some way or other. There is no easy answer to what leads to depression in a particular person, but it could be due to a number of different reasons..
What causes Depression?
Physical Disorders - There could be some serious illness or physical condition (cardiac ailments, surgeries, cancer, AIDS etc.) that then leads to depression. Depression adds on to the severity of the ailment, since many times, being strong helps a person’s immune system to fight disease better.
Stress or Trauma: Stress or trauma related to 
relationships – passing away of a close relative, failure in marriage or romance, failure in examinations or in careers can all lead to severe stress. Mental confusion under severe trauma and weakness of mind can precipitate depression
Mental Disorders Some times people snap due to existing mental disorders which were not recognized. There could also be genetic disorders that were dormant and some event as mentioned above triggers depression.
How to recognize Depression?
There is not just one symptom for depression, but it can manifest in various ways. The following are typical complaints that people undergoing depression experience
- Lack of energy or drive to do any activity
- Irritability & Impatience
- Restlessness. An inability to focus on anything
- Unusual weight loss or weight gain
- Despair or hopelessness. Wishing to end all, feeling suicidal
These symptoms may appear in combination and may also progressively worsen.
Insights from the Gita
The Bhagavad Gita actually deals definitively with Depression that Arjuna faced in the battlefield. In the very first chapter, Arjuna is confronted with having to perform as a warrior and fight against his own relatives and friends. His mental torment leads on to severe depression which then manifest in various phyical symptoms. Shivering and shaking, Arjuna a heroic warrior, drops his bow and struggles to speak.
Krishna then analyzes depression and attributes it to various reasons
Attachment is what causes confusion in Arjuna. Similarly, stress or trauma that results from events such as death or separation can be attributed to undue attachment with others.
The solution to this is non-attachment and the Gita teaches the need to live life without undue attachment. This is compared to a drop of water on a lotus – remaining and performing but not being overly attached.
Trauma from failure in exams or in career is due to the blow to the “Ego” and expectations underlying. The Gita advocates and teaches many many times how each individual is no more than a tiny dispensable speck in the universe and meticulously demolishes any sense of ego. The Gita also teaches to perform actions without expectations.
Trauma on account of physical/health disorders can be tackled by contemplating on the 2nd Chapter of the Gita. It teaches that this body is no more than a shirt that the soul wears. The soul can never be destroyed and whatever happens to the body needs to be accepted the same way as you would deal with anything that is bound to decay. We should also take extra care to preserve this body well as we know that it is going to decay over time.
What can I do today?
Prevention is always better than cure - It is hence important to develop mental strength prior to being struck by depression. Mental strenth is built by faith, understanding, acceptance and nurturing of positive qualities in the mind. Positive visualisation and NLP are some techniques that help strengthen the mind.
The body is something that can and will decay and needs to be preserved to work well -This thought should naturally lead to exercise, good diet and avoiding substance abuse, all of which help in their own way. A positive mind and a healthy body goes a long way in avoiding depression.
Changing one’s perspective: A picture is really blurred when you stand very close to it. Similraly, we often feel a situation is hopeless or there is no way out when we are too close to it. Sharing it with others and seeking help can let us see the same thing in a new perspective.
If we come across others who are undergoing depression, we should try and extend a helping hand by giving some unconditional love (no expectations, love for the sake of love). There are very few things in the world that increase as we share and loving is one such.
To conclude, the times are difficult, as the world has been torn apart by the financial crisis, global meltdown and a severe recession that is leading on to various domino effects.
It is important to understand, console and counsel others who might need help at this time so that one can avoid severe depression. Timely help and medical intervention can help cure clinical depression.
After all, what doesn’t break you only makes you stronger!
Interesting blog post. What would you say was the most important factor in using NLP?
A well written article to be sure. Keep up the good work.
Parents bringup their children with utmost care, educate them and get them married. They desert the parents in search of amassing money and desert their parents. In their old age, no one comes to their rescue and they suffer a lot for their existance. Is it due to their karma accumulated in the previous birth?
@BN Gundu Rao – What you ask is a thought provoking and interesting question. I shall feature this in the Gitaaonline Answers section and invite readers to share their thoughts/experiences. Thanks for sharing. Sowmya
Could you pls provide more information on this subject??? By the way your website is wonderful. Sincerely.
One of the ways is practicing Sudarshan Kriya advocated by H H Sri Sri Ravi Shakar Gurudev , under able guidance initially. This definitely brings in some kind of mental calm and protects us physically too.
As another friend in this thread has raised the most mysterious thing about life – in this case about parent suffering – is this karmic effect ? Now society has become Godless & materialistic . In a Godless society one can only see calamities.
Satsangh is the only answer to prevent this or if it is still happening to SS will help us how sublimate ourselves by not getting affected. It is easily said than done.