Before you attack me for being insensitive, let’s get one thing straight: I suffer from depression. I understand that people treating others negatively affects their depression—I would know—but people treating others negatively is not solely the reason behind depression.
Depression is an imbalance of neurotransmitters in your brain. Depression is caused by a multitude of things and scientists still aren’t completely sure. It depends on the person suffering from depression. Emotional abuse over extended periods of time can eventually lead to depression later on in life but it isn’t immediate.
I’ve been hearing so many people talking about the show "13 Reasons Why," and the lesson this show is trying to teach is that you should always treat people with respect because you never know what is going on in their life. From my understanding, it is never explicitly stated or explained that the main character, Hannah Baker, has clinical depression and it's just assumed by everyone watching.
I completely agree. You should always treat people with respect. You shouldn’t bully or abuse people. That is a given. But I see problems with this argument. People get upset and affected by the emotional abuse, and it certainly takes a toll on them and their minds. People commit suicide for so many reasons, but it isn’t always depression.
I don’t suffer from depression because people were mean to me. I don’t even know why I suffer from depression. I have an amazing and supportive family. I have great friends and an incredible significant other. I have a seemingly awesome life, yet I still suffer from depression. Depression doesn’t discriminate. Even at my best, I still suffer from depression. I can look and be completely happy on the outside, but still be going through darkness in my mind. I can’t explain it. No one can. It’s complicated. It’s messy. It fucking SUCKS.
I can’t explain why my anxiety consumes my day some days. I can’t explain why I become so stressed over little things that I have control over. It just happens. I can’t control it. It’s not easy, but I’m not like this due to people being mean to me.
I wish having a good social life, love life, family life, and school life/career meant that people wouldn’t have depression. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. I wish it was. Some of the most important people in my life are loved and respected by everyone who ever meets them, yet they still suffer from depression.
I appreciate that this show is opening up the conversation about mental illness, I really do. But rather than watching a fabricated show, do some research. Talk to people who suffer from mental illness. Talk to family members and loved ones of those who suffer from mental illness. Check out Project Semicolon. Learn the signs. Learn how to prevent suicide. Take action.
Depression and mental illness are the worst. Don’t allow one overly-streamed TV show be your only perception and take on the causes of mental illness.
