For years depression has been considered taboo, especially in Asian countries.

Generations
before millennials did not even think of depression as anything serious. Their viewing point was
that it is just a mere state of mind from which a person can come out by himself. Finally, when
social media use became common and was easy to access for everyone, people started raising
awareness regarding depression. Many people started talking about the mentioned illness and
how serious it is, and how it is not a weakness for a person. It helped many people to step
forward and encourage those who suffered from it to talk about it. Over time, the topic attracted
so much attention that practically everyone began to use the word "depression" in daily
conversation.
From existing nowhere to being on everyone's mind, this is the power of social media. It served
its good purpose for a while, but now it seems like it has become a misused word. The use of the
word ''depression'' became a routine for us. We replaced other words like sadness, tension, stress,
or irritation with depression. I started noticing it quite recently when I was with my friend. We
were discussing our upcoming midterms. My friend casually said ''I have not prepared for the
midterms due to which I am so depressed''. I instantly replied that it is not depression that is
stress. After a few days, I was talking to another one of my friends when she told me ''I felt so
depressed because they killed off my favorite character in the show''. That was when I realized
how casually we all have started to throw around the word depression.
Once the word that was considered taboo, now is being thrown around like it is an everyday
routine word. Any term loses its true credibility when it is used carelessly.
Before, people did not take depression seriously since people did not believe it to be real but,
eventually because of how casual it will become to us, individuals will no longer take it
seriously. Social media did its good part in raising awareness about depression, but now it has
become too much. Maybe raising awareness of depression should be left to professionals. Many
influencers and bloggers who talk about depression do not know the seriousness of the illness.
Many do not even know the real meaning of depression. I have also seen many people becoming
self-proclaimed therapists when they have no relation to the medical field whatsoever.
I have seen people diagnosed with depression around me. It can be said without any hesitation,
that depression is a much more concerning illness than we think it is. It is ugly, self-destructing,
and much more. Not every time we feel low or sad for a while is depression. As a community,
we need to consider that depression is a condition for which people should be careful while
talking about it and be accountable for maintaining its credibility. As I previously stated, it is
best to leave the explanation of such sickness to qualified doctors. The efforts made shouldn't go
in vain.