What 's Eating You?

Sure, some days can be harder than others. But where do you draw the line between just feeling down and suffering depression?

We tend to say “adulting is hard”, and there’s a hint of truth in that. While our twenties may not be as tumultuous as puberty, there are reasons why people call your twenty-hood a defining decade. With matters of the mind, research has shown that the human brain is still developing in your twenties, and the frontal lobe (the part of your brain involved in decision-making) only reaches its full maturity around 25. While this is happening, you’re also experiencing a series of firsts: First promotion, first car payment, first time you’ve lived on your own, first time you’re in a serious relationship, and so on. It ’s no surprise you get stressed out. But that stress can trigger mental illness.

While it ’s not fully understood why, certain mental illnesses (including depression) tend to develop or show symptoms in early adulthood, where the average age of onset of these illnesses in South East Asia is 15 to 29 years old. In fact, a whopping total of 86 million South East Asians are affected by depression. But how do you know if it ’s just a crappy day, haywire hormones — or if you’re depressed?

YOU CAN’T “SNAP OUT OF IT”

Our society is conservative. We get it. People are quick to judge when someone says he or she is depressed. The non-solicited advice that ’s often dished out when you’re feeling the blues? “Just snap out of it.” Anyone diagnosed with depression would wish it was that easy! But just how you can’t “wish away” a broken bone, you cannot “think” depression away.