According to a study, around two million people in our country suffer from depression, which is roughly 10% of the population. Despite its seriousness, many people don’t treat it like a real illness. Often, those suffering from it are mocked or dismissed. They avoid seeking help simply because of the stigma, fearing people will label them as "crazy" for going to a psychiatrist.
I’ve been through it myself. In this piece, I want to share the causes of my depression and how I managed to overcome it.
My symptoms began about few years ago, triggered mainly by a toxic work environment. Sadly, the corporate culture in our country often contributes to mental health deterioration. Public humiliation by a senior especially in front of your team can completely shatter your confidence.
Everyone deserves a break to rest and reset, but our routines don’t allow that. We work five full days a week, from morning to night. Nights are for sleeping, weekends go into errands and housework, and Monday resets the cycle. Life starts to feel like a loop. Higher ups usually don’t compromise on their own time offs, but when it comes to their team, they expect full availability. Because while we can cover them, they can’t do the same for us.
Over time, headaches, stress, and irritability became common. But I kept ignoring it out of fear " what if I lose my job? " I tolerated the toxic behavior and spent two years under constant pressure, until one day, everything exploded in the form of a nervous breakdown.
Instead of support, the response I got was detachment. The company I had served for years removed me from my project overnight, without discussion or closure. I was sidelined completely. Returning to the office after a few days felt like walking into a different world. People avoided me. Those who once called me "sir" now responded with awkward smiles or silence.
That’s when I realized something painful: the feeling of humiliation hurts even more than the act itself.
Since I no longer had real work to do, negative thoughts took over. A doctor advised me to quit, but financially, it wasn’t an option. At home, relationships started to suffer. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Even interviews didn’t work out. I had been made to feel so worthless that I couldn’t present myself confidently.
Eventually, I reached a breaking point. I realized that nothing would change unless I took control. And that’s when I decided: I would get better, with or without help. That decision changed everything. Obviously a good advisor helped me out.
First, I took a deep, honest look at myself. I realized that working in the same place for years had left me outdated and disconnected from new industry standards. Since I had little work at the time, I decided to start learning new skills and technologies.
And slowly, things began to change. Within a few months, I cleared up three job interviews in a row. That’s when I knew tha the problem wasn’t just the company, it was also that I had stopped evolving. I chose the best opportunity out of the three and ended my long-standing association with my previous employer. Staying longer would’ve only made things worse possibly leading to even more serious health issues.
During that transition, I made a few promises to myself and I’ve stuck to them ever since:
- Never allow anyone, senior or junior, to shout at you.
- Always stay focused on your work and give no one a chance to point fingers.
- Don’t accept blame for others’ mistakes.
- Don’t sacrifice yourself for politeness.
One of the turning points for me was a piece of advice I received at my lowest. It stayed with me and helped reshape my thinking — I’ll share more about it in my next piece.
The purpose of sharing this is to offer a real, tried-and-tested way out of depression and I did it without medication. Depression doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some people become quiet, others overly active. There’s no single cause even happy events can trigger it.
If you or someone close to you is suffering from depression, please don’t take it lightly. Get help early. Depression is often the root cause of many serious illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, or even strokes.
Let’s take mental health seriously for ourselves and for those we care about..
