Thursday, July 20, 2017

Thought: On the epidemic ' depression'................

I was waiting in the trolley station of  my University..........
An old, 60-something Hispanic man sitting beside me started a conversation..
As I told my Asian ethnicity, he narrated how the Spanish explorers traveled to those places... and brought horses from Philippines, to the USA...the wild mustangs now invasive in the forests of South West...


Then he shifted topic and told how in the DMV offices, tri-lingual Middle Eastern girls work.. and it is a talent to be able to talk in three international languages..
In a long time someone talked such intelligent, unbiased stuffs..I was impressed..
Then our trolley arrived..and we went in our own directions...
-----------
After a week or so, I was again sitting in that bench..reading a book on 'California chaparral'..and was eating a banana...
I heard someone saying "banana has lots of potassium"...I instantly recognized the voice, and even before looking up told, "Yes, I remember you, and the nice conversation we had that day".
It was the same old man. He says, "I don't remember you".
I felt offended, juts a little. Then reminded him of the conversation and got back to the book.
After some time he told, "I could not remember you because I am battling depression".
I have been doing some research on neural circuitry of depression and precisely understand what actually happens in it. To make him feel better I told, "That is almost an epidemic now-a-days. Even kids ..".
He replied, "Mine is not mild, but a severe form. Sometimes, it continues for an entire month".
I told him not to take much stress at his age. He is an intelligent guy, so I mentioned the stress - high cortisol - high angiotensin - heart & kidney malfunction link,  though the vagueness of the suggestion sounded unconvincing to myself.
If he has a problem, he will brood. Don't I do so, when things don't work as per my plan? Its other thing that if plan A does not work I loose no time in working for plan B...
I was willing to listen more of his owes. Most people don't have the courage to bare their souls, and most will not bother to listen. But, then the trolley arrived, and he walked away..
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On my coach, there were hundred other people..from different strata of life....homeless, drug addict, old veteran, wheelchair-bound, single mother, young college students...........
I looked at their faces..
Are they doing well?...or hiding a sad reality like the old man?
What about me? 
Well, bad things happen every now and happen...but then I quickly find a plan B instead of dwelling on the problem..

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