Why does my family brush it off and say, “you’ll be fine tomorrow,” when I say I’m depressed, but they rush me to the doctor when I have a fever? Shaloni asked her diary and shared it with us. Do you have any answers?

Dear Diary,

I heard somewhere that not everyone is down because of breakups with a boy or a girl. Some may not be okay because of problems they can’t even share or don’t know exist.

Most of our sadness seems to hide in our unconscious mind. We don’t always know why we’re sad, but we are. It’s like sadness is on its way, so we keep getting ready for it by staying quiet. It’s weird, isn’t it? 

We all want to make our lives look as beautiful as possible, but what if we romanticise our emotions too? Our emotions, whether it’s happiness, sadness, or anxiety, none of them are bad. Sometimes, we don’t even know how we’re feeling. When I’m anxious, my hands shake, and I think it’s just a way of expressing those hidden emotions deep inside me. It’s a form of expression.

Too sad to talk and smile

Once, I was feeling down, and it felt like everyone was talking about me behind my back, making fun of me and my loneliness. They asked me why I’m always sad and not having fun like others. I felt terrible about myself, like I was the worst person ever just because I was too sad to talk and smile like everyone else. I still don’t know how to express myself and laugh like others, and I still get blamed for no reason. I still feel so small in front of those who seem so perfect.

But are they really happy, or are they just pretending? Of course, they’re pretending, but then I wonder, why make fun of those who aren’t okay? Is it wrong to be depressed? Is it bad not to be okay? Do they want me to pretend and hide my true feelings?

Yeah, they want to talk about something, but not this. They see themselves as superior, even though they’re also hurting inside but just not showing it.

“You’ll be fine!”

In today’s world, where every little issue is raised, why not talk about mental health? Why do they call me foolish or an idiot when I say I’m not doing well? Why do they feel sorry for me? Why does my family brush it off and say, “You’ll be fine tomorrow,” when I say I’m depressed, but they rush me to the doctor when I have a fever but not when I’m not okay?

How can we expect everyone to be healthier when we don’t even talk about it?

Confidence is not about being strong 

But here’s what I can say, Diary: there’s so much more to life than what we eat or where we think we might be. Just be true to yourself. Confidence isn’t always about being strong and facing everything head-on. Confidence can also be found in being humble and quiet. We don’t have to know everything to be confident. We don’t need to bring others down to feel superior. We don’t need to fake anything.

Just connect with your true essence, and say what you genuinely feel. Everyone is trying to make up for something, but I’m making myself. Find all the unique gifts that make you, cherish them, and learn what you don’t know. Stay kind and authentic because when you’re true to yourself, you become unique and exquisite.

Yours truly,

Saloni

Names have been changed. This article has been authored by a member of our TeenBook Advisory Board (TAB). To learn more about what TAB is and how to join, please click here. 

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