Flipswitch

Hey you guys, this is Gopi. I hope everyone is doing well and hating this weather just as much as I do. This is my first time writing a blog, so please bear with me.

Recently, my friend Avni and I were having a conversion on medication and mood disorders. She mentioned that people who suffer from mood disorders or depression are to blame for their condition. Her reasoning behind this opinion was that depressed people have the choice of coming out of depression and people choose to be bipolar. However, many of us know from the episode that we did on depression, that being depressed is not a choice. Many people have misconceptions regarding depression and bipolar disorder; so many stereotypes exist that a lot of people do not know the true cause of these disorders.

However, this is just one example of the many misconceptions that exist regarding mood disorders and depression. In one of our episodes, we discussed the importance of advocacy and how it can help eliminate such misconceptions while educated people. I know this may seem a little dull and repetitive, but all of you guys should advocate on behalf of people with mood disorders. Helping others understand is the first step in helping yourself. Soon after, I spoke with my friend again and I explained to her what I have learned about such disorders. I hope I changed her perception on depression and I hope I helped you realize the importance of advocacy.

Well I hope I didn’t bore you guys too much. But enjoy your weekend and stay warm!

~GOPI PATEL~