Depression is a term that has become all too familiar in today’s world, especially among the younger generation. Despite the increased availability of mental health resources, rates of depression continue to rise, particularly among Gen Z. This paradox raises an important question: why are so many young people feeling more discontented than ever before? In this blog post, we delve into the root causes of this issue and explore how the practice of gratitude can play a pivotal role in enhancing mental well-being and combating depression. Join us as we uncover the profound impact of appreciating life’s simple joys and shifting our focus from constant comparison to true contentment.
Speech:
Depression—we’ve all heard that word before. It seems to be spreading everywhere in this generation. But have you ever wondered why it feels like depression is becoming more and more common, even though mental health help is more available than ever before? According to research from the Walton Family Foundation and Murmuration, in 2012, out of all the generations, this generation, Gen Z, is the one with the highest rates of depression. But why? Why is it that our generation is filled with more sad people?
Hello, everyone. My name is Frost Meanna, and I am here today to talk to all of you about what I think is the reason for depression being so common in people nowadays. When I first thought about this, I believed that the reason many people are depressed now is because of our world and the conditions it has brought to people. I thought that it was due to the circumstances of a person’s life that defined whether they would feel happy or sad. If a person lived an amazing life with money, houses, and cars, it meant they lived a happy life. Conversely, if a person lived a poor life with no money, house, or cars, it meant they lived a sad life.
But then I realized that this just isn’t true. A while ago, I was scrolling on social media and stumbled across a video of some people in Palestine, who are currently at war with Israel. It shocked me. Even though the country was at war, they looked so full of life; they were so happy. I thought to myself, how is it that even though they’re displaced, they don’t have enough food or water, and all their houses are blown up, yet they’re all still living happily? On the other hand, there are so many people out there in the world that live such rich lives yet seem to be in discontent with their lives. And I thought, what is it that makes the rich person sad and the poor person happy?
After thinking about it, I think I found the answer: gratitude. Being grateful is something that many of us have forgotten to do. We live our everyday lives without ever acknowledging the blessings we have. In today’s fast-paced world, we’re constantly striving to possess more, achieve more, and be more. We are caught up in a never-ending cycle of comparison, where we measure our worth based on what others have or what society expects from us. This constant striving for more is what leads to feelings of discontent, unhappiness, and ultimately depression.
Just imagine what would happen if people shifted their focus. What if you took a moment each day to reflect on the things you have, the people who love you, and the simple joys that surround you? If you start to appreciate every moment and everything that happens in your life, you’ll never fall into the spiral of discontent and depression. While the Palestinians were under such harsh conditions, they never stopped being grateful for the things they still had. They didn’t focus on the bad around them but looked at the positive side. The mere presence of their family members was enough to make them feel content.
This reminds me of a quote that I heard somewhere, and I can’t remember who said it, but it goes, “If anything bad ever happens to you, always tell yourself that it could have been worse.” If you ever encounter a struggle in your life or something bad happens, instead of crying about it and beating yourself up from the inside, learn to tell yourself that it could have been worse. But in the end, it wasn’t worse, so you have to be grateful for it. Just like those Palestinians—their homes were blown up, and they had no food or water, but at least they still had their family members, and so they were grateful for it. That, in turn, gave them happiness.
When you practice gratitude, you train your mind to look for the positive aspects of your life rather than dwelling on and shedding tears about what is lacking. This doesn’t mean that you ignore the challenges or hardships you face. No, you need to find solutions for those problems you face, but at the same time, you also need to acknowledge the good alongside them. As Brian Tracy said, “Look for the good in every person and situation; you’ll almost always find it.” Sometimes things we don’t like happen to us, but in the end, they turn out to be good things. And sometimes things we think are good for us are taken away, but what you thought was good for you turned out to be bad later on, so it was actually good that it was taken away.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say someone got fired from their job for no reason, and it saddened them a lot. But later on, they decided to accept the fact that they got fired and used it as an opportunity to start their own company, which later turned into a multi-million-dollar business. Is losing the previous job now still a bad thing, or is it a good thing? Of course, it’s a good thing. If he never lost his original job, he would still be working in his normal 9-to-5 with a low salary. Sometimes in our lives, bad things happen, but we need to be able to be grateful for them, accept them, and move on because then you will realize that whatever you thought was bad for you was actually a good thing all along, whether it taught you a lesson or became something better than what you originally had.
And something else I also want to add: if many of you don’t know, I am a Muslim. In the religion of Islam, our Prophet Muhammad tells us to look at those below you and not look at those above you, lest you find discontent in your life. You should never, ever look at anyone who is in a better situation than you because you’ll start to tell yourself, “Why them and why not me? Why are they more blessed than I am?” You’ll start to think your self-worth is less than theirs, which can lead to you feeling discontent with your life. Always, always only look at those who are less fortunate than you because only through that will you be able to be grateful for what you have, and you’ll never find discontent with your life.
So to all of you here, I need you all to realize that you’re living a life someone would do anything for. So why be sad about it? Start looking at the things you have and appreciate them: your family, your friends, your school, your house, your everything. There are people out there in the world that would die to have what you have, so show gratitude for it. Show gratitude and be happy. What don’t you have? Did you eat today? Did you have water to drink? Are you clothed? If you are, well, I tell you what, your life is a million times better than the millions out there who are dying of hunger right now. So be thankful. Don’t let little problems ruin your life that’s so blessed. There’s nothing worth being sad or depressed about.
You know, there’s also this one thing that I’m very sure many of us forget to be grateful about, and it is something that is neglected but should definitely be the number one most important thing that we all need to start appreciating in our lives: it is to start being grateful for our bodies. What I mean by that is that you all need to start to appreciate the fact that you have two arms, two legs, the ability to see, to hear, to talk, to walk. These are things that many people around us in the world do not have, and so we need to start appreciating them more. If I were to ask you to replace any of those things for a billion dollars, would you do it? My answer would definitely be no because, to me, nothing is more important than my health.
There are people out there in the world who are blind, deaf, immobile, or have illnesses that do not allow them to do normal everyday things. So why are you not grateful for those normal everyday things that you have the ability to do? You need to be grateful for everything that happens to you, every experience you have, whether it is bad or good, because even if it’s bad, always remember that there is someone else out in the world that is in a worse situation than you, who would do anything to be in your place. You cannot take anything for granted, no matter what it is.
So to all of you here, if you’re ever going through a depression, don’t let it bother you too much because there will always be good that comes from it. Start appreciating your life more, especially the little things. If you encounter any struggles or hardships, always be grateful for them and tell yourself that it could have been worse. If you start appreciating all the blessings you have and making good out of the bad, you will surely find content and happiness. Thank you.
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