I've never been (Un)happier

by Shaheen Bhatt

‘If this is life,’ I think, ‘I don’t want it.’

we must resort to likening depression to parasitic monsters that drain us of our joy or dark shadows that consume us.

Your pain, like your fingerprints, is unique to you. In other words, you can buy happiness off the rack—but sadness is tailor-made just for you.

When I was sad, I was just sad—I was someone who was struggling under the weight of difficulties life was throwing at me. But when I was depressed, I was either damaged or a drama queen; there was something fundamentally wrong with my make-up as a person.

It was my father who taught me a long time ago that no one can disrespect you or shame you without your permission.

‘If someone calls you stupid and you are stupid, then it shouldn’t bother you because what they’re saying is true, and if someone calls you stupid and you aren’t stupid, then also it shouldn’t bother you because what they’re saying is not true. Neither the truth nor lies should trouble you.’

When the people in my life told me I was negative, difficult and unfriendly, I believed that was just who I was deep down inside rather than attributing it to the fact that I was in pain.

‘Take off the mask. You aren’t happy? Fine, you aren’t happy. One day you will be. And then you’ll be sad again. Accept that and stop wasting your energy chasing something that doesn’t exist. You can’t spend your life feeling bad about feeling bad.’

It showed me that most of the anger and negativity around us stems from fear, and it showed me kindness is the only way forward.