It's OK to Not Feel OK
One HBO advertisement sticks out in my memory; I recently
saw it while watching a new episode of the show “Insecure”. The ad was titled,
“It’s OK to Not Feel Ok,” and it consisted of a variety of celebrities making
very simplistic and candid statements related to their current emotional or psychological
state. The reason this advertisement caught my attention is because one of the
actors is from the show “Insecure”, and his character went through a bout of
depression last season. Nathan, the character’s name, was dating Issa (main
character). They’re newfound relationship was headed in a positive trajectory, when
all of a sudden Nathan disappeared from the city without a word. After about a month
or two of ignoring calls and text messages, he finally left Issa a voicemail
explaining that he left the city because he was going through some things and
needed to get away. The episode started a conversation about mental illness and
how important it is to remove the stigma attached to seeking professional help
for depression.
That episode is one of the most relatable episodes because around
the time that it aired, I knew someone who was personally experiencing
depression and anxiety and was having trouble communicating it to me and
others. I think most people have experienced some sort of sadness or depressed
mood, so that is not unusual. However, for some people it can be hard to shake
and becomes debilitating—interfering with work, friendships, and relationships.
Aspects of the human nervous system involved in my response to
the HBO advertisement is related to the limbic system. The limbic system is the
area of the brain that is associated with emotion and memory. More specifically,
the hippocampus is involved in emotional processing (is linked to various mood
and anxiety disorders).
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