1. #DepressionChat thread : sometimes it's your parents that can create such an incredibly stressed environment that one's solutions for self-care will have to include keeping them out of your life. Best not to judge someone if they don't live or take care of their parents.

2. I realised I had phases of depression only in my early twenties. Couldn't afford a counselor, didn't get the family's help either. Eventually things turned to the worse and I faced some significant academic and physical health setbacks.

3. But after 2 years of a pretty dark phase of my life I got an opportunity to be my best in the wilderness. Life got better, after another year went back to my home (Arunachal) and the #Depression vanished altogether except when my boss arrived at camp.

4. I figured out that a good path to self care will have to have me spend plenty of time in the wild. That went on for a 3 years (with several academic failures) after which I managed to gain some self respect and move away from the toxic boss.

5. But from the fire I went into the hell hole of my family. a year of grant writing got me nowhere. Family didn't understand that depression is not just something in the mind. I eventually got a decent job outside of my core expertise to keep the money coming.

6. Met a counselor who essentially had me self analyse my condition. To my luck the effort required to self care and make depression more manageable did not involve drug therapy. I only had to stay in the wild away from blood family.

7. If you are someone's blood relative don't give them less respect because it's easy to do that in a family. Respect them for their work and choices. Anyways I've had to abandon my family. I tried to be of help in the start of the pandemic but their disrespect for me lingers.

8. Gets quite stressful when I think about what I could have done better. Unfortunately I could not have because not only was I the youngest but also wisest and least independent of the family. Anyways it's not like I've found all solutions for self care. It can take a lifetime

9. to find out what works best for yourself. I was going to try living in the wilderness for extended periods of time this year but COVID-19 happened. Extended times in the wilderness isn't a solution for everyone. I thoroughly enjoy the physical and mental hardship...

10. that others find depressing. It's the oddest thing really. But being aware of one's template self care is a privilege. I know some who have a tough tough time figuring that out. It's all circumstances you see. It's the human condition. It's tough

11. Anyways I haven't written all this for the likes and RTs. This conversation goes on mute for precisely that reason. Moral of the story people make choices in life for their own self care encourage them to take risks in their ideas rather than giving them your review.

12. It's a lifetimes worth of effort to feel that one is better. For those you who need wilderness time don't tell them to go touch a tree. That's not how it works. Let them explore their own solutions encourage and enable that. Urban life is not good for anyone's mental health.

13. Urban areas are artificial, one gets easily removed from an idea of being part of nature. We can argue about urban wilderness but flyovers near a park don't help me. It may help others for sure. And hopefully we can save some wild places for the futur or we're mentally doomed

14. Also this is just one condition. If we are to think of the entire planet's mental health or human condition it does become sad. Millions have it worse than I do but it can get better when the powerful and privileged take responsibility.

15. And that's what I'm trying to do. Take responsibility become a socially acceptable powerful or successful person and then effect change. For me science is that way of life. I have to use it well as I'm good at it. Let's hope my efforts to becoming a good scientist pays off.

16. And through a lifetime's work provide evidence that protecting and studying nature is a win win for everyone that's in good moral standing.

17. I don't have the data to prove nature heals but I'll keep notes and write about it sometime. I do know for sure that substitutes like rock climbing, art, music, cycle rides don't cut it. I need serious wilderness isolation & I believe more people need it than what it appears

18. Perhaps I'll write a long essay about this subject when the next wilderness experience moves me. It's about gaining that knowledge that one *is* part of the natural world. It takes months of wilderness isolation to feel that + an experience with a wild mammal while on foot.