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SUMMARY:Black Sun -- An Evening with Melancholia - Balaji Ravichandran (Un
 iversity of Cambridge)\, followed by an open discussion
DTSTART:20101118T193000Z
DTEND:20101118T210000Z
UID:TALK27937@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Balaji Ravichandran
DESCRIPTION:The one-off event\, as the subject title indicates\, deals wit
 h depression and melancholia\, and is open to all students\, fellows and s
 taff of the University. \n\nThe event will begin with a small talk\, deliv
 ered by a student\, i.e.\, yours truly\, about my personal experience with
  depression: its origins\, course\, recurrence\, therapies and strategies\
 , and most importantly of all\, how I have attempted (and am attempting) t
 o cope with what is a debilitating disease in Cambridge. Then\, it will be
  a full\, open\, and informal discussion on all matters relating to depres
 sion\, with an emphasis on its nature and strategies to cope with it whils
 t at Cambridge. \n\nThis is not merely an event for those suffering from d
 epression in its manifold and idiosyncratic forms. Rather\, the aim is to 
 bring together students and fellows\, as a way of bridging what seems an i
 nsurmountable gulf between those suffering from this affliction and those 
 who don't. Inasmuch as I want to reach out to those affected and tell them
  they're not alone\, I know\, from personal experience\, that friends\, ad
 mirers and sometimes fellows\, find it hard to understand what those suffe
 ring go through. It is a chance to address this gulf\, and I expect that p
 eople fortunate enough not to undergo this ailment will far exceed the peo
 ple who are indeed melancholic. Let me also say that no one is under any o
 bligation to say anything in this meeting -- so if you are depressed\, or 
 one of your close ones is\, and you do not wish to talk about it\, there i
 s absolutely no pressure on you whatsoever. You are still welcome to atten
 d\, and hear others discuss about the many aspects of depression...\n\nFin
 ally\, to say that I want to raise awareness about depression is easy. But
 \, harder to counter is the taboo surrounding it\, the stigma attached to 
 declaring yourself as a depressive. As such\, I wouldn't be surprised if m
 y openness cost me many a potential friend -- but\, it is only by talking 
 out aloud that we can counter the false belief that depression is a sign o
 f weakness\, and that depressed people have\, in any way\, failed. Those w
 ho attend the meeting will hear largely subjective information\, and some 
 objective facts about depression and coping with it. But\, I hope it will 
 be a starting point for everyone to understand and sympathise\, and to fig
 ht ignorance and stigma against one of the most excruciating illnesses man
 kind knows...\n\nFeel free to invite your friends and colleagues from othe
 r colleges... If you have any questions\, please let me know.\n\nBalaji.\n
 Finalist\, Neuroscience (King's)
LOCATION:Keynes Hall\, Kings College\, Cambridge
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