Ladies and gentlemen, depression is real, and it's among us.
We need to come to terms with this, we need to start talking about this and we need to do something about this. As a result of Nigeria's culture of silence when it comes to issues such as this, people are suffering in silence and coming up with ways of freeing this pain.
When a person suffers from depression, the entire family will suffer from depression in some way or the other.
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| Image source: lindaikeji.blogspot.com |
What is Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness. Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, psychotherapies, and other methods can effectively treat people with depression.
What are the signs and symptoms of depression?
People with depressive illnesses do not all experience the same symptoms. The severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness.
Signs and symptoms include:
1. Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
2. Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
3. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
4. Irritability, restlessness
5. Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
6. Fatigue and decreased energy
7. Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
8. Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
9. Overeating, or appetite loss
10. Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
11. Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment.
What causes depression?
Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
How can I help a loved one who is depressed?
If you know someone who is depressed, it affects you too. The most important thing you can do is help your friend or relative get a diagnosis and treatment. You may need to make an appointment and go with him or her to see the doctor. Encourage your loved one to stay in treatment, or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs after 6 to 8 weeks.
To help your friend or relative
1. Offer emotional support, understanding, patience, and encouragement.
2. Talk to him or her, and listen carefully.
3. Never dismiss feelings, but point out realities and offer hope.
4. Never ignore comments about suicide, and report them to your loved one's therapist or doctor.
5. Invite your loved one out for walks, outings and other activities. Keep trying if he or she declines, but don't push him or her to take on too much too soon.
6. Provide assistance in getting to the doctor's appointments.
7. Remind your loved one that with time and treatment, the depression will lift.
If you have depression, you may feel exhausted, helpless, and hopeless. It may be extremely difficult to take any action to help yourself. But as you begin to recognize your depression and begin treatment, you will start to feel better.
To Help Yourself
1. Do not wait too long to get evaluated or treated. There is research showing the longer one waits, the greater the impairment can be down the road. Try to see a professional as soon as possible.
2. Try to be active and exercise. Go to a movie, a ballgame, or another event or activity that you once enjoyed.
3. Set realistic goals for yourself.
4. Break up large tasks into small ones, set some priorities and do what you can as you can.
5. Try to spend time with other people and confide in a trusted friend or relative. Try not to isolate yourself, and let others help you.
6. Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately. Do not expect to suddenly "snap out of" your depression. Often during treatment for depression, sleep and appetite will begin to improve before your depressed mood lifts.
7. Postpone important decisions, such as getting married or divorced or changing jobs, until you feel better. 8. Discuss decisions with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.
9. Remember that positive thinking will replace negative thoughts as your depression responds to treatment.
10. Continue to educate yourself about depression.
These were some comments that followed after Linda's post:
A girl said...
May his soul rest in peace..life is not easy hmm. Me too i ve left naija last 7yrs and my life is still d same all in the name of all this useless witch and demons. i get promise from different people but they failed me.this christmas i spent it with thinkness and sorrow. GOD!pls help me, dont let me end my life like this guy. AMEN! (Crying)December 29, 2011 2:55 PM
May his soul rest in peace..life is not easy hmm. Me too i ve left naija last 7yrs and my life is still d same all in the name of all this useless witch and demons. i get promise from different people but they failed me.this christmas i spent it with thinkness and sorrow. GOD!pls help me, dont let me end my life like this guy. AMEN! (Crying)December 29, 2011 2:55 PM
Anonymous said...
...I lost my job in Feb 2009, A job where I used to earn 9.5 Million per annum, ventured into a bussiness with my savings of more than 25 million and was duped of all I have, I have no money, no friends, unmarried, added a ton of weight due to depression and I am almost 40,
Woke up on the 20th of Dec 2011 and decided to up dust myself up and move on, sucidie is the last thing on my mind. Hope is all you have and never let go of it.
To anybody who is going thru alot or is depressed and think of taking their own life, pls dont have hope, the is no hopeless situation, imagine the girl that lost her whole familyn the niger state bombing. Think of those suffering in Sudan, haiti, syria and the poor all over the world.
I hope he has found peace, May God give his parents, brothers, sisters, baby mama n his unborn baby the fortitude to bear the loss.December 29, 2011 3:25 PM
Anonymous said...
D guy tuk hs lyf or not, eithr way, dia ar issues in ds country... 4 d sake of doubters, ds can indid hapn. I pesnaly wd hav gon out same way on nov 26th 2011. I had it all pland out, used my vry last N400 to by poison n a rope, tied d rope as ely as 6am, typed out my story, etc. Linda wil confm dt som1 said he,d be nxt 2 comit suicde n wil kp hr postd just d prevs day bt sh ddnt post d comnt. At zero hr, somtn snapped in me...not fear, not regret. 3 days latr, i got a job as genral mgr of a new compny. Not much compared 2 wat am used to, bt a gud start 4 rebuildng. Ofcors i cant tell my story here...it wil make a mario puzo thriller of volume 1 to 5. But serusly, som ppl ar goin tru stuff no one els cn comprhend. Giv all d help u can wen pple ask...if u dont lyk storis lyk ds.December 29, 2011 4:42 PM
...I lost my job in Feb 2009, A job where I used to earn 9.5 Million per annum, ventured into a bussiness with my savings of more than 25 million and was duped of all I have, I have no money, no friends, unmarried, added a ton of weight due to depression and I am almost 40,
Woke up on the 20th of Dec 2011 and decided to up dust myself up and move on, sucidie is the last thing on my mind. Hope is all you have and never let go of it.
To anybody who is going thru alot or is depressed and think of taking their own life, pls dont have hope, the is no hopeless situation, imagine the girl that lost her whole familyn the niger state bombing. Think of those suffering in Sudan, haiti, syria and the poor all over the world.
I hope he has found peace, May God give his parents, brothers, sisters, baby mama n his unborn baby the fortitude to bear the loss.December 29, 2011 3:25 PM
Anonymous said...
D guy tuk hs lyf or not, eithr way, dia ar issues in ds country... 4 d sake of doubters, ds can indid hapn. I pesnaly wd hav gon out same way on nov 26th 2011. I had it all pland out, used my vry last N400 to by poison n a rope, tied d rope as ely as 6am, typed out my story, etc. Linda wil confm dt som1 said he,d be nxt 2 comit suicde n wil kp hr postd just d prevs day bt sh ddnt post d comnt. At zero hr, somtn snapped in me...not fear, not regret. 3 days latr, i got a job as genral mgr of a new compny. Not much compared 2 wat am used to, bt a gud start 4 rebuildng. Ofcors i cant tell my story here...it wil make a mario puzo thriller of volume 1 to 5. But serusly, som ppl ar goin tru stuff no one els cn comprhend. Giv all d help u can wen pple ask...if u dont lyk storis lyk ds.December 29, 2011 4:42 PM
Read Linda's post here: http://lindaikeji.blogspot.com/2011/12/man-threatened-to-kill-self-on.html#more
