Depression

Staring blankly into space without a blink and having series of thoughts about how bad things are, with the edges of his lips pointed down, he was filled with regrets about opportunities missed, with no sign of hope. He decided to end it all.

At various times, many, if not all have experienced periods of sadness, grief, disappointments, failures, uncertainties, stress and blues. While some quickly recover from those situations, others experience the negative feelings for a longer period. This may in turn affect the way they act, think, make judgments and their relationships among other aspects of their lives.

Depression may mean different things to different people but what is common to all is that it is a disorder that affects individuals with some people having low mood, low energy, negative outlook about life, over-thinking, losing faith in one’s capacity, having no hope for the future. It is a mood disorder that is characterized by negative feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, losing control, amongst others. It is common, but often ignored and not easily identified because of its vague symptoms. Depression may follow life events and can be linked to the development of many medical conditions like chronic stress, anxiety, schizophrenia, indigestion, migraine, obesity, hypertension, stroke, heart attack and in extreme cases, there may be suicide.

There are several causes of depression, which may be of biological, social and psychological background, but because it is a complex disorder, it is difficult to know the exact cause. Sometimes, it could result from medical conditions (e.g stroke, hypertension, cancer, diabetes mellitus), physiological conditions like pregnancy, menopause, childbirth, parenthood, marriage, and failing an examination. Other causes include losing a job, starting a new job, changing schools, loss of a close relative/friend, financial difficulty, divorce, alcohol or drug abuse. Genetic factors may also play a role and the list goes on.

Depression can present with various symptoms and identifying those symptoms by the individual or the people around them will affect response to intervention and outcome. Because of the social rejection or stigmatization experienced by individuals treated for depression, reporting symptoms by individuals affected have become very difficult in many parts of Nigeria. Also, the huge expectation upon certain people by society makes seeking help seem like a thing for weak people because society expects everyone to be strong and be able to cope with everything.

Sadly, this is not usually the case in many situations. However, it is worthy to mention that it is absolutely fine to ask for help from trained persons when necessary. Common symptoms of depression include: persistent feeling of anxiety, having low energy, body weakness and fatigue, loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities, loss of appetite, irritability, mood swings, difficulty in making decisions, lack of concentration, social isolation, excessive alcohol or tobacco consumption, obesity, weight loss, unspecific body aches. Depression can also occur in children, especially during puberty. This may be due to the changes that occur and such changes can be interpreted differently amongst teens.

Some features of depression in childhood may include: defiance, separation anxiety, complaints of boredom, poor school performance, antisocial behaviour, poor sleep, excess sleep, eating problems. When such happens, causative factors should be assessed (for example, bullying, child abuse, dysfunctional homes and so on).

These days, often noticed are the negative effects of depression, which may be produced while trying to cope with depression without seeking help. Some of such effects are low self–esteem, domestic violence, alcohol and drug addiction, suicide, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, divorce, road rage, unemployment, poverty, cyber-bullying, terrorism, non-communicable diseases like hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, amongst many others.

Diagnosis of depression is made by a medical doctor after a detailed history and thorough clinical examination. The doctor will ask questions about the symptoms experienced and the impact the symptoms have on the quality of life of the individual involved. Other relevant medical investigations may be carried out to support diagnosis. Treatment for depression will depend on the type and severity at the time of diagnosis. Generally, modification of lifestyle can be adopted to improve health. For example, one may improve sleep, eat healthier, exercise regularly and manage stress effectively.

Active participation by the individual affected is essential in the treatment of depression as it determines if there will be a positive outcome from the condition. Also, family and community support is required as people with depression can benefit from support groups and people around them can identify if there is any progress with treatment. Visits to mental health professionals (e.g psychiatrist), use of medication are some modalities of treatment for depression.

When depression becomes too much to handle by the individual without appropriate and prompt treatment, suicide may be the result. Some of the warning signs of suicide include: making final arrangements (such as saying goodbye, changing of will, and some unusual behavior), self harm (making attempts to harm themselves e.g cutting arms and legs), talking about suicide (through direct and indirect statements) and thinking about ending it all (which may bring an end to their problems).

Depression is considered to be a public health concern. As a result of the relationship between several disease conditions and depression, it is of great importance that every case of depression no matter how severe be treated as urgent.

If you have experienced any of the warning signs of suicide or know someone who has, please seek medical assistance immediately. Don’t wait!

Health quote of the week: 

The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go – Dodinsky