In Brief
– In our day-to-day activities we tend to feel sad, feel down, lose interest in things that we found a lot of pleasure in and we attach it to the normal mood fluctuations or part of our growth.
– There’s more to it than the ten-letter word you just read through!
What comes to your mind when the word depression is mentioned to you? Sadness? Emptiness? Reluctance? Well, let’s find out what it really means to be depressed and what the possible signs that one could be depressed are.
In our day-to-day activities, we tend to feel sad, feel down, lose interest in things that we found a lot of pleasure in, and attach it to the normal mood fluctuations or part of our growth. It is, however, advised that if these feelings persist and begin to affect our lives, then we should look at them as part of the red flags of depression and seek help before they get the better of us.
Also Read: How Khaligraph battled and overcame depression
Depression is therefore defined as a mood disorder that involves the persistence of all these feelings. It is consists of episodes that come with symptoms that last for at least two weeks and hence it’s a continuous type of problem. I spoke to Julia, a recovered depression victim, and she points out that it’s unfortunate to see people continue to normalize this monster and brush it off.
‘Maisha ni ngumu kwa kila mtu na huyu anatupima akona depression‘ is a phrase that Julia tries to explain how it was used on her and how it made her sink more into the clinical depression that only left her damaged and empty. This statement clearly tells us that so many people out there are clueless about what depression is, its symptoms, and how to go about it.
It is therefore important to create awareness about this monster, create safe spaces where the victims can freely express themselves and get help before it gets out of hand. By doing so, we will be taking a major step towards defeating the monster.
Also Read: Mental illness, what is depression?
Parting shot: To those that despise, mock, and make fun of people suffering from mental illness, be kind for you never know when the shoe pulls towards you. You could very well be the next victim!
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