Here’s why we should stand up against clinical depression

Most people feel sad or depressed at times. It’s a normal reaction to loss or life’s struggles. It is among the stages of grieving.

But when intense sadness, including feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless lasts for many days to weeks and keeps you from living your life, it may be something more than sadness. You could have clinical depression -- a treatable medical condition. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression.

In the past week I met a 40-year-old woman at Mirembe hospital who had been sexually assaulted and forced by her husband to marry her first born son for unknown reasons.

This kind of mental trauma caused her to gradually feel depressed during most of the day, lack energy, feel worthless and guilty as to why she couldn’t save her son, have a hard time focusing, remembering details, and making decisions, she can’t sleep, lost interest in many activities including loss of appetite.

Also she often thinks about death or suicide (not just a fear of death), feels restless and preoccupied with thoughts of her children.

While these symptoms are common, not everyone with depression will have the same ones. How severe they are, how often they happen, and how long they last can vary.

Stereotype and self-stigma

Research suggests that the majority of people hold negative attitudes and stereotypes towards people with depression.

These negative attitudes often manifest as social distancing with respect to people with depression.

As for the lady was concerned, she never sought help while she was grieving due to fear of being called crazy. In particular, when people feel that an individual with depression is dangerous, that results in fear and increased social distance. It has long been understood that social isolation is associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes and even early mortality

More, people with depression issues recognise and internalise this stigma to develop a strong “self-stigma.” This self-stigma will often undermine self-efficacy, resulting in a “why try” attitude that can worsen prospects of recovery.

Further, people begin to experience symptoms of their depression such as anxiety or suicidal thoughts.

Fight back and get help

It is our responsibility to be attentive towards our loved ones and seek help at early symptoms of any mental illness. Full emotional, social and economic support be given to such individuals.

Helping a friend or loved one with depression can be challenging. The most important step toward helping a loved one with depression is to understand the symptoms. The course of major depressive disorder is variable, and symptoms vary from person to person.

Familiarising yourself with the possible symptoms will help you better understand what your loved one is experiencing.

People with depression might not acknowledge that they’re struggling. Lack of awareness about symptoms of depression can cause people to consider their feelings normal or dismiss them as a time-limited struggle.

Depression seldom gets better without treatment, and it can actually worsen over time. Research shows that both antidepressant medications and cognitive therapy are effective in alleviating symptoms. Other treatments include interpersonal therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and neurofeedback.

Your loved one’s depression is not for you to fix, but being present and listening to your loved one talk can help that person feel heard and understood.

The risk of suicide exists at all times during major depressive episodes.If you believe your loved one is at risk of suicide, do not leave that person alone and seek help.

Caring for a loved one with depression can be complicated and overwhelming. Be sure to attend to your own personal needs, create appropriate boundaries, and seek help from a therapist or support group.

If we are early to detect our own symptoms or of our loved ones we can prevent major depression at large.

The auhor is based at Hubert Kairuki Memorial University in Dar