Let’s Talk About Depression (Cont’d)

“Hi” 

She said solemnly as she settled quietly into the sofa in the living room, letting her handbag slide out of her hands and onto the floor. Paying no attention to the curious look I had on my face as I glanced at her in confusion, she stared blankly at the wall frame on the other end of the room

“How was work today Lade?” I asked, conscious of the fact that something was amiss. I couldn’t quite place it, but over the past few weeks, my once jovial and lively flatmate, Lade, had suddenly changed, and become so withdrawn and distant

I had met Lade a few months ago. Fresh out of medical school, we had been accepted in the state teaching hospital for our internship program (commonly called “house job” in Nigeria), and we were assigned as flat mates in the hospital staff quarters. We clicked well from the first day we met, and even though we hardly had any free time on our hands, the little time we spent together over the past few months had us forming a friendship, or so I thought, until the sudden change in her behavior and mood. 

Over the past few weeks, Lade had stopped going out with me for our morning work out like we used to do, even though she still woke up very early. I’d return and meet her just gazing out the window. Nowadays, she acted very uninterested in work, showed up late for meetings and was always exhausted even after just a little activity. Previously, Lade would return from work and give me gist about her day, but of late, she usually returned looking exhausted, unwilling to eat, and also very withdrawn and unwilling to speak with me.

“Lade”, I called out her name gently as I moved into the couch to sit closer to her. “Are you alright?”

“Esty, I don’t know, I know I have not been myself”, she said, looking down at the floor “I think I’m suffering from depression, but I don’t know what to do about it”.

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

Depression is a mental health disorder which causes persistently depressed mood, or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life

This means that the person is in a continuously low mood for up to 2 weeks, loses interest in activities they once enjoyed, and even their daily life is much affected.

This is different from the usual mood changes or short lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday  life.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DEPRESSION?

Depression can be:

1. Mild
2. Moderate, or
3. Severe

HOW COMMON IS DEPRESSION?

Depression has become a very common disorder in our world today.
According to the WHO, more than 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression worldwide. Women are more affected than men, and it is more common in rural areas. 

WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?

It is hard to pick out a specific cause or causes of depression, because depression can be caused by a combination of factors. This could be:

1. Social factors; which has to do with human interactions such as unemployment, death of a loved one, etc

1. Psychological factors; which have to do with the mind such as traumatic experiences like rape, growing up in an environment of conflict/ unrest.
2. Biological factors; involving the genetic inheritance of a person, such that people who have siblings or parents who have suffered from depression are likely to be depressed themselves.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION?
The symptoms of depression are many and may be major or minor symptoms.

The major symptoms are

1. Low mood
2. Loss of interest and lack of enjoyment of activities a person used to love
3. Tiredness after only a little activity and reduced energy

The minor symptoms include:

1. Reduced attention
2. Reduced self esteem
3. Thoughts of guilt and unworthiness
4. Negative thoughts about the future/a feeling of hopelessness about the future
5. Acts of self harm or suicide
6. Disturbed sleep
7. Reduced appetite

Some of these symptoms must be present for up to 2 weeks and not due to medicines or alcohol abuse or a tragic event like the loss of a loved one.

HOW CAN DEPRESSION BE PREVENTED?

Depression can be prevented by:

1. Regular exercise; Exercise has a calming effect on the brain and can improve a person’s mood
2. Cut back on social media time; This can help you stay more connected with family, friends and even co workers
3. Build strong relationships; Having a strong support system and an active social life can protect against depression, so no matter how busy you are, make sure you have a social life.
4. Reduce stress; Prolonged stress is one of the most common causes of depression and in the case of my flatmate, Lade, this must have been one of the causes. It is important to learn how to manage and cope with stress, and where possible, remove factors that cause stress.
5. Maintain your treatment plan; If you already had one episode of depression, be careful to maintain your treatment plan and practice all your doctor advises. 
6. Get enough sleep.
7. Stay away from toxic people.
8. Eat well; make it a point to eat foods with a lot of protein, vegetables and fruits  and cut down on your sugar intake.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

It is advisable to see a doctor if you have had a continuously low mood for up to 2 weeks

We all need to be aware of our health and in our days, mental health is particularly important. Your mind is the source of ideas and wealth and the headquarters of just about every meaningful thing in your life. Your mind is the seat of who you are. Protect it with all you have got.
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