Depression is real and it can be fatal. When one is in the middle of it, one can feel like the only person in the world that is struggling. The concerned individual can feel like he/she is alone in the world and that no one is ready or willing to show love. Depression is a mental health Illness and unfortunately if not dealt with promptly, may lead to suicide.
Depression can impact every part of one’s life if left untreated. But there is good news. Depression is a highly treatable mental health challenge. Just because an individual is struggling right now doesn’t mean that such an individual needs to continue to fight.
Learning how to deal with depression can be the difference between being able to overcome it or simply giving in to its symptoms day after day.
Charles Depression Story
“Depression… it just eats you up from the inside. It’s like a monster inside your head that takes over. The worst thing is to know that my family and friends were doing all they could, yet I felt so lonely. Anything that was said to me, I managed to turn into a bad thing. I was literally my own worst enemy. I would come home and felt so exhausted from all of the voices in my head that I would just sleep to block it all out. I didn’t want to wake up because living was a nightmare. I felt sick with the fear of nighttime because that’s when the voices got even loudest. I would get so frustrated because it seemed impossible to sleep as if insomnia and depression go hand-in-hand.
I knew I needed help but asking for it just made it feel like a burden. I wanted to be free of meds, doctors, counselors, hospitals, and negative thoughts. I felt as if I had lost myself and wouldn’t ever be the same again. I had no motivation to do anything because I couldn’t see a future for myself. Anxiety caused me to believe everyone was faking their love for me. ‘Cheer up’ was the worst thing anyone said to me. Those two words triggered thousands of horrible thoughts and I was beating myself up for not hiding how I felt well enough from everyone around me.
I wanted everyone to know how I felt but I didn’t dare tell them. Eventually, I just isolated myself in my room because no contact with people meant nothing could go wrong, surely.
At the moment I rely on medication and I am grateful to have it because I know it has really helped me. At the same time, I balance the wish that I could be free of it with the fear that it might lead to a relapse.
The scariest thing about my whole recovery process is that the only person who can truly help me is me. I have learned to change my thought processes and stop bullying myself, it’s a habit that’s been hard to break but I know I have made some positive changes.
2013 was a rollercoaster ride and admittedly one with more lows than highs. I feel I have been to hell and back but would I change what I have been through? If I were, to be honest, I don’t think I would. That doesn’t mean that depression is a good thing because it definitely isn’t. But I believe you must turn your negative experiences into positive ones if you can.
If I hadn’t been through these things I wouldn’t have learned that the most important thing in life is to be happy. I have now received all of my university offers to study football business and I can now see a future. I hope to build a career in something that I love, something that will make me happy, not focusing on what others want from me.
If I am to offer advice to others who are struggling, it would be not to suffer in silence. There are people out there who have been through everything that you are experiencing and have come out on the other side. In fact, their experiences have made them who they are today. It may seem impossible to overcome but believe me, you will get there.
You shouldn’t feel guilty for feeling the way you do because depression is an illness like any other, it is not any more self-centered than having a broken leg. I was always told to show myself the same respect and concern that I would show for others. We are so accepting of other parts of our bodies breaking, why can’t we be that way about our minds too?”
How To Know if You Have Depression –Sign and Symptoms.
Depression is unlike other mental health disorders that can be easily detected. People with depression may find out that they have a tendency to “shrug off” their depressive feelings, trying to convince themselves that feeling downcast or sad is a normal part of life. Although, it is, for how long? How do you tell the difference between sadness and depression?
Common Signs And Symptom’s Of Depression
⚫ Lost of interest in, or enjoyment of, activities you previously enjoyed (socializing, hobbies, etc.)
⚫ Feeling sad, lost, empty, hopeless, or just generally unhappy.
⚫ Feeling worthless or not good enough, often coupled with overthinking on past mistakes or failures
⚫ Feeling guilty about things that aren’t one’s fault or are out of one’s control.
⚫ Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
⚫ Anxiety, agitation, and restlessness.
⚫ Slowed thinking or difficulty paying attention.
⚫ Changes in sleeping habits ranging from insomnia to spending most of one’s time sleeping or in bed
⚫ Exhaustion and a lack of energy make even simple everyday tasks seem difficult.
⚫ Physical issues, such as headaches or muscle pain.
⚫ Difficulty making decisions or remembering things.
How To Deal With Depression
While it can be difficult to admit to oneself or others that one has depression issues, understanding the symptoms and consulting a professional to talk to will go a long way in helping one learn how to overcome it.
Here Are Some Tips To Overcome Depression While Waiting To Get Treatment:
Seeking professional treatment for depression is very important but it might not come as an easy task. It can be challenging to open up about one’s symptoms, or one simply might not have ready access to professional treatment.
However, that doesn’t mean an individual needs to continue living with depression. There are things one can do to help oneself until one is ready and able to get professional help.
1.Stay Connected
Having depression causes an individual to want to withdraw from the people around. But isolating oneself can actually worsen an individual’s symptoms. Making an effort to stay connected to even just a few people could give an individual the support he/she needs to feel some temporary relief from the symptoms Not to mention talking to a number of people, which can help one focus less on one’s feelings and more on what’s going on outside of one’s immediate environment. Try as much as possible to stay connected with people.
2. Challenge Negative Emotions
Depression makes an individual think negatively, i.e. that one is not good enough; that nothing good is happening in one’s life. But these thoughts and symptoms are not an accurate view of who an individual is and how one’s life is going.
So it’s essential to try to challenge negative thoughts stemming from one’s depression and find positive thoughts to focus on instead.
3. Affirmation
Always affirm positive words to oneself, paste them on the mirror, on the wall, at the bedside, etc. Affirming positivity to oneself will help make an individual see him/herself in the right light.
4. Expose Oneself To Funny Light-hearted Entertainment
It may seem too simplistic, but even watching a funny movie, comedy, comic books, etc, can help one combat depression by making oneself smile and laugh, pulling you out of grief momentarily,
5. Get Some Sun
Research has shown that sunlight can improve overall mood. So ensuring to get outside for a few minutes every day can reduce feelings of depression. Stop staying indoor, go out under the sun, get some fresh air.
6. Do Things For Yourself
You won’t be able to force yourself to feel happy, but you can at least make attempts at keeping up with things you previously found enjoyable or relaxing. Get out and exercise, sit down, relax, do some meditation. One may not enjoy everything that one once did, but taking the time to focus on something just for oneself can help find one or two activities that can help an individual handle depression.
If you’re suffering from depression and you are still in the process of getting professional help, trying these different self-help techniques can lessen one’s symptoms and help recover a sense of normalcy in one’s life.
However, it is better to note that these are meant to be temporary and supplementary tips for a professional treatment plan. Seek Professional treatment, Depression is a disease that can be cured.
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