Man Holding Head in Hands with Water and Two Pills

Food4Thought: The Demons That Live In Our Head | By The WOM Team #fightdepression

depression-67780

Unworthiness, Melancholy, Dejection.

Just a few words used to describe what we know as ‘depression’.

It is believed that every 2 in 100 people suffer from some kind of depression.

It is a very real thing, yet it is so hard to comprehend.

You need to have the ability to empathize before you can try to understand what is going on.

So What Is Depression?

It’s quite interesting to see the amount of people who are unable to differentiate between the occasional feeling of sadness and the clinical illness.

Even the victims themselves!

Most people have felt sad or depressed at times. Feeling depressed can be a normal reaction to loss, life’s struggles, or an injured self-esteem.

But when feelings of intense sadness – including feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless –last for many days to weeks and keep you from functioning normally, your depression may be something more than sadness.

It may very well be clinical depression — a treatable medical condition.

Take a common cold for example, living in northern countries like the UK,  it’s inevitable you will catch a cold. It comes.

You get ill for while. Then your body beats up the virus and you are all better.

But imagine having a cold continuously.

Every single day for weeks on end. All you do is sneeze and sniff hard (due to the blockage in your nose).

You attempt to undergo various activities, yet it still lingers… literally affecting your performance.

Now you see the difference?

Why is depression is often bottled up and kept quiet?

As I said at the beginning, it’s all about real empathy.

Why would a victim wish to make themselves vulnerable, by telling another person their biggest fears – just to be provided with a lame

‘aww that’s sad’

or an even worse

 ‘it will get better’

So most victims just resort to keeping their problems to themselves. Even though it is the worst thing to do, to some it’s better than the search for false pity.

let telling someone who cares about you BE your cure.

See, it is not the kind of illness which could be solved by some tablets , or a few bandages.

Not a physical illness; But an illness of the mind which ,more often that not, just goes unnoticed and disregarded.

Devouring and consuming people up from the inside out .

Societal Views:

Growing up , you didn’t really hear much about “depression”and “suicide” commonly within cultures , African cultures for example, which is very worrying to admit.

Something this important was just swept under the carpet and wasn’t acknowledged by the older generation.

This left us, the younger generation, uneducated of this rising issue.

It was never addressed by parents and was often viewed as a taboo subject.

I always thought this was because it was linked with pride and the view and belief that it didn’t occur in African societies , and other strict societies and cultures which is wrong.

misunderstood

It is not as easy as everyone thinks to talk about what is occurring in your head, especially things you yourself do not understand.

Not everyone understands how it feels to think the easy route out is to take your own life and that nobody is there for you to support or talk to.

How do you tell people who love and care about you how unhappy you are?

Everybody says there are signs and ways you can tell but what’s that?

Bags under their eyes, constantly crying, isolated; these are stereotypes of the depressed, but person who smiles the most could be suffering behind closed doors.

prisoner

You hold the burden of your world on your shoulders without a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on.

Constantly attempting to decode your thoughts. You are still alone no matter how happy you appear or how many people are around. 

Well, we are here to provide a better alternative way. Not a way that gives lame excuses or poor attempts to merely ‘cheer you up’; but a way that provides genuine support, from genuine people.

Where You Can Get Help  : Not Alone Girl

@notalonegirl is an Instagram page that aims to help, support and advice those who are suffering with depression, or just need someone to talk to about their problems.

The team consists of 9 members.

notalongirl

Here is a message from one of the members, Yasmin;

“I decided to come together with a few people to make an advice page on Instagram. Me, myself have dealt with a lot of things in silence and after the death of Kayjah.

It made me realize how many people go through things without making a sound.

The most happiest people are the ones in need. This page aims to talk to anyone about anything with firsthand experience.

Hope this will potentially save lives and help women understand their potential and self worth.

I would appreciate it if this was respected as it is in memory of Kayjah and everyone else who has passed by suicide.

Questions/concerns/advice/support can be reached through DM’s.
I’m here to tell my own story and allow many others to do the same. No hate just love.”

Remember . You are valuable. Know Your Worth. Then add tax

Credit:The team at Worthofmouth