It seems to me that majority of the Ghanaian or African population does not know what depression is. Most often, depression is seen to be an exaggerated feeling and often associated with the whites. Most African parents cannot imagine their kids depressed and instead of coming to terms with the fact that it is happening every day, they talk about it like it is an abomination, making it difficult for the depressed person to reach out because they don’t want to be misunderstood.
I remember once telling a friend of mine way back in the university that I was depressed and she looked at me and said I was joking. She told me I watched too many movies and had no reason to be depressed so I should quit the drama. Imagine how I felt when she said that. It gave me the more reason to keep it all to myself and I couldn’t reach out to tell anyone about my depression that kept coming and going, making me feel like it was never going to stop.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression is manifested in many forms and I’m going to describe it all to you. And just like any illness, there are stages: from mild to worst. The worst is the lowest point where the person contemplates suicide. There is a thin line between this point and suicide.
Depression is the feeling of hopelessness, worthlessness, intense sorrow and loneliness. You literally feel like the forces in the world have teamed up to work against you. You feel as though you’ve been left alone on this earth and no one can hear you or see what is going on with you.
Depression is also the feeling of emptiness inside you; you feel numb to the world. You tend to show no reaction to pain, sorrow or anything that previously would trigger your emotions. It makes you feel dead inside, with no emotions – a walking dead. You look at yourself in the mirror and your eyes are hollow; you feel like you’ve lost yourself and can’t recognize who you are any longer.
Depression makes you feel like you’ve come to the end of the road. It makes you look for a way out and you search for answers. You question the universe; you question the Supreme Being; you ask if God even exists because if he really did, you don’t get why he would watch you suffer. You beg him to take your life, or better still, exchange your life with that of someone in desperate need of it.
Depression makes you question God for letting you live if he knew you were going to have to deal with the emotional pain that seem to be sucking life out of you. You wish your mom had rather had a miscarriage or a stillbirth instead of giving birth to a bad luck like you.
Depression makes you tired of the many unanswered prayers to God and might make you an atheist. It makes you wonder if an existing God would allow you live with that pain that you’ve been asking him to take away all your life.
Depression makes you feel like the world is too harsh a place for you and you belong elsewhere. It makes you feel so weak to handle failure, disappointments, loss of a loved one, pain and any other negative thing that normal people are able to deal with.
Depression makes you feel the most miserable. It makes you feel restless in your own body and it makes you feel like there is no way anyone would understand. It comes with anxiety and make you keep it all inside because you don’t want to be a bother.
Depression makes you feel like you dying will do the world, your family and loved ones so much good. It makes you feel like, once you are gone, the pain will go away and the burden that is you and your troubles will be taken off everybody’s chest.
Depression makes you cross a busy road idly because you are not scared of death. Depression makes you see death as a way to liberation and you don’t mind dying anytime and any day. Depression makes you not care about the things that matter most in life because you see them as vain; because you know you are going to leave them in no time.
Depression makes you selfish because the pain you are dealing with is too much and you cannot afford to add someone else’s, so you shut them out and seem to not care about them.
Depression makes you let out outbursts when someone tries to reach out or when you sense disturbances. Depression makes you lose friendships and loved ones.
Depression makes you hate commitment because you know eventually they will leave because you are too much to handle and eventually you will take your own life.
Depression makes you hate people who seem to be so happy because true happiness seems so impossible to you. It’s like you are screaming but no one can hear you. It’s pain that is on the inside that no one can see.
Depression leaves your mind in chaos and you find it difficult understanding what’s going on inside your head and you believe no one will get it.
Depression is like a demon lying under your bed, waiting to strip away any good mood left in your life.
Depression feels never-ending and sadly, it is so common. It is everywhere and is easily hidden unless you’ve been there and know so much about it.
Depression is sickening, dangerous and not to be taken lightly. It kills and right now, people are contemplating suicide because they can’t take it anymore.
Don’t wait till you lose someone before embracing this reality that it is everywhere. Know the signs and be there for everyone you care about. You might not know who you might be saving.
DEPRESSION IS EVERYWERE! LET US WIN THIS FIGHT AGAINST IT!
I have a post on the signs of depression that is very informative and you should read it and take necessary notes. Before you leave, let us know what you think by commenting.
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