ARE YOU DEPRESSED? MENTAL HEALTH CHECK

We are living in interesting and trying times and that makes it very important to regularly do a mental health check. Not only was 2020 a legit hard year with the pandemic, this generation in itself is tough and we are all trying to adjust and keep up.

The first thing to recognize and accept is that depression is blind to your looks, your financial status your societal status, your age, the color of your skin or even your maturity; it can happen to ANYONE. Depression is also an African problem and thus we should take it seriously and arm ourselves with tools to fight it.

Scientifically depression is defined as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects how you feel, think and behave and may cause serious emotional and physical problems.

Depression can be caused by many things such as loneliness, relationship problems, painful life experiences, childhood traumas or the over use of drugs and alcohol which are in themselves depressants.

There are a few symptoms and warnings to look out for to gauge whether or not your mental health is at risk.

• Sleep changes such insomnia or oversleeping
• Appetite or weight changes drastically in a month
• Anger and irritability on minor things
• Feeling helpless or having lack of energy to do anything
• Self-loathing or feelings of worthlessness
• Having problems concentrating on tasks or remembering things
• Trying to escape the feelings with reckless behavior that is unlike you

If you’re going through any of these symptoms then you MUST seek help quick. Seeking help is always the first step to fighting depression. Think of it as bringing something dark into the light, once you expose it, it begins to lose its power. Talk to a trusted friend, a school counselor, your parents or seek professional if it gets too hard.

Take this simple test to gauge if you need to seek help to better your mental health; https://patient.info/news-and-features/quiz-am-i-depressed

Remember there is no stigma in getting your mental health right. We are all going through something so let’s be kind and gentle to ourselves.

Let’s fight depression together!