Lets launch war against depression
Mmegi Editor | Wednesday September 14, 2016 11:50
Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating, or working. Depression, often linked to cases of suicide, will become the leading cause of burden of diseases worldwide by 2030, a mental health consultant, Ookame Charles revealed on Friday.
Speaking during the launch of Embrace Emotions Support Network (EESN) Association, which deals with mental health problems and mental illnesses, Charles said that currently depression is the second leading cause of burden among all diseases. “Mental disorders account for 12% of global disease burden. Suicide cases come from depression. (Approximately) 3.7% of Batswana live with mental illness ranging from mild to severe. This comes from a health survey done in 2003 and the statistics must have grown due to cases of drugs,” Charles said. He added that 800,000 people die from suicide globally and the age range of people who commit suicide is from 19 to 45.
The above is an extract from a story carried in our sister publication, The Monitor. The situation is really bad and as such calls for all of us to play a part in making sure that people get help. We would like to commend the EESN and hope the government and other stakeholders will support the association to save lives of citizens.
Etiological factors that cause depression include chronic illnesses, unemployment, loss of jobs, financial problems, divorce, legal problems, isolation, withdrawal from family and friends, excessive alcohol or drugs, amongst others. It is common knowledge that unemployment rate in Botswana is not getting any better, and all these other problems we deal with but there is no rigid and easily accessible platform for those in need.
Prevention mechanisms, which should be done to build one’s confidence, should be put in place for effectively coping and problem-solving skills, reducing stigma and discrimination on the individual, maintaining social relationships, promoting access to counselling services, amongst others. The role of the media in sensitising the nation and sharing information from experts is crucial. The more people understand about depression, relationships between people working together can be improved and nobody will have to lose a job because their bosses could not understand that they were depressed. We would also like to encourage individual organisations to invite specialists to address employees about depression and assist those in need.
Today’s thought
“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.”
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow