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Tag: depression

  • Love alone doesn’t conquer depression

    Love alone doesn’t conquer depression

    We are raised to believe that love conquers all. Fairy tales, songs, and countless movies teach us that if you care enough, if you fight hard enough, everything, even the darkest moments, can be overcome. But for those who have lived with depression, or loved someone who does, the painful truth becomes clear: love, no matter how deep, is not enough.

    Depression is a disease, not a deficiency of affection. It doesn’t respond to grand gestures, thoughtful notes, or whispered reassurances in the night. It can swallow moments of connection whole, leaving behind a devastating emptiness that love alone can’t fill. When someone you love is hurting, it feels natural to try harder, to love louder, to be the light in their darkness. But depression often makes it impossible for that light to be seen.

    This misunderstanding, that love should be enough, burdens both the person suffering and their partner. The one who is struggling feels guilty for not getting better “for” the person they love. The one offering support feels powerless, wondering why their presence isn’t enough to lift the fog. Both end up isolated, frustrated, and heartbroken in ways they never anticipated.

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    Loving someone through depression requires more than affection. It demands education, patience, and often, professional help. It asks us to accept that we cannot fix someone else’s illness, no matter how much we want to. It forces us to recognise that real healing may come from therapy, medication, and painful, slow work, not just from shared memories or whispered promises.

    None of this makes love meaningless. In fact, when approached with honesty and humility, love can be one of the most important forces in a person’s recovery. But it must be a love that is informed, that knows its own limits, and that does not confuse loyalty with martyrdom. It must be strong enough to say, “I am here with you,” without adding, “And I will save you.”

    We do a disservice to ourselves and to those we love when we romanticise mental illness as something that can be healed by devotion alone. Depression is not a villain to be defeated by the power of love; it is an illness that requires care, support, and often, professional intervention.

    Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is to love someone enough to walk with them to the help they need, not to believe that we alone are enough.

    Because when we let go of the myth that love is all it takes, we open the door to something even more powerful: love that is real, resilient, and rooted in truth.

  • DEALING WITH DEPRESSION IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

    DEALING WITH DEPRESSION IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

    By Moji Alaiya

    Every one of us has down moments when we feel blue and sad. This is normal as long as it doesn’t last for too long. It is natural to feel down when you lose a loved one, your job or any other form of loss. There are myriads of reasons why people feel down but it is necessary not to allow sadness and despair to take root and become dangerous to our existence. If prolonged feeling of despair and hopelessness is observed, the condition is most likely to be depression. Seek help immediately.

    Depression is a serious medical condition and it affects all age groups and gender. It is a mental health disorder that causes a persistence feeling of sadness, worthlessness and apathy. It is characterized by negative thoughts, moods, behavior as well as specific changes in bodily functions such as eating and sleeping. Depression can lead to suicide if left untreated.

    There is growing number of reported cases of depression and suicide among the younger generation.

    Last year, a 19 year old student of a university committed suicide right on campus. He jumped down from the second floor of a building in his department after attending a lecture. No one saw it coming. The sad thing is that he killed himself on his mother’s birthday and in the presence of his course mates. One can only imagine the effect on the other students and his mother. It was discovered later that he had left a suicide note telling the world he could no longer continue. Further insight revealed that the parents were in the middle of a separation/divorce and his grades were falling.

    The present economic situation in the country and the world in general has shown that every age group and class is prone to this mental health condition. There are many people moving around in the society harboring suicidal thoughts fueled by depression.

    SYPMTOMS OF DEPRESSION IN CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND YOUTHS

    Depression in teens and young adults may not be easy to recognize.

    Some may appear sad while others appear unbelievably cheerful. However irritability is a predominant and common symptom. Other symptoms include hostility, grumpiness, problems in school, change in weight, less concern for safety, risky/suicidal behavior, unexplainable aches or pain and anger.

    Depression in young children is mostly ignored and less easy to recognize. Nevertheless it is becoming quite rampant due to increasing occurrence of child abuse in the society. Most abused children suffer chronic depression.

    Depressed children usually become withdrawn, become irritable, resume old habits like bedwetting, regress in school performance, may gain or lose weight, have low self-esteem, develop apathy, unnecessary anxiety, have frequent complaints of physical problems such as headaches and stomachaches.  

    It is important for parents and guardians to watch out for signs of depression in young children which at times may be due to sexual abuse or bullying. Parents with kids in boarding schools do really need to take note.

    Parents of young children, teens and young adults should endeavor to be more observant in assessing their mental health. The so called ‘acting up’ may be a sign that your child or ward is experiencing depression and is crying out to you for help.

    IS DEPRESSION GENDER-SPECIFIC IN ADULTS?

    Many people think men are more prone to fall into depression but this is not so.

    Depression occurs much more in women compared to men. But depression in women is less likely to degenerate to suicide as opposed to men. Depression in women may occur due to heartbreak, menopause or child birth.

    Men suffering from depression are likely to experience fatigue, low energy, irritability, anger to the point of inflicting pain on others, sleep problems, loss of interest in work or hobbies, engaging in risky behavior, alcohol/substance abuse and suicide. They also experience sexual dysfunction.

    Women may experience carbohydrate craving, weight gain, trouble getting to sleep, anxiety, over-eating, sleeping too much, heavy feeling in the arms and legs, dependent personality and suicide attempts.

    PART TWO

    CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

    Scientists are yet determine how depression occurs.

    However it is known that certain situations such as death of a loved one, heartbreak, trauma, failure and economic hardship triggers depression. Certain researches have linked depression with genetics or family history.

    Substance use such as alcohol abuse can also trigger depression or aggravate it because alcohol is a depressant.

    In addition, imbalance in the concentration of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain has been reported to contribute to depressive disorder. However, this is still under dispute.

    TYPES OF DEPRESSION

    • Major depression:

    Here the feeling of sadness, worthlessness persists for two weeks accompanied by sleeplessness and change in appetite. It is the most common and most severe form of depression. It interferes with ability to work, sleep and enjoy once pleasurable activities.

    Read Also: My children helped me overcome depression- Bukky Wright

    • Dysthymia (Persistent Depressive Disorder PDD):

    Dysthymia is a recurrent minor depression. It is less severe but usually longer lasting.

    • Post-Partum Depression and Pre-natal Depression

    Post-Partum Depression occurs within four weeks of a woman’s delivery of a baby.

    Pre-natal Depression occurs during pregnancy. The two are severe depressive disorders.

    • Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder:

    The symptoms begin from ten years in children. These include chronic intense irritability and frequent outburst.

    • Bipolar disorder or manic depression is very severe and said to be hereditary.

    It is characterized by dramatic/rapid mood switches. Symptoms include hyperactivity, little or no sleep, impulse behavior, inappropriate elation, anger, irritability etc.

    PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION

    • Isolation fuels depression.

    Find someone you can always unburden your heart to when faced with life’s challenges. No man should be an island unto himself.  Surround yourself with your loved ones instead of withdrawing yourself from everyone when life’s struggles knock you down. Discussing your problem with trusted loved ones is quite therapeutic. This probably is the reason suicide rate is lower among women because women tend to ‘gist’ about their problems with their friends.

    • Make lifestyle changes.

    If you notice your job has a depressive effect on you seek another as soon as possible. Keep negative people at arm’s length or cut off from them completely. Some people hardly have a positive thing to say to you. No words of encouragement proceed out of their mouth to others. You don’t need to stay too long in the presence of such people. So change your friends, get out of any abusive relationship you might have found yourself, exercise much more and eat healthy.

    • Build emotional skills.

    This is important. Learn how to recognize and express your emotions. But if you are unable to do this on your own seek help from mental health professionals.

    Depression is treatable via a number of interventions.

    • Psychotherapy (Talk treatment): This involves with a healthcare professional to identify and change unhealthy emotions, thoughts and behaviors.
    • Medication: this involves the use of anti-depressants. See a doctor for details.
    • Traditional/Complementary Medicine: this include acupuncture, massage etc.

    Remember, get regular exercise, spend time with people, get quality sleep, eat healthy and avoid alcohol to beat depression. Stay healthy.

  • ‘We’re canvassing measures to avert depression’

    ‘We’re canvassing measures to avert depression’

    U.S-based Registered Nurse and Certified Healthcare Administrator Mrs. Joyce Oyelade boasts over 35 years’ work experience. She has diversified her flourishing career by leveraging her expertise as a nurse to launch an advocacy focused on offering help in diverse ways to people in depression as well as those who are not yet at that level. Her book, Gross Darkness: Winning The Battle Against Depression, is the compass to navigate any hardship-induced mental stress that can push people into depression and possibly, death. Joyce, who also started her Home Healthcare Business, to provide care to patients in the comfort of their homes, shares her story with Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA

    Her sustained advocacy focused on averting depression resonates with the current mood across different regions of the world, including Nigeria, where inflation-induced cost-of-living crisis has pushed countless people into problematic behaviours such as anger, depression, defiance, drug and alcohol abuse, among others. After spending years studying and researching on why people commit suicide or just die due to the challenges of life when their conditions could have been managed, U.S.-based Registered Nurse and Certified Healthcare Administrator Mrs. Joyce Oyelade chose to provide the shoulder for crisis-hit people to lean on.

    Specifically, Joyce has deployed her experience spanning over 35 years as a nurse into providing care and support to those in need. She has brought her wealth of professional and personal experiences in the medical industry to bear on helping people overcome the challenges of depression and other vicissitudes of life. “We must offer solutions in tangible and intangible forms (depending on the specific needs) so as to avert depression and death. That is what we are advocating for,” she declared, insisting that “the need for sound decisions to turn things around is urgent than ever.”

    To justify the urgency to “turn things around,” Joyce cited the recent nationwide protests against economic hardship in Nigeria. While noting that the hunger-induced protest was not peculiar to Nigeria, as protests are sweeping across different regions of the world, such as the UK, Bangladesh, and other countries, because of leadership failure and other reasons, she pointed out that the after-effects of the protests on the mental well-being of Nigerians, for instance, cannot be overlooked.

    “Ultimately, depression has started creeping in. When you listen to people on the television, radio and the newspapers, you will see frustration and sorrows deep seated inside of them. These mental states are steps to depression,” Joyce noted, adding that even before the President Bola Tinubu administration came on board, right from 2015, the number of suicide cases was on the increase. “We saw people jumping into the lagoon in Lagos, we saw people taking their life via poison, hanging themselves, and through other means,” she said.

    Joyce, who is also a minister of the gospel/director of Operations for Breakthrough International Missions, an arm of the Oasis of Breakthrough International Church, said records had it that most suicide cases were out of deprivation.

    “This matter in question is expected to surge if the people see no light to this end in practical terms,” she warned, pointing out that “Hunger and poverty rank among other starting points of depression such that if not addressed at that time, it can lead to another stage and continues until it gets to a state of depression.”

    The mission of Breakthrough International Mission is to make a difference in communities by adding value to lives. And as director of Operations, Joyce coordinates and oversees various initiatives aimed at bringing positive change to people in communities worldwide. Her dedication to nursing, her unwavering faith, and her entrepreneurial spirit all contribute to her ability to make a lasting impact on the lives of others. “With the resources God has given us, we must be kind enough to use them to help humanity, because we know that there is nothing a man/woman has that was not given to him/her,” she said.

    Giving more insight into why she decided to dedicate her life to providing people with care and support, Joyce said: “Remember, the greatest investment is impacting on humanity. There are persons today who cannot finish the wealth God gave them, but they don’t extend hands of fellowship to the indigent. And of what need is it, if we don’t improve the lives of people here on earth? We all know that we can’t take material blessings to heaven or hell. We must remember, too, that the state of people’s health and records of incessant deaths in the country affect the overall economy.

     While highlighting that the foregoing is “A reminder to the government, Joyce added that “No country progresses when the people are depressed.” And this is where her book, Gross Darkness: Winning The Battle Against Depression, come in handy. The book, which has been widely-acclaimed as a masterpiece, meticulously outlined some of the escape routes out of depression. The book, which she made available to The Nation, is a valuable tool or compass to navigating the prevailing hardship-induced mental stress that could push people to depression and possibly, death.

     For a start, Joyce, relying on the content of her book, said: “Positive thinking, being careful of what you wish for yourself as well as one’s ability to guide his/her thought processes, are panacea to a stable mental health. In my book, I advised people not to aggravate the pains of others amidst this current economic deprivation. People must be careful to guide their thought as depression is far beyond what we see, physically. I say this because hunger and poverty rank among starting points of depression such that if not addressed at that time, it can lead to depression and death.”

    But, how can people deal with depression? “First,” the US-trained nurse said, “We must note that depression is like a big cloud that covers up our happiness and makes life sad and dark. Sometimes, we can feel good one day and the next day we wake up feeling upset for no reason. But if we change some things in our lives, and alter our perspective, we can make the cloud go away and turn the day around.” One of the solutions she highlighted in her book is that everyone must be filled with joy. The word of God says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice. (Phi.4:4).”

    Effortlessly beautiful, hardworking and result-driven, Joyce said “We must cultivate a sense of happiness. This can help you ward off negative thoughts and emotions.” Secondly, she stated, people must be responsible to others around them, again, citing Phi. 4:5, which says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all”. As Joyce put it, “It’s important to be attentive and receptive to others when you are experiencing feeling of depression. More so, we must be prayerful. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

    More importantly, the healthcare practitioner harped on the need for people to follow their spiritual leaders, but only the genuine ones. She justified her position thus: “This is very important because they tell us the mind of God at any condition we find ourselves. What kills people slowly is when nobody talks to them at that particular point of need. Talking with one another gives a depressed person a sense of worth and belonging. But in the absence of communication, some people may give up because they feel rejected and dejected.”

    Again, she backed her claim with the scriptures, quoting Philippians 4:8, which says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” Also, 2 Corinthians 10:5, says “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

    That’s not all. “I won’t forget to remind us that we must be contented with what God has given us. This means finding happiness and comfort in the present. Be grateful for what you got. Look at the positive side of life and remain optimistic. Be positive minded in all you do. Have a positive attitude, even when everything seems to go south, remain firm, resolute, resilient and persevere. Let God see your faith very strong. With these, while others are crying, you are smiling and moving forward,” Joyce added.

    Delving into what inspired her book, Joyce said she drew sufficient strength from her altruistic disposition to life. Her words: “Honestly, if you are altruistic, you will do anything to help people out of poverty. You can start little by offering help like food, material gifts, empowerment/jobs, and any other help that would minimize or erase the possibility of depression and take away thought of suicide from people.  She said often times, people think depression is as a result of hardship and other forms of economic deprivation, but it’s beyond that.

    Her personal unsavoury experience was also a driving force. “As a personal testament, I found myself spiraling into a deep state of depression when I tragically lost my beloved father. Throughout this harrowing journey, I encountered and traversed through all the stages of grief and mourning, grappling with immense sorrow and despair. The weight of my father’s death was so profound that it manifested itself physically. My appetite dwindled and my body struggled to adapt to the painful reality that I would never have the privilege of seeing my father’s face or hearing his voice again,” she narrated.

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    Indeed, according to Joyce, depression can emerge from a multitude of factors, with one such cause being the experience of death or a loss of a valuable. Other causes of depression, she said, include disconnection from one’s creator and absence of sense of purpose in life. She rationalised it thus: “It is a battle that takes place in the spiritual realm. When one struggles to communicate with God or see reasons for being alive, they feel dejected and depression can set it (for those who knows the importance) of living a purpose-driven life.

    “When people feel they are being abandoned and forsaken by God, when people see no essence of being alive, or having confusion about their purpose in life, and other issues that have nothing to do with physical wellbeing, it can lead to depression. This kind of depression can be very devastating because if it results in suicide, people won’t understand the reason because the person in question maybe financially and materially stable. Yet, people would wonder what may have gone wrong. In a time like this, we should be mindful of one another.”

    While encouraging people not to be selfish, as what affects one should affect everyone, Joyce emphasised that the level of hopelessness in the country is alarming. She, however, reiterated that “We are duty bound to spread love, and help the weak ones amongst us.” Waxing philosophical, she said: “Remember, he that giveth to the poor, lends to his or her marker. But most importantly, if you can’t help the poor, don’t add to their sorrows.” She added that as minister of the gospel of Christ, “Jesus tells us to give and help the poor in the society.”

    Aside this commandment, Joyce said common sense should tell everyone with financial and material substances to help the needy around them. And she demonstrated this commandment when she recently returned from America to feed indigent people in Ifo, Ogun State. “We fed over 300 people including Christians and Muslims, even those with religion neutrality. It’s a yearly program which includes empowerment of ministers of the gospel. You can’t be hungry while preaching to the people,” Joyce told The Nation.

     She has also gone a notch higher, starting her Home Healthcare Business about two years ago. Giving reason why she set the business, Joyce said: “I wanted a company that can provide exceptional care to patients in the comfort of their homes due to shortage of hospital staff and nursing facilities are not able to provide adequate care for their patients. So, we want to deliver the best healthcare services to the people at their very respective residents especially the aged among us.”

     Most critically, Joyce acknowledged that Nigerians are passing through hell at the moment. “It is obvious even to the unborn that the economy is very bad. Many people have regretted being Nigerians. So, let’s help one another at this painful time. And if we don’t do, God won’t take it light with those who have but chose to close their palms,” she said, noting, however, that seeing positive-minded people who can fill one with the physical and spiritual therapy and material aids like food is a testimony.

     “May God help you to find Godly people around,” she said, encouraging the down-trodden to “Look for good books, good music and be filled with joy. Attend educational, pro-life, pro-destiny and spirit- lifting programs. Control your thoughts. Be contented with what you have and keep a positive mindset. To avoid depression in this season, we must turn to God. I also encourage anyone who has more, to help those in need. Put a smile on someone’s face. It goes a long way.”

  • Actor Jamiu Azeez speaks on battle with depression

    Actor Jamiu Azeez speaks on battle with depression

    Actor Jamiu Azeez has spoken on his battle with depression for over two years  over the downturn of his career and finances. 

    Azeez said he has been suffering from depression for over two years but afraid to seek help due to fear of mockery. 

    His post comes days after the death of actress Jumoke Aderounmu. 

    The vibrant actor shared his conversation with Toyin Abraham, stating he was unsure of who to confide in.

    According to him: “Mummy Ire, @toyin_abraham, I know this might catch you off guard but I simply had to do this. You over looked the fact that we don’t really talk but you shown me so much love and gives me an assurance that everything is going to be fine.

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    “The past two years have been a whirlwind for me like I’ve been losing everything, even my Mind. Thoughts of “Suicide” have been ringing in my head.

    “The fear of being mocked kept me silent. Nothing seemed to work, and I felt lost, unsure of who to confide in.

    “But the truth is, I grew tired of putting on a brave face and pretending to be okay.

    “So, yesterday, I mustered the courage to reach out to @toyin_abraham and her response left me speechless. I feel compelled to express my deepest gratitude openly.

    “I’ve prayed for her countless times but now I ask for your prayers too, please help me pray for @toyin_abraham and her family.”

  • Depression led me to drinking, actor Hanks Anuku claims

    Depression led me to drinking, actor Hanks Anuku claims

    Actor Hanks Anuku has disclosed how depression forced him into to drinking without bounds.

    The Nation reported that Anuku had been seen in viral clips raising concerns about his physical and general well-being.

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    However, sharing the details of his financial struggle on Tuesday, in a viral video on his Instagram page, the actor said: “Yes, depression makes me drink but I never take hard drugs, I don’t take hard drugs at all.

    “Out of depression, I did not have a job for years, I was thinking about my children, their school fees and their welfare among other things and you know what it is like when it gets to that point.

    “I call it a breaking point, I was broken to pieces and I had to go drinking and that is it”, the 63-year-old said.

  • ‘How to combat depression’

    ‘How to combat depression’

    First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called for increased practical support for those suffering from depression.

    She spoke as Mother of the Day at the Annual Christian Leadership Empowerment Summit in Lagos.

    The summit is a yearly gathering of multi-dimensional ministers across Christendom.

    Mrs Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs Deborah Suara, stressed that the church has a unique role to play in combating the epidemic of depression.

    She said: “In these challenging times, we must come together as a community and as Christians to support those who are suffering from depression and to foster an environment of understanding and healing.

    “Depression is a silent battle that many individuals face daily. It knows no boundaries, affecting people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life.

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    “It can be debilitating, isolating, and overwhelming. However, we believe that there is hope, and that hope can be found within the walls of the church.

    “The church has a unique role to play in combating the epidemic of depression, being a place of solace, a sanctuary where individuals can find comfort, guidance, and a sense of belonging.

    “Within the church community, we have the opportunity to create a safe space for open conversations about mental health, destigmatizing depression, and encouraging individuals to seek help.

    “In view of this, we must combat this monster not only from the spiritual angle through prayers but also by offering medical assistance and counselling where necessary and by providing resources and trained professionals, we can offer a helping hand to those in need.

    “Through support groups, pastoral care, and prayer, we can offer a holistic approach to healing, addressing not only the emotional and psychological aspects of depression but also the spiritual well-being of individuals.

    “We must work hand in hand with healthcare professionals, mental health organisations, and government agencies to create a comprehensive support system.

    “By joining forces, we can ensure that those battling depression receive the care, understanding, and resources they deserve.”

    Convener of the Summit, Pastor Adekunle Olusanya, said the theme: “The Epidemic of Depression: The Role of the Church”, was chosen to allow Christian leaders across the country to react to the impression that the church leadership is not doing enough in battling the harrowing consequences of depression.

    Olusanya said: “We the Christian leaders have to redefine our perception of our ministry and reengineer our strategies in a way that would put Nigeria on an even keel.”

    Other clerics and Christian leaders who spoke at the event were the Presiding Bishop, Miraclebreed Assembly, Ajah, Bishop Femi Soneye; a Christian Counselor and Life Coach, Dr Blessing Ayemhere, among others.

  • Dealing with depression among youths

    Dealing with depression among youths

    By Alabi Oluwadare Tunde

    Depression among youths is a growing concern worldwide. It does not only affects the mental and emotional well-being of young individuals but also has long-term consequences on their overall health and life satisfaction.

    In this article, we will explore the causes of depression among youths and discuss potential solutions to address this menace.

    Causes of youth depression

    Social Media and Cyberbullying: The pervasive use of social media platforms exposes young people to cyberbullying, unrealistic beauty standards, and the constant comparison of their lives to others. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, isolation, inferiority complex and low self-esteem.

    Academic Pressure: The intense pressure to excel academically, secure a promising future, and meet parental expectations can contribute to depression among youths. The fear of failure can be overwhelming.

    Family Issues: Family dynamics and conflicts, such as divorce, abuse, or neglect, can have a profound impact on a young person’s mental health. A troubled home environment can lead to depression.

    Peer Pressure: The desire to fit in and be accepted by peers can lead to risky behaviors, substance abuse, and feelings of self-doubt, which are common triggers for depression.

    Economic Insecurity: Financial instability and uncertainty about the future can weigh heavily on young adults, leading to feelings of hopelessness and despair.

    Genetic Factors: There is evidence to suggest that genetic predisposition can play a role in youth depression. Individuals with a family history of depression may be more susceptible.

    Solutions to youth depression

    Raise Awareness: Educating young people, parents, and educators about the signs and symptoms of depression is crucial. Early intervention is often the key to successful treatment.

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    Provide Supportive Environments: Schools and communities should foster a supportive and inclusive environment where young individuals feel safe to express their feelings and seek help when needed.

    Reduce Academic Pressure: Schools should focus on holistic education rather than solely emphasizing academic achievements. Encouraging extracurricular activities, counseling, and stress management can alleviate the burden.

    Mental Health Education: Incorporating mental health education into school curriculums can help destigmatize mental health issues and equip young people with coping skills.

    Accessible Counseling Services: Increasing access to mental health services, including counseling and therapy, can provide essential support to those struggling with depression.

    Encourage Open Communication: Parents and caregivers should maintain open and non-judgmental communication with their children, allowing them to express their feelings and concerns without fear of retribution.

    Limit Screen Time: Encouraging healthy screen time habits, monitoring online activities, and teaching digital resilience can help mitigate the negative effects of social media.

    Promote Healthy Lifestyles: Encourage regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep, as these factors can significantly impact mental health.

  • Way out of depression among students

    If you attend a school where first class is what they say you can’t attain. If you attend a school where lecturers threaten you with marks. If you attend a school where nothing ever encourages you. If you attend a school where examination is prioritised than the knowledge. If you attend a school where your involvement in extra-curricular activities is set to dent you. If you attend a school where the only encouragement you get is your parent’s pocket money. If you attend a school where lecturers read out notes but can’t practice what they teach. If you are in a school where hardship is first class. If you attend a school where everyone struggles with everything. If you attend a school where lecturers don’t see the good in you. If you attend a school where carryovers and spillovers are the order of the day.”

    If you attend a school where your grades are being moderated. If you attend a school involved in threats than students building. If you attend a school where you keep silent at everything or get your certificate seized. If you attend a school where you appear before panels but was never given the chance to speak. If you attend a school where you feel you aren’t in school. Remember you are in control. They intimidate you to a height of fear, just keep pushing.

    According to the English dictionary, depression is a state of psychotherapy and psychiatry, a period of low morale or unhappiness which can stretch up to several weeks and may include ideation of self-inflicted injury or suicide. Depression can further be defined as a state of sadness, mental, emotional and physical discomfort that leads to undesirable actions.

    There have been several cases of depression reported across the country. A World Bank report in Feb 2018, stated that 22 per cent of Nigerians suffer from chronic depression. On July 29, 2018, Spectator Index published a World Health Organisation research that ranked suicide per 100,000 per country. Nigeria placed fifth with 15,000 in every 100,000 suicides. These figures are worrisome!

    The causes of depression can be tagged to so many factors such as conflict, death or loss of loved ones, illness, and personal problems, to mention but a few.

    Students of tertiary institutions have been a major target of depression lately. There have been different reports coming out from tertiary institutions about students who have succumbed to depression and found different means of ending it, some of which includes taking harmful substance thereby leading to death. Depression is striking undergraduates who are the country’s hope of tomorrow and suicides have been an antidote to this fast rising sickness.

    The tertiary institution is a world of learning and an environment for grooming minds to be prepared emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually among others. This fast rising reports of depression is a threat to the features and competency of our Institutions. The height at which depression among students is been reported on regular basis is extremely dangerous even to the growth of our country. There must be urgent action to reduce it to a minimum now.

    According to a report in OAU KILONSHELE, a campus news outfit in Obafemi Awolowo Univerisity Ile-Ife, two students committed suicide while three suffered mental health challenges in the last three semesters of the institution owing to poor academic performance. On the 19th of last month, a national medium reports that a 100-Level student of Kogi State University committed suicide over “boyfriend” issue. Another worrisome case was reported of a 100-Level undergraduate of the University of Port-Harcourt who last week committed suicide over an “unknown reason”. A lot of similar cases have also been reported from different tertiary institutions nationwide.

    We are left with different questions as to why suicide has become the next treatment for students who are facing hard times in school, whether academically or socially. Truth is, having seen the rise of depression among 21st  century students, the school management and government are yet to raise an eyebrow on this worrisome issue. However, it is pertinent to know that one of the primary duties of the management is to ensure the safety of their students.

    Some variables are risk factors of depression. They are poor learning atmosphere, poor communication between students and management, students’ victimisation, extortion, lack of social activities, unbalanced academic timetable, obnoxious policies by school management. The management decision is binding on all students and such decision has a way of affecting their health

    Some of the factors mentioned above are some evils that flourish in our institution which have resulted in student’s inability to continue with their academic pursuit. To avoid depression, students need to be comfortable. The system needs to be flexible, accommodating and educating. Students need to see reasons why they should continue staying in the system and not seeing it as hellish.

    The government has equally failed in the fight against depression. A vivid example is the Ondo State government that suddenly jerked up tuition fees of tertiary institutions in the state to almost 400 per cent for both Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko and Ondo State University of Technology respectively. Parents who toil day and night to send their wards to school can no longer cope with the insensitive actions of the governments.

    Parents also have a hand in the depression by their wards. The family is a place for seeking strength, confidence and reigniting hopes. Parents should know that the failure of their ward isn’t the end of their academic pursuit. As a parent, the way you handle your child’s performance matters. When a child fails, he’s getting closer to success, he repeats with the knowledge he has garnered and with the encouragement you give him, that child is certainly good to go.

    The National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) two regulatory bodies for universities and colleges of education respectively, should introduce a motivational course for all students. This is the very important as daily motivations help balance the mind and makes the body energetic to pursue individual goals.

    Equally, management of tertiary Institutions be it state, public or private, should consolidate on their Guidance and Counseling unit and make same easily accessible to students. Professionals should be made to manage these units. Students should be given unfettered access to the unit to lodge complains. A toll free line should also be made available to students. The best way to control depression is to get closer to them. Students are an important asset to the country.

  • Depression: Simple mood swings can be warning signal

    Psychiatric problems can happen to anyone and at any time. It is therefore pertinent that when we begin to see symptoms that are unusual, we must quickly seek intervention. These are some of the submissions of Mojisola Akinsanmi, Chief Clinical Psychologists of over three decades, as told to Omolara Akintoye.

    WHAT is the cause of the rising cases of psychiatric problem in the country?

    As you know, we are human and when things are not going the way we expect, we are bound to react in one way or the other, and mostly it will be in a negative way. The economy is bad, life generally is tough for everybody; when these things are in existence and are occurring at an alarming rate and people have to find a way of coping with them, you can talk about the alarming rate of drug use.

    People want to feel good, happy and at least have a moment when they feel like everything is okay with them, even though it is not real. That is what those substances give to you momentarily. Some of these drugs, we never even heard of in the past, and it’s frightening. All these things contribute to the high rate of psychiatric problems that we see now.

    What are the symptoms of depression to watch out for?

    What we can do is to note that psychiatric problems can happen to anyone and at any time. And when we begin to see symptoms that are not usual, you feel like you don’t want to see anybody. It’s now a burden when people come visiting you or when people are asking you to talk but you feel like you don’t want to see anybody; or you go to bed and can’t sleep and you feel like withdrawing yourself from social interaction. With that, you should know that there is something wrong with you and at that time you are to seek for intervention. Most of the time, it doesn’t have to end up with you in the psychiatric hospital. If you seek medical attention on time, you might just need to see a psychologist and not necessarily a psychiatrist. For instance, if you have mind depression, my physiotherapist can assist you. You might not need medications. But if you leave it for too long and it begins to affect everything, I mean let’s say you can’t function well, you are distressed, then you will have to go to a psychiatric hospital and then you will have to take pills. So we can prevent it if the people present on time. And for us to be able to present on time, we need to know what these disorders are. We need to open our minds to know, just like we know the symptoms of hypertension or diabetes.

    We also need to know the symptoms of psychiatric problems. We should stop thinking it’s only for mad people; you know there are lots of stigmas around psychiatric disorders. It’s even a global problem. It’s among the poor, the rich and the middle class; even people in the rural areas that are into farming. These days, you don’t even need to stress yourself to buy the drug; so many things now give people reason to sniff gutter water. You are going along the road and you see someone bent by a gutter sniffing, just because he wants to get high. They sniff septic tanks, petrol, which could be seen everywhere and anywhere….

    The rich men’s children will take crack cocaine, the original one, which goes for N50 thousand a gram. Meanwhile the same  cocaine adulterated and mixed with all kinds of things is bought by the lower class people for like two thousand naira. The higher class can get heroine because they are expensive while the lower class gets codeine, still serving the same purpose.

    Things weren’t this bad in the past, what actually went wrong?

    Yes, because really, when I was in secondary school, I never saw people abusing drugs and I never heard about. I never knew anyone who was taking substances. All we knew then was alcohol. People took alcohol, and of course marijuana, which has also always been in existence. Suddenly, I think these young ones are looking for everything everywhere. We’ve been using codeine for cough syrup and I never thought it could be abused. All these medications that have become substances of abuse have been in existence long before now; it’s just unfortunate that our young generations are looking for everything to alter their mood, perception, behaviours. Even methylated spirit that are used for injuries, are now being abused. I think it’s just telling us that something has really gone wrong with our society. This is not just about the economic situation; I think it also has to do with family disintegration. Parents don’t have time anymore; they are so occupied with trying to make ends meet. Even when you want to create time, you have limitations. For instance, I work in Lagos and I have to leave my house by 5am, will I be able to see my children when leaving? Again, because I want to beat the traffic in the night, I wait on the island till 10pm, such that by the time I get home, the children would have slept. So what time do I have to interact with them?

    So, from primary school, most of these kids are being exposed to drugs. From research, you find that most of them are exposed to drugs from age six. It’s that bad.

    How can psychiatric cases be curbed?

    say we can prevent it with a very good and promising government policy; policies that are focused or concentrated on masses. Government should make people feel the impact of good governance. When there is employment, the economy improves; the social infrastructures are available; if we can reduce the stress induced by the community, city, and government; if we can bring down the level of stress people go through, then it will go a long way in preventing or reducing psychiatric cases.

    Aside all these, people also have a role to play in preventing this trend. You know in our society, we don’t really take anything serious. Most of the time when such things happen, we attribute it to some deities, some supernatural forces, and that makes people present cases really late to the hospital. For instance, someone is suffering from depression; may be he/she as experienced lots of negative life events; maybe his business closed down, he lost his/her loved ones, children graduated without employment, at the mercy of landlord for non-payment of rent…. Everything is happening at the same time and he is pressured to take in all these things; it is not unexpected if such a person falls into depression. But our people will say the enemy is at work, which will not make them seek medical attention on time.

    So government should make things go well in the society e. g education, health, energy…. We don’t need to beg for it, it should be a right.  The society should encourage honesty and hardwork. Things are so degenerated in the country now that once somebody makes money; nobody cares to know how they got the money, even if it’s stolen. People worship  riches, wealth; and this is one of the reasons our youth have departed the way of hard work and are all into Yahoo and other internet scams. Of course they witnessed their mothers and fathers who went through the path of hardwork and ended up in penury; so they have concluded that it does not pay. So, society should recognise people with good values and give them public recognition, so that these young ones may learn that it pays to be hardworking and honest.

    At the family level, we should supervise our children. God has made us to be caretakers over them. It is also our responsibility to nurture them and train them. We mustn’t say because our children are in the university, then we should let them be. We should pay them unscheduled visits, talk to their roommates, course mates and course advisors; it’s from them you will really know who your children are in the university because if they know you are coming, they will arrange themselves before coming to meet you.

    2019 comes with a loaded package; how do you think people can manage pressure and possible depression?

    The New Year comes with optimism, but people become over ambitious, and that’s because I won’t like to use the word ‘deluded.’ People believe what wasn’t possible in the past five years, would be brought to reality in the New Year, so they go in with high hopes, expectations, demands…. But I will say, let’s exercise caution here, because you know yourself and you know the resources around you. Why don’t you request for what you know you can attain? Let’s not hope manna is going to drop because God does not drop manna anymore; it’s what you have, what you can attain or what you can access that will give you what you want. So, let’s be reasonable and modest about our New Year resolution and requests; let’s set realistic targets, so that our hopes won’t be dashed. It is when people set high expectations and it becomes unachievable that they fall into depression. And that is when you find them committing suicide.

     

  • Depression: Simple mood swings can be warning signal

    Psychiatric problems can happen to anyone and at any time. It is therefore pertinent that when we begin to see symptoms that are unusual, we must quickly seek intervention. These are some of the submissions of Mojisola Akinsanmi, a clinical psychologists of over three decades, as told to Omolara Akintoye.

    WHAT is the cause of the rising cases of psychiatric problem in the country?

    As you know, we are human and when things are not going the way we expect, we are bound to react in one way or the other, and mostly it will be in a negative way. The economy is bad, life generally is tough for everybody; when these things are in existence and are occurring at an alarming rate and people have to find a way of coping with them, you can talk about the alarming rate of drug use.

    People want to feel good, happy and at least have a moment when they feel like everything is okay with them, even though it is not real. That is what those substances give to you momentarily. Some of these drugs, we never even hear of in the past, and it’s frightening. All these things contribute to the high rate of psychiatric problems that we see now.

    What are the symptoms of depression to watch out for?

    What we can do is to note that psychiatric problems can happen to anyone and at any time. And when we begin to see symptoms that are not usual, you feel like you don’t want to see anybody. It’s now a burden when people come visiting you or when people are asking you to talk but you feel like you don’t want to see anybody; or you go to bed and can’t sleep and you feel like withdrawing yourself from social interaction. With that, you should know that there is something wrong with you and at that time you are to seek for intervention. Most of the time, it doesn’t have to end up with you in the psychiatric hospital. If you seek medical attention on time, you might just need to see a psychologist and not necessarily a psychiatrist. For instance, if you have mind depression, my physiotherapist can assist you. You might not need medications. But if you leave it for too long and it begins to affect everything, I mean let’s say you can’t function well, you are distressed, then you will have to go to a psychiatric hospital and then you will have to take pills. So we can prevent it if the people present on time. And for us to be able to present on time, we need to know what these disorders are. We need to open our minds to know, just like we know the symbols of hypertension or diabetes.

    We also need to know the symptoms of psychiatric problems. We should stop thinking it’s only for mad people; you know there are lots of stigmas around psychiatric disorders. It’s even a global problem. It’s among the poor, the rich and the middle class; even people in the rural areas that are into farming. These days, you don’t even need to stress yourself to buy the drug; so many things now give people reason to sniff gutter water. You are going along the road and you see someone bent by a gutter sniffing, just because he wants to get high. They sniff septic tanks, petrol, which could be seen everywhere and anywhere…. The rich men’s children will take crack cocaine, the original one, which goes for N50 thousand a gram. Meanwhile the same crack cocaine adulterated and mixed with all kinds of things is bought by the lower class people for like two thousand naira. The higher class can get heroine because they are expensive while the lower class gets codeine, still serving the same purpose.

    Things weren’t this bad in the past, what actually went wrong?

    Yes, because really, when I was in secondary school, I never saw people abusing drugs and I never heard about. I never knew anyone who was taking substances. All we knew then was alcohol. People took alcohol, and of course marijuana, which has also always been in existence. Suddenly, I think these young ones are looking for everything everywhere. We’ve been using codeine for cough syrup and I never thought it could be abused. All these medications that have become substances of abuse have been in existence long before now; it’s just unfortunate that our young generations are looking for everything to alter their mood, perception, behaviours. Even methylated spirit that are used for injuries, are now being abused. I think it’s just telling us that something has really gone wrong with our society. This is not just about the economic situation; I think it also has to do with family disintegration. Parents don’t have time anymore; they are so occupied with trying to make ends meet. Even when you want to create time, you have limitations. For instance, I work in Lagos and I have to leave my house by 5am, will I be able to see my children when leaving? Again, because I want to beat the traffic in the night, I wait on the island till 10pm, such that by the time I get home, the children would have slept. So what time do I have to interact with them?

    So, from primary school, most of these kids are being exposed to drugs. From research, you find that most of them are exposed to drugs from age six. It’s that bad.

    How can psychiatric cases be curbed? say we can prevent it with a very good and promising government policy; policies that are focused or concentrated on masses. Government should make people feel the impact of good governance. When there is employment, the economy improves; the social infrastructures are available; if we can reduce the stress induced by the community, city, and government; if we can bring down the level of stress people go through, then it will go a long way in preventing or reducing psychiatric cases.

    Aside all these, people also have a role to play in preventing this trend. You know in our society, we don’t really take anything serious. Most of the time when such things happen, we attribute it to some deities, some supernatural forces, and that makes people present cases really late to the hospital. For instance, someone is suffering from depression; may be he/she as experienced lots of negative life events; maybe his business closed down, he lost his/her loved ones, children graduated without employment, at the mercy of landlord for non-payment of rent…. Everything is happening at the same time and he is pressured to take in all these things; it is not unexpected if such a person falls into depression. But our people will say the enemy is at work, which will not make them seek medical attention on time.

    So government should make things go well in the society e. g education, health, energy…. We don’t need to beg for it, it should be a right.  The society should encourage honesty and hardwork. Things are so degenerated in the country now that once somebody makes money; nobody cares to know how they got the money, even if it’s stolen. People worship riches, wealth; and this is one of the reasons our youth have departed the way of hard work and are all into Yahoo and other internet scams. Of course they witnessed their mothers and fathers who went through the path of hardwork and ended up in penury; so they have concluded that it does not pay. So, society should recognise people with good values and give them public recognition, so that these young ones may learn that it pays to be hardworking and honest.

    At the family level, we should supervise our children. God has made us to be caretakers over them. It is also our responsibility to nurture them and train them. We mustn’t say because our children are in the university, then we should let them be. We should pay them unscheduled visits, talk to their roommates, course mates and course advisors; it’s from them you will really know who your children are in the university because if they know you are coming, they will arrange themselves before coming to meet you.

    2019 comes with a loaded package; how do you think people can manage pressure and possible depression?

    The New Year comes with optimism, but people become over ambitious, and that’s because I won’t like to use the word ‘deluded.’ People believe what wasn’t possible in the past five years, would be brought to reality in the New Year, so they go in with high hopes, expectations, demands…. But I will say, let’s exercise caution here, because you know yourself and you know the resources around you. Why don’t you request for what you know you can attain? Let’s not hope manna is going to drop because God does not drop manna anymore; it’s what you have, what you can attain or what you can access that will give you what you want. So, let’s be reasonable and modest about our New Year resolution and requests; let’s set realistic targets, so that our hopes won’t be dashed. It is when people set high expectations and it becomes unachievable that they fall into depression. And that is when you find them committing suicide.