Depression and its treatment

Depression is a serious mood disorder that causes persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It negatively affects how someone feels, the way they think and act. 

The symptoms of depression include but are not limited to feeling of emptiness or sadness, difficulty in thinking or eating, inability to handle situations or frustration over small matters, loss of interest in normal activities, feeling of worthlessness or guilt, anxiety or restlessness, physical aches and pains, changes in appetite and social withdrawal.

Depression leads to physical and emotional problems. The victim suffers greatly and functions poorly at work, school, and in the family. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide when feel as if life is not worth living.

There are many risk factors attributed to increase in depression cases. Some of them are physical or sexual abuse, death of a loved one, financial problems, difficult relationships, too much dependency, abuse of alcohol and history of mental health disorder in the family. 

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Also, depression can persist despite change of circumstances that could cause feelings that are intense and not proportional to a person’s own circumstances.

In the light of the above, it is advisable that whenever you feel depressed, you should take steps to control stress and mindlessness. Therapy would also help, in addition to regular exercise of the body, or making an appointment to see your doctor or mental health professional as soon as you can. If you are reluctant to seek treatment, please talk to a friend or loved one or someone else you trust.

Zainab Ibrahim wrote From Iman Academy, Kaduna, under the auspices of Universal Writers and Authors (UWA).