World Health Day: Depression, Let’s talk

On April 7, World Health Day was celebrated. This year’s theme is Depression: Let’s talk. According to World Health Organisation, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. Latest estimates from WHO show that more than 300 million people are now living with depression, an increase of more than 18 % between 2005 and 2015.

In Mauritius, Dr Muhammad Yusuf Ali Rassool has launched a campaign for sensitising people on depression. He is being supported by Prisheela Mottee who is translating all materials in Kreol. “Anoukoze” (Let’s talk) campaign has been launched on Facebook daily through an animated poster in form of a PowerPoint show or Facebook video is posted from the 1st to 7th April which coinciding with the World Health Day. Following this initiative, as highlighted by the doctor, they have been receiving lots of messages and experiences by those who have been affected by depression.

The aim of this campaign as stated by Dr Rassool is to better inform the public about depression, its causes and possible consequences, including suicide, and what help is or can be available for prevention and treatment and help depressive people to seek assistance.

“In brief, it is a platform for discussion on depression and other mental illness. At the core of the campaign is the importance of talking about depression as a vital component of recovery. The stigma surrounding mental illness, including depression, remains a barrier to people seeking help throughout the world. There are lots of wrong information and misguidance among the general public. We wish to bring out the real information,” he said.

According to the doctor, talking about depression, whether with a family member, friend or medical professional; in larger groups, for example in schools, the workplace and social settings; or in the public domain, in the news media, blogs or on social media, helps break down this stigma, ultimately leading to more people seeking help.

Dr Rassool explains that depression is a common mental disorder that affects people of all ages, from all walks of life, in all countries. “The risk of becoming depressed is increased by poverty, unemployment, life events such as the death of a loved one or a relationship break-up, physical illness and problems caused by alcohol and drug use. Depression causes mental anguish and can impact on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends. Untreated depression can prevent people from working and participating in family and community life.

At worst, depression can lead to suicide. Depression can be effectively prevented and treated. Treatment usually involves either a talking therapy or antidepressants or a combination of these.”

Risk Factors

Depression can affect anyone – even a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances. Several factors can play a role in depression:

Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

Main symptoms

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of energy or increased fatigue
Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
Feeling worthless or guilty
Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide
Symptoms must last at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression.

Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes.

Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can strike at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime.

Differences with sadness

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being “depressed.”

But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways:

In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are decreased for most of two weeks.

In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common. For some people, the death of a loved one can bring on major depression. Losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression for some people. When grief and depression co-exist, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression. Despite some overlap between grief and depression, they are different. Distinguishing between them can help people get the help, support or treatment they need.

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