Understanding Depression
 

Understanding depression is essential when one wants to minimize the its impact

Everyone goes through times of extreme sorrow, pain and sadness
 
By Arnel Banaga Salgado

Everyone goes through times of extreme sorrow, pain and sadness. This is normal as everyone usually reacts negatively especially when his or her integrity and autonomy are threatened. When such feelings do not go away for a period of time, the person may display initial clinical signs of depression.

In Malaysia, about ten per cent (10%) of the population is affected and are in need of medical attention. Among expatriates and foreign students, this rate is a little bit higher since they are away from family members who can provide them immediate assistance when their defense mechanisms are inadequate to help them cope with their problems.

Understanding depression is essential when one wants to minimize the its impact. Depressed people consider life as worthless, hopeless and empty. If you have ever been depressed, then you would know the feeling.

The depressed person would like nothing better than to get outside of himself, but he is unable to do so. His world simply becomes very difficult to live in although he makes every attempt to lighten it. Thus, even as he tries to live with himself, he finds himself to be still helpless and hopeless. We should note that the worst thing a person undergoing depression could do is to just rely on himself since the integrity of the “self” during such times is questionable. If the “self” is all he has to live for, he would rather die. This is the reason why fifty percent (50%) of depressed people attempt suicide. All he needs at that point of time, is a listening ear. Unfortunately, he perceives the world around him as equally worthless as the “self”.

The depressed person knows that he needs to be rescued, but he does not believe in the possibility of being rescued. He fears that there is nothing or no one to rely on because every time he tries to reach out, no one believes him or cares to listen to him because they believe that the depressed person can get past this difficulty since he is basically a cheerful, intelligent and outgoing individual.

The depressed person tries self-reliance and fails. The best way to resolve this condition would be to allow someone into his life who could instil hope or perhaps drum into him that there is someone who cares to help and that the world is not as worthless as he perceives. The idea of “I am on my own now!” must be changed into, “I have someone now”. If this can be done, the need for antidepressants can be eliminated. As long as the depressed person’s integrity of “self” is regained, the depression will vanish.
     
  Terms & Conditions