How to Avoid and Control Depression
The level at which people go through depression these days and the majority of whom end up committing or contemplating suicide has become a societal constraint and a worrisome issue globally. At World Suicide Prevention Day in 2022, World Health Organization( WHO) said, “Over 703,000 people commit suicide yearly.”
The reason why depressed people take their lives is traceable to human actions and in-actions. These reasons to mention only a few include: bad debt, dis-inheritance, racial discrimination, age-long health issue, social discrimination, loss of job, broken home, failed business transaction, low economic status, stigmatization, broken marriage, loss of loved one, the list goes on.
The main purpose of this article is to seek solutions and possible ways people can control or where possible avoid being depressed so that the percentage of suicides or suicidal thoughts can be reduced to the barest minimum globally.
Meaning of Depression
Depression is a serious mental disorder that adversely affects how a person sees the society and things around him or her. Depression does come with sadness and the victim begins to lose interest in the things he once enjoyed, and most victims often resort to suicide as the solution to their predicament.
Signs of Depression
(1) Lack of concentration
(2) Low self-esteem
(3) Lack of sleep
(4) Loss of appetite
(5) Withdrawal from social gathering
(6) Lack of interest in usual activities
(7) Loss of hope
(8) Anger
(9) Discontentment
(10) Isolation
There is nothing new under the sun. You cannot possibly be the only one going through that particular problem. I have read statement like, ” Let me end this thing called life and have my peace or rest.”
How do you know that you will have peace or rest when you take your life?
The book, Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do by Robert . H. Shuller is a reminder that no predicament lasts forever, only resilient people.
My dearests, suicide is NOT the way out of what confronts us as a people. Staying alive is the key.
Depression is a serious mental disorder that adversely affects how a person sees the society and things around him or her.
How to Avoid Depression
Have plan for the future.
A certain proverb says, “A Grasscutter that stores grains during the dry season never dies of hunger on a rainy day.”
There are two seasons in a man’s life: the dry and rainy seasons. These two seasons are symbolic. The former symbolizes when one is energetic and full of life. When you are still the MD of one Oil & Gas Company and your take-home monthly runs into millions. The dry season symbolizes your prime of life – your less active days.
The latter represents a time of weakness. In this period, you are no longer the MD of that Oil & Gas Company and your 70 years work experience cannot get you a job anywhere in the world. A time of retirement for those in Public or Civil Service. Woe betide you if you didn’t store like the Grasscutter, you will not only die of hunger, but depression. The beautiful world you once enjoyed will become meaningless and thereafter suicidal thoughts will begin to knock on the door of your heart.
So, plan for the future to avoid old age depression.
Don’t be a waster of resources.
Some people are so rich that the only problem they seem to have is how to squander the money. Whether you are doing it for fun or as a competition, the hard truth is that it is not a healthy thing to be involved in.
Stories have been told of a legendary American heavyweight champion, the Iron Mike Tyson, and how he wasted his hard-earned money. According to an article in the New York Times on August 5th, 2003 by Richard Sandomir, the Boxer was said to have made over $400 million during his boxing days and blew all away. When he was declared bankrupt, his debtors seized his assets to recover their money and he was said to have owed a total sum of $23 million.
According to him (Tyson) ” Since that time, although my fight income, various asset sales and litigation recoveries have enabled me to pay a lot of my debts. I am still unable to pay my bills.”
Somebody who once had $400 million.
At some point in his life, he said that he was surprised that he is still alive. Probably, he may have contemplated suicide.
LESSON
If you have the money today and is not put into proper use, it may not be there tomorrow. What happens to your mental health when you find yourself in this situation?
Don’t idolize a thing.
Anything that is there today and gone tomorrow is not worthy of much attention. When you are obsessed with what you have, you endanger your mental health. We have to come to that stage in life where we consider whatever we have as temporal not permanent. We have to know that people die young and some die old. Some are opportune to go to school and some are not. Some get jobs easily while others will search for donkey years. Some marry and some who desire it may never have an opportunity to. Some are born with Silver Spoon and others are born into abject poverty. Some secure admission into higher institutions at one sitting while people like ME had to sit for 6 years.
The fact is this. Every man on earth has a problem no matter how highly placed. So learn to train your emotion and accept things the way they are.
No bad situation in this world is worth taking your life.
Don’t borrow money you cannot afford to pay.
The popular slogan says, “Cut your Coat according to your cloth.” In bad English, we say “Cut your Coat according to your size.”
When you want to borrow money at all from anyone, consider your size. Your size here refers to what you are worth NOW – your take-home at the end of the month. Don’t spend more than you earn. Bill Earle says “If your outgo exceeds your income then, then your upkeep will be your downfall.” When you borrow more than you can afford to pay, you are likely to be a victim of bad debt.
How to Control Depression
Do things that give you joy.
Try as much as possible to get back at those things that make you happy in order to keep your mind free from suicidal thoughts. Mike Tyson did not die of depression because he now does what he has always “dreamt” of which is selling of Cannabis which launched in 2015. He is also into acting. When you keep yourself busy, no attention will be given to suicidal voice.
In conclusion, your existence is more important than that present challenge. If you stay alive to fight back, a hero you will become.
Try it and see. It works.
