IT’S sad that people only become interested about certain issue when it already involves celebrities or their families.
Just recently, people, particularly netizens, talked about the suicide of an actress's brother. The alleged cause of which is depression.
And only then that people search the reason of depression and how it can be prevented or treated.
Some people who, due to ignorance on the subject matter, conclude that only cowards commit suicide, disregarding the fact about the real issue on depression.
In psychiatry.org, the website of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), depression is defined as a major depressive disorder, a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how one feels, the way one thinks and how one acts.
It adds that depression is different from sadness as the latter involves precedent incident that causes the feeling of sadness, like a loss of a loved one, a breakup of a relationship, losing a job, among others. It also says that sadness is present and natural in grieving process.
What differs sadness from depression is that in depression, interest or mood is decreased in constant manner, unlike when one is just feeling sad when his interest or mood comes in waves; meaning the feeling of lack of interest or not in the mood is not all the time present.
When sad, one's self-esteem is still present, unlike in depression when one constantly feels unworthiness and self-loathing.
However, it also adds, that losing a loved one, losing a job or being a victim of physical abuse could result to depression.
Other factors that can contribute to depression, it adds, are biochemistry, involving chemicals in our brains, genetics (it could run in families), personality (those who have lower self-esteem or are generally pessimistic have higher risk for depression) and environmental factor.
However, it also adds that depression can affect anyone, even to those people who you think is least likely to be afflicted with it.
The good news, however, is that depression is highly treatable.
All of these facts only suggest that concern and attentiveness is the key to prevention of losing someone due to depression.
Saving a life that may be lost due to depression involves everyone's concern. When you observe any one in your midst who is showing symptoms of depression, take him or her to a proper health professional.
And if you think you are the one who is fighting bouts of depression, then seek health professional help, immediately.
By being concerned and attentive, you don't know the life you save might be your loved one's or even your own.