Akeem Lasisi
There was a lot of anxiety on Thursday as another young Nigerian, Emmanuel Shekolo, announced that he was depressed.
“God, I am depressed!’, Shekolo, said to be a student of Nasarawa Polytechnic, Lafia, posted on his Facebook page.
He conspicuously planted the lamentation on a black background, a picture that scared many of his friends and others who read it.
Such people would no more take such screaming as a joke again, based on the experiences of recent months.
READ ALSO: Not funny! How 17 young Nigerians committed suicide in four months
In 2019 alone, no fewer than four young Nigerians have committed suicide soon after they noted they were depressed or after showing the signs of this.
Among them was a Lagos-based DJ, Seun Omogaji, who killed himself in January.
There was also Hikmat Gbadamosi, a student of the University of Port Harcourt, who committed suicide after what was said to be a long battle with depression.
The latest is that of a brilliant student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Chukwuemeka Akachi, who committed suicide three days ago after giving indications of depression.
Phenomenal.com.ng observes that friends of Shekolo, on Facebook, have continued to calm him down, while inspiring him to rise above the situation.
Also, a businesswoman and counsellor, Bukoladeremi Ladigbolu, urged stakeholders to pay attention to Shekolo, a statement that attracted various interventionist comments by different people.
Here are some of what Shekolo’s friends told him:
Sunday Nnamdi Lhino: Tell us the problem here, let’s join hands together and find a solution.
Eleazer David Jr.: Bro, don’t worry; God is in control of everything. Just leave everything to Him. He will surely work everything for ur good.
Ayodeji Adeyemi: My brother, I know it’s really tough. But you are not alone. We all can walk together bearing each other’s burden. We love you bro.
In the case of one Peter Oladiran, he goes as far as breaking down the issue of depression on Shekolo’s page.
In Oladiran’s post titled ‘Depression simplified’, Oladiran presents a write-up by ‘Dr. Olatunde Olayinka Ayinde’, a clinical psychiatrist, thus:
1. Depression: so much ignorance on social media. So much ignorance and so little empathy.
2. Clinical depression is an illness. Just like malaria. Or diabetes. Nobody “snaps out” of malaria or diabetes by an act of will. Why do we expect them to snap out of depression?
You treat malaria. You treat/manage diabetes. You treat depression.
3. Happiness and sadness are normal part of life. We get sad when bad things happen. We are happy when good things happen. So when salary is delayed and you’re sad for a few days, but you become happy again when salary is paid, you were not depressed. You were just unhappy. And now you’re happy.
That is NORMAL!
4. In clinical depression, there is actually an abnormality in the brain and the manufestation is persistent abnormality in the mood; in this case, low mood. It is an ILLNESS. When you’re depressed, you need help! Not criticism. Not unkindness. Not blame. Not sarcasm.
HELP!
5. In clinical depression, the affected person:
– is sad/has low mood most of the day, for weeks at a time, and the mood may remain low even with many happy events are happening around the person.
– often feels tired from within, and has no energy to carry out even the most basic of daily activities, for many weeks at a time.
– no longer enjoys what used to give him/her joy; no longer looks forward to pleasurable things.
6. In clinical depression, the affected person experiences the following for many weeks at a time:
– poor sleep; unrefreshing sleep; waking up way too early
– poor appetite
– weight loss
– seeing the future as bleak, hopeless
– think of suicide, plan suicide, attempt suicide or complete suicide
7. In clinical depression, the affected person may experience these for many weeks at a time:
– poor concentration
– reduced libido; uninterested in sex
– avoid company, withdraw to self
– feel weepy for no reason
– have a feeling of foreboding, of impending doom or catastrophe
– feeling guilty and begging relatives and random persons for forgiveness, often for trivial or non-existent shortcomings
8. In clinical depression, a usually hardworking wife may stop taking interest in her appearance, stop taking care of her children, stop cooking, stop being interested in food or appear generally “lazy”. A hardworking husband may stop being interested in work, or feel too tired at work or try to avoid work, or stop being interested in having sex.
9. Depression can adversely affect marital relationships, family relationships, work, education, interpersonal and social functioning. Depression can make people withdraw from social interactions for many weeks, stop going to work, or even close down businesses.
10. One of the fatal outcomes of depression is suicide. Living becomes very hard and painful. Life is hopeless and meaningless. It is part of the illness. It is not something people “snap out” of. It is what people get help for!
11. Depression can be treated. There are different modalities of treatment. The goal is to restore the brain and the affected individuals to normal function. Treatment modalities include: drugs, psychological treatment and social treatment.
12. How can you help a depressed or suicidal person?
– even ordinary befriending helps
– support and encourage
– seek help from a mental health professional
– call suicide hotline: 08092106493 and 08062106493.
– avoid sarcasm, blame, thoughtlessness. It is human nature to want to respond this way. But one can train himself not to.
– every life is worth saving, including yours.
– a depressed person or a suicidal person has a health problem and they need HELP!.
ALSO READ: Inspiring poetic posts by UNN student who committed suicide today
It will, however, delight many people that Shekolo is likely to be overcoming the crisis.
According Ladigbolu, she has been able to get him and speak with him.
Ladigbolu noted on Facebook on Thursday night, “Thank God I just had a discussion with Emmanuel Shekolo Everything is under control.”
