Mrs. Esther Adjei, a nurse and staff of the Bono Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), says social stigma associated with mental disorders is affecting treatment of people with such conditions.
Mrs. Adjei stated depression could happen to anyone, but people who had lived through abuse, severe losses and other stressful events were more expected to develop depression.
On the probability of the level of gender effect, she stated women were more likely to have depression than men because women experienced dramatic hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, child birth and menopausal stage.
Mrs. Adjei made the observation when she was speaking on the topic “Depression” at the 2023 National Ladies’ Conference of the Living Grace Ministry International at Berlin Top, Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality.
She said researchers were still not sure of the causes of depression, but experts considered gut bacteria, family history, personality, environmental and social factors and upbringing to be several contributory factors that influenced depression.
Mrs. Adjei however, said depression was treatable by making appointment to see a doctor or a mental health professional immediately upon detection.
But if someone felt reluctant to seek treatment because of stigmatization, he/she could talk to a friend, loved one or any health care professional for advice and necessary assistance, she added.
Mrs. Adjei said people with persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest might be having depressive disorder or clinical depression, saying the thinking, feeling and behavior of such people could cause emotional and physical problems.
She cited if one was prone to anger, aggressiveness and feeling as if everyone around was irritating, it could be a signal to depression as well as the known factors of poor concentration, feelings of excessive guilt or low self-worth, hopelessness about the future, thoughts about dying or suicide, disrupted sleep, changes in appetite or weighty feeling, always feeling very tired or low in energy.
Mrs. Adjei further said many people with chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases might also find themselves experiencing depression due to the difficulties associated with managing their health conditions.
Mrs. Adjei said there were effective treatments for depression which included psychological treatment and medications and therefore urged depressed patients not to depend on herbal treatment but must go to the appropriate health facilities to see professionals for suitable treatment
She entreated depressed patients to try to continue with their normal enjoyable activities including maintenance of relationship with friends and family members as well doing regular exercises, maintaining good eating and sleeping habits, avoiding alcohol and illicit drugs which could worsen depression conditions.
