Depression: Disturbing,Phenomenon!

Changing life style, the struggle for survival and other societal ills account for the high prevalence rate of depression

Before now, it was uncommon to talk about depression as a public health problem in the society. But, today statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveal that depression has become so much prevalent especially with the younger people. The increased suicide and attempted suicide rate in the society today attest to this. The question many people are asking is what is it about the society that has changed so much?
Nowadays, it is common to hear many people say “I feel like I am a waste of life. I do not have any vested interest in myself or purpose for living”.  Such hopeless feelings have led to depression leading to mental disorder. Many people say the worrying economic situation of most countries, with the struggle for survival is a cause for depression. In the past, living meant working and working gave a drive and a purpose to life. But today, working does not determine success in life as many people are not sure of a monthly salary after a full month of work. Nowadays, so many things are no longer certain. Before now, many people knew after a formal education, they were sure of a good job which could permit them raise a family and live the kind of life they had desired for themselves. But the reverse is true today. The situation is even more frustrating as some parents lament how they borrowed huge sums of money to sponsor their children to professional schools. Most of whom have graduated and cannot easily find a job. The bleak nature of the future and lack of purpose in life has caused many people to be depressed.
A lot of people are talking about the pressure to ‘keep up’ in a world which increasingly encourages materialism coupled with unrealistic expectations. Today’s society makes people miserable because there’s “pressure to have the perfect skinny body and a fat bank account.”
Many say social media and the internet is responsible for the increase in depression. It is said that social media presents skewed, exaggerated picture of people’s lives, materialistic messages which can make users feel inadequate about their own normal lives leading to depression. Through technologies, people have become more impersonal, and less friendly. It is as though the value of human life has decreased and those who are not in the chain get the sense that there are just another forgotten cog in the machine.
What people eat cannot be left out, as mass consumption of processed nutritionally defunct foods is fuelling depression. Less physical activities and emotional problems have made the cases of depression skyrocketing in the society. With little or no exposure to psychiatrists   many people in depressive mood have ended up being seen in streets as mentally deranged individuals.
 

Dr Laure Mengueme Meliena: « Arrêtons de juger les gens et mettons-nous à leur écoute »

Psychiatre, hôpital Jamot, Yaoundé

Dr, c’est quoi une dépression et quelle est la situation de cette pathologie au Cameroun ?

La dépression, en fait, est une maladie mentale, vous avez un individu triste, qui culpabilise, fait preuve d’inhibition psychomotrice, un individu au ralenti dans sa façon de parler, de se mouvoir. On peut aussi avoir des troubles psychosomatiques comme des insomnies, des céphalées et surtout des douleurs. Dans notre contexte, la manifestation la plus rencontrée affecte les nerfs. Le malade vient vous dire ça tire là derrière. Autre cas de figure dans notre contexte, des douleurs pelviennes, abdominales, lombaires ou le patient a un bilan de santé normal mais continue de souffrir et qu’on a tôt fait d’associer à la sorcellerie, alors que ce n’est que l’expression d’un mal être, d’une souffrance. Et malheureusement, beaucoup de médecins ne sont pas sensibilisés à cette problématique.

Quels sont les mécanismes de prise en charge actuels?

Actuellement, quand un individu arrive, il faut mettre l’accent sur l’é...