DR FAITH BYISRAEL

The recent death of the mentally ill gentleman in Speyside has highlighted several facts - probably the most important being the way we treat friends and family with mental illness, particularly during this pandemic. The pandemic and the many stresses associated with it has also caused many of us to experience a wide range of mental health issues - from anxiety, to depression. In this article, we'll talk specifically about depression, the various types and what can be done to treat with it.

Mental Health Awareness Month

According to the Mental Health America, May has been designated as Mental Health Awareness Month since 1949. The theme for 2021, Tools 2 Thrive, continues by 'providing practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase their resiliency regardless of their personal situation.' Some of those tools include information on

• Adapting after trauma and stress

• Dealing with anger and frustration

• Getting out of thinking traps

• Processing big changes

• Taking time for yourself

• Radical acceptance

Is depression a problem in TT?

Data on depression in Trinidad and Tobago is limited. A study by Maharajh and others in 2003 with Tobagonian adolescents (aged 14 -18) showed that approximately ten per cent of that population was depressed. Another study of TT's adolescent in 2006 showed that approximately 14 per cent of the population was depressed. In that study, depression was identified more in females (17.9 per cent) than in males (8.2 per cent). In 2013, the Minister of Health estimated that about 52,000 people were living with depression in TT. If these numbers are correct, it is obvious that depression is indeed an issue. A 2019 article by Mandreker Bahall reported that 'the prevalence of depression to be 12.8 per cent among adults visiting family physicians, 28.3 per cent among patients with chronic diseases, 14.0 per cent among adolescents, and 17.9 per cent among patients treated for type 2 diabetes mellitus' in TT.

What is depression?

So, what is depression? Everyone feels sad, down or 'blue' sometimes, but these feelings usually go away after a short time. Depression, however, is a mental illness where you often feel sad, but it also includes you no longer being interested in activities that you normally enjoy, in addition to you being unable to carry out your daily activities for at least two weeks. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with depression also have several of the following issues: 'a loss of energy; a change in appetite; sleeping more (or sleeping less); anxiety; reduced concentration; indecisiveness; restlessness; feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness; and thoughts of self-harm or suicide.'

The National Institute of Mental Health identifies two main forms of depression:

• Major depression, where you have symptoms of depression most of the day, nearly every day for at least two weeks. This feeling interferes with your ability to work, sleep, study