Understanding Depression

sad?

It can be confusing to know the difference between these two things, because they both involve feelings of sadness. But think about it like this: if sadness is like weather, then depression is like climate. Sadness is a normal feeling we all experience – it doesn’t last long, it is usually triggered by a specific thing that happened, and it should be relatively easy to stop yourself feeling sad, for example by distracting yourself with something happy or just by waiting for it to pass. On the other hand, depression can last for months or years, it isn’t usually triggered by external factors, and it can be very difficult to shake off.

What are the symptoms of depression?

As well as generally ‘feeling sad’ other symptoms of depression can include insomnia (not being able to sleep), lack of appetite or eating too much, being unable to perform basic tasks like getting out of bed and bathing, low energy levels, irritability, suicidal thoughts and changes in behaviour. But not everyone who has depression has these exact symptoms, which is one reason why it can be really hard to diagnose. People living with depression can also have bad days and good days, meaning that they are not always sad and distant, sometimes they have all the energy and they socialise. So it’s not something anyone can just diagnose by looking at a person.

If you or a loved one feel you have a mental illness including depression, do visit a licensed professional mental health care provider for them to diagnose, because it is not possible to diagnose yourself. You will be helped.

How can I prevent depression?

Depression can be genetic, meaning someone is much more likely to get depressed than most people, and there is unfortunately not much they can do to prevent it. But there are steps we can all take to help protect against depression. One thing that is proven to help is physical exercise, of any type. Also, creative hobbies such as painting and writing can help. Having a healthy and supportive community also protects against depression, so do try to cultivate good friendships. Sleep is important too – try to practise ‘good sleep hygiene’, meaning getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night in a comfortable, dark, quiet room.

We all know depression is a real thing that can affect anyone at any age and from any background. It’s a mental health issue, and we are beginning to see that it can seriously affect physical health too. But what exactly is it, how is it different from ‘just being sad’ and what can we do about it?

Even though there are ways to protect ourselves against depression, someone who is depressed didn’t cause it to happen, it’s not their fault.

How can I help someone who is depressed?

People with depression need good friends who are stable and supportive of them, so the number one thing you can do is let them know that you are there for them, whatever they might need help with. Sometimes people with depression are unable to do simple things like washing their clothes or tidying up, so offer to help with that type of thing and it could make a big difference to them. Secondly, let them know you understand what they’re going through and that they are not a burden on you. Tell them you are happy to help, you love them and that things will get better. If they are irritable or negative, try to forgive them and remember it’s not their fault.

If someone is having suicidal thoughts, they require urgent help from a mental health professional. Help is available by request at any clinic, or by calling Lifeline on 391 1270

What should I do if my friend is being abused?

Firstly, let your friend know it’s not their fault, and that they have the right to be safe, happy and protected from harm. Often people who are abused blame themselves and can’t see a way out, so it would be really helpful to your friend if you can show them that whatever is happening, it’s not their fault and there always IS a way out. At the same time, remember that it is not your responsibility to fix the situation because you are young too. There are people out there who are employed to solve problems like this, and they are experts at it! So the next step after consoling your friend is to encourage them to call the experts, or if they don’t feel ready, you can call on their behalf.

Childline Botswana has a phone number that is free to call from any network – 116 –and they are specialists in this type of thing, as they have dealt with hundreds of cases over many years. They make reporting abuse safe and not scary, and they handle the next steps for you, so you and your friend don’t have to worry. They will talk to the police on your behalf if that’s what is necessary, and they will make sure that only good things come out of reporting, and that the situation never gets worse. They even give free advice if you’re not sure whether to report something yet or not. So always stand up for your friends and for yourself, give Childline a call on 116 to report any concern you might have about the welfare of anyone under 18. Good luck, you sound like a great friend!

What should I do if I need to access sexual health services but I’m not sure where or if I’m allowed?

The first thing to say is WELL DONE for knowing you need to access sexual health services. If you’re planning on having sex any time soon, it’s a great idea to get all your information first and take advantage of the free services out there, to avoid unwanted pregnancy or contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia or herpes. We always say knowledge is power, so do access as much information as you can before becoming sexually active, and while you’re sexually active, it’s important to access sexual health services regularly.

In Botswana, the law says that you can access sexual health services without your parent’s consent once you turn 16 years of age. So if you are 16 or over, the best people to talk to are Tebelopele – they have a range of completely free sexual health services specially for adolescent girls, they are in 18 places all over the country, and they are friendly and experts in the issues we face as teenage girls. Think of them as your nice auntie who’s a doctor – it’s expertise and friendly vibes rolled into one. Call Tebelopele on 395 8014 to find out where your nearest location is.

If you are under 16 and you want to access sexual health services, you need the consent of your parents (this basically means one of your parents would need to go to the clinic with you). But you don’t need your parent’s consent just to access information, so if you feel you can’t speak to your parents to get more information about sexual health, you can use what is available to you like asking your school nurse, a trusted auntie, teacher or family friend, or even the internet (but stay safe!). Everyone at every age has the right to information!

Limit what you share about your life. The internet is a public space and if your social media accounts aren’t set to private, A-N-Y-O-N-E has access to your life. What you post is open for the public to see and use however they want. You can stay anonymous online by not including any personal information when creating an account. Do not check in everywhere you go, you never know who might be monitoring your moves. Sometimes it’s safer to post about something only after it has happened and not during. Don’t share your private cellphone number (unless it is for business purposes). Learn to spot scams and do not jump at every message that promises “opportunities” for prizes, jobs or business. A lot of these messages can’t be trusted, and girls have ended up in human trafficking situations because of fake overseas job offers or modelling careers. NEVER share intimate images of yourselves, even with someone close to you, because devices can get stolen or that person might use that to harm you when you are no longer on good terms even if they promise you they won’t.

Cyber Smart Tip 2:

Protect your accounts

Maintaining privacy can save you the pain of cyber-attacks. You can protect yourself by restricting access to your accounts and content. Most social media networks have privacy and security settings that you can set to prevent access from other internet users—so basically, set your accounts to private. This reduces the chances of you connecting with the bad guys. You get to choose who can follow you, and your content—especially your pictures and videos—would get protected from anybody that may want to use it maliciously like editing deep fakes(using your photos to make fake but realistic-looking videos).

It’s better to be safe than to have so many random accounts following you just to have a high following. Yes, social media platforms are also meant to enable connections with new friends, and it’s easy to make friends with people that you share the same interests with, but to protect yourself you can go private using your personal account or opt to have a separate account from your personal one.