What is Depression?

Depression is becoming one of the leading killers in this world today. It kills people firstly on the inside, until they have nothing left to give anymore. It cripples you, to a point that you do not know where to go or who you are. People who might have depression and do not want to admit it will say, I am just a bit down. Maybe I will feel better tomorrow. Tomorrow comes and the same pattern repeats itself. Days go by. Weeks go by. And the feeling does not seem to change. This is when you know it is more than just sadness.

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.

More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness and you can’t simply “snap out” of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don’t get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling or both.

So how do you know you are showing symptoms of depression:

• • Feelings of sadness, fearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
  • Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
  • Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
  • Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take an extra effort
  • Changes in appetite — often reduced appetite and weight loss, but increased cravings for food and weight gain in some people
  • Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
  • Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that aren’t your responsibility
  • Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
  • Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
  • Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

Depression is more than just sadness. It is an out-of-body experience. You can’t cheer up  or be more thankful, find the word of God and everything will just fall into place. It is a disease. Like any other illness. What I was trying to say with the previous sentence is most people believe there are no such thing. Christians sometimes find it hard to define, because they believe you find peace in God. Which is true, but God helps the ones who helps themselves. The people who acknowledge they need help and go gets it.

People need to get the message that there is no shame in getting help, before it is too late. Depression is becoming more and more prevalent in the world we live in. We have so many things challenging us in today’s life that can really motivate a person.

If I had to describe being depressed, it would probably be the worst feeling ever. Feeling unlike the person that you use to know. For some the disease takes over and they see no way out but death. This is too heartbreaking, because it is a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be restored with the correct medicine. There is different forms and types of depression and I am not going to go into it on this blog. You are more than welcome to go visit : http://www.sadag.org or call their toll-free line : 0800 212223, if you need or want to learn much more than what I have put here on this blog.

My aim with this blog is to break the stigma. And to let everyone know that there is help out there. Many people will use money as an excuse. You can go to your local hospital and go speak to a psychologist or if you’re not comfortable with seeing a shrink, you can go to your own doctor. He will also be able to refer you. To get the proper help you need to go see psychiatrist, if your doctor’s advice or medicine did not help you. He will prescribe anti-depressant with the information that you give him or he will refer you if he feels your condition needs a more specialized approach. You do not have to suffer in silence. There is always help out there. Stop worrying about what other people think! Most people fear things they do not understand, but it is okay. As long as you and God know, the rest does not have a say.

A person’s health is one of the most important things in life. Never risk your physical, emotional or mental health, because you are too ashamed of the stigma attached to it. Be the one to rise up and say, I am a depression survivor! I fight everyday and I win everyday. It is a process but most things in life is a journey and a process. But each process brings amazing experiences.

MISS C

“CRAWLING IN MY SKIN”

This weeks theme is something that is too close for comfort. They say 75% of human beings suffer from mental illnesses but never get help for it. With such a high number, why is there such a stigma attach to something that is so important.

I write this morning with such a heavy heart, because I am so passionate about mental illness. More people need to be made aware that it is okay to say I need help. Last week when Chester Bennington allegedly took his own life it hit me so very hard. Reading about what he went through as a child, the abuse he suffered and how that shaped him as a man.

FROM MY HOMETOWN… “WORCESTER JOU LEKKER DING”

Let me close of my week of heritage. Discovery and accepting my own roots. Worcester is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is located 120 kilometers (75 mi) north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg.

Worcester was named and discovered by Lord Charles Somerset. Lord Charles Somerset named the new town for his eldest brother, the Marquis of Worcester and by 1840, 132 of the original 144 plots were sold.During the 1890s Worcester’s community would also evolve into an uptown section for rich and middle-class people and a downtown section for so-called poor Whites and Coloured people. Even the Dutch Reformed Congregation would censure European and Coloured people living under desegregated circumstances.Worcester received Municipal status on 30 September 1895. A Town Council, consisting of 8 members governed the town.

One can say, Worcester’s roots runs deep. It is a rich town, full of culture and tradition.

Every child that grew up here, always remembers the circus coming to town, school bazaars and the annual Easter Weekend madness. Family values is very important in this small town and people take their reputation very seriously.

Worcester is part of who I am. Worcester is like a braai on a lekker summers day, a get together of good friends, the heart and soul of every Worcesteriet, 925 on Easter Monday, Easter Monday Bazaar and Late night shopping in December. Although crime and certain people try to devalue our town and surrounding areas with their bad intentions to hurt others, a true Worcesterian knows what Worcester is all about. Worcester is Villa and Hamilton’s. Worcester is Perseverance and Alberts. Worcester is proudly South African. Everyone around the world is welcome in this beautiful valley. Filled with rich mountains, stellar wine farms and “die lekkerste Brandewyn ter wereld…”

I hope by me discovering my roots and claiming my heritage, each and everyone reading this gained a sense of proud where they come from. I absolutely love the fact that I am not ashamed about my roots. I embrace it…

MISS C

I come from “THA GHETTO”

Thinking about this post made me very nostalgic. Because it is going to be written with the absolute vulnerability that it deserves. I have never been so honest and bare in my life. I am a very private person and yet I feel the need to claim where I come from.

The title I come from the ghetto seemed like the perfect fit for this post. I need to be honest about my beginning in order to see how far I have come and that the dream I dreamed for myself was not too big or impossible. I come from very humble beginnings. My life is still very simplistic. I was doing research about the Riverview Flats in Worcester, my hometown. All I can find was news about gang related violence. I remembered when I started at my current position, one of the fire fighters asked me, where did you live before Avian Park? And I remember I did not answer him at that point. For some reason I was apprehensive and I felt a bit put of by his smug tone, almost like he knew me or where he thought I came from. It seemed like he judged me. 

My Heritage…

I am kicking off this week with exploring the history of ones own town. With this said, I watched a YouTube video this morning that inspired me so much and I thought this would be a perfect start to my week of blogging.

I have seen a couple of inspirational posts the previous week. These posts inspired me so tremendously. From my friends Facebook post right through to YouTube. I also thought how important ones heritage is. My friend asked me last week, what can we do this weekend and asked what can one do in Worcester? When I Googled I discovered a bunch of historic places I have not even been to. This inspired me to discover my own heritage. Where I came from. Because if one does not know where ones roots lie, how will you be able to determine your future path. 

“HAPPINESS IS A FOUR LETTER WORD…”

Happiness… Not really a four letter word but stems from one. The word HAPPY. What does it mean to be happy? The best dictionary definition is a feeling or showing pleasure and contentment. Other words to describe happy are: joyous, delighted, cheerful and the list goes on.

So what does it really mean to be happy? Are we as humans truly happy with our lives or just living day by day? Not appreciating everything we have, but finding fault with all the little things we can not control. I wanted to end of this week with an inspirational post, because I believe we all can do with a bit of comfort and empowerment.

A MAN’S WORLD…

“This is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without a women or a girl…” No truer words has been spoken. But it is with a very heavy heart that I am writing this post.