In the early part of the year, I was at the office when my aunty called me on the phone and was crying heavily, I asked her what happened "She couldn't say a word to me" so I hung up the call and decided to give her some time to calm herself down.
After a while I called her back, fortunately, she was calm and her voice sounded bright compared to earlier. So I asked her what was going on that would make her cry like that, then she said "Her nephew attempted suicide" I didn't know the next words to utter again when she narrated how her mother called her and was crying on the phone, so she had to drive down to her mum's place.
When she got there she saw, her nephew lying down lifeless on the ground with a knife in his stomach, she immediately screamed for help and some persons assisted in carrying him into the vehicle, and that's how he was rushed to the hospital.
The next questions I asked were "Why did he attempt suicide?" and "What if he had died?" This would have been the end of him, now this person we are talking about is a young boy in his early twenties, who lives with his grandmother, who gives him anything he wants. So after the call ended, I waited till after the close of work, I decided to go visit him at the hospital, gladly when I got there my aunty was there as well.
Source Link
I asked my aunty if she had spoken to him about why he was trying to take his life, at that moment I just wanted to know what his reasons were, then she said the only thing the boy said was "he was depressed" immediately I became speechless, I couldn't utter a word again like I was stuck at where I was standing.
What this means is the truth that "Depression is real" The daily affirmation I used to give myself back then was "I can never be depressed" but then somehow I found myself feeling lonely and sad, there were times I felt like no one cared about me not even my siblings.
A lot of people see depression as a common thing forgetting the fact that it is a mood disorder that could lead to one taking their own life. One thing that increases depression in people is that they can't share their problems or feelings with others.
If there is one thing I've learned so far is how to communicate whatever I'm going through with my closest people, they say a problem shared is a problem half-solved but then "They've left the other half for the owner of the problem hehe". There is this relief that comes whenever I share whatever I'm going through with others, they don't provide a solution to the subject matter but then I feel like a burden has been taken off my shoulders.
Source Link
Another thing I do whenever I'm feeling lonely or sad, I take a walk even without a destination. I just walk and let the sweet breeze blow my ears and whisper nice things to me "Imagery though" but then it helps a lot, walking on the street, seeing people as they walk also and feel like they don't have a problem bordering them.
One thing I believe is that "everyone has a problem" they are battling with, and because they don't show it the way others do doesn't mean they don't have a problem, according to my aunty, people like her just decide not to look like their problems. Depression does not look the same way, there are, different ways to it, It is a space for people going through all sorts of things.
Lastly of the helpful tips I engage in, is to be appreciative of the things around me, I don't focus my energy on the things I don't have or can't have, I look at the little things I've accomplished in all areas of life and just be grateful for it all, I know I'm not where I love to be but then I'm not where I used to be either, there's been a drastic shift and for that alone, I express my gratitude.
Whenever you feel depressed, look at the bright side of life, look at the amazing people around you like "family" and forget about the things you don't have that make you sad look at the things you have and be grateful.
This is my entry to the #octoberinleo monthly prompt and here is my participation on the day 6th, you can be a part of it by clicking on the link
Thanks for reading🌹