Suicidal? You can get help
Jun 01, 2003
ALTHOUGH depression is one of the most treatable mental disorders, it is very often under-diagnosed and most people who suffer from it commit suicide.
By Juliet Kakeeto
ALTHOUGH depression is one of the most treatable mental disorders, it is very often under-diagnosed and most people who suffer from it commit suicide.
Dr Margaret Mungherera, a psychiatrist at Butabika hospital, says depression is one of the commonest and most serious mental health problems facing people today.
“Many people still carry the misconception that suicidal thoughts or behaviours are deserved. That when a person has reached this point in their lives, there is no turning back. But depression is not a character flaw, nor is it simply feeling blue for a few days. Most importantly, depression is not your fault, like most people think when it results into somebody taking his own life.
It is a serious mood disorder that affects a person’s ability to function in every day activities. It affects one’s work, one’s family, and one’s social life,†she says.
She says there are, biological and psychological components to every depression and therefore, the best form of treatment is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
The suicidal person feels a tremendous sense of loneliness, isolation, helplessness and hopelessness. For the young person, these feelings may be caused by family conflicts, divorce or separation. the death of a parent, the break ups of a romance or pressure to succeed at school.
Suicidal people feel that they can no longer cope with their problems and that suicide may be the only way out.
Researchers say that most people think about suicide at some point in their life, but most of them find that these thoughts are temporary and that things do get better.
Suicide can easily be prevented. Some patients suffering from depression are lucky enough to have an antidepressant work quick, easy, first time, and long term with no other help or side effects. It is not the case for everyone and there is ongoing research into better drugs with fewer side effects.
“Psychotherapy or counselling can really get you through, but it is probably best used with anti-depressants. But for better and quicker results, a combined drug treatment and psychotherapy is the best. Hormonal therapy is another kind of treatment where a blood test is done on a patient and if it shows low thyroid, estrogens, or other hormones, replacing them can really help,†she says.
Therapeutic use of nutritional supplements has great potential but is not fully developed yet and it requires a lot of self-help.
ALTHOUGH depression is one of the most treatable mental disorders, it is very often under-diagnosed and most people who suffer from it commit suicide.
Dr Margaret Mungherera, a psychiatrist at Butabika hospital, says depression is one of the commonest and most serious mental health problems facing people today.
“Many people still carry the misconception that suicidal thoughts or behaviours are deserved. That when a person has reached this point in their lives, there is no turning back. But depression is not a character flaw, nor is it simply feeling blue for a few days. Most importantly, depression is not your fault, like most people think when it results into somebody taking his own life.
It is a serious mood disorder that affects a person’s ability to function in every day activities. It affects one’s work, one’s family, and one’s social life,†she says.
She says there are, biological and psychological components to every depression and therefore, the best form of treatment is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
The suicidal person feels a tremendous sense of loneliness, isolation, helplessness and hopelessness. For the young person, these feelings may be caused by family conflicts, divorce or separation. the death of a parent, the break ups of a romance or pressure to succeed at school.
Suicidal people feel that they can no longer cope with their problems and that suicide may be the only way out.
Researchers say that most people think about suicide at some point in their life, but most of them find that these thoughts are temporary and that things do get better.
Suicide can easily be prevented. Some patients suffering from depression are lucky enough to have an antidepressant work quick, easy, first time, and long term with no other help or side effects. It is not the case for everyone and there is ongoing research into better drugs with fewer side effects.
“Psychotherapy or counselling can really get you through, but it is probably best used with anti-depressants. But for better and quicker results, a combined drug treatment and psychotherapy is the best. Hormonal therapy is another kind of treatment where a blood test is done on a patient and if it shows low thyroid, estrogens, or other hormones, replacing them can really help,†she says.
Therapeutic use of nutritional supplements has great potential but is not fully developed yet and it requires a lot of self-help.