Personal Perspective

The bible says, ‘’ Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in every circumstance and situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " Philippians 4:6-7. We all go through difficult situations. As they say, our lives are like wheels, sometimes up, and sometimes down. The events and the happenings in our everyday lives are the ones that control our emotions. Others have depression due to life changes such as the death of a loved one. Others get depressed and feel overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness for no known reason. People with this disease are constantly battling against their own selves. Their minds are haunted by negativity, hopelessness, feelings of nothingness, and ultimate despair. In this situation, they unintentionally hurt their loved ones or the people around them because they are struggling hard to find their own ego, self-esteem, and real self. This is completely understandable. That is why their loved ones are supposed to support them, accept their feelings and stop making complaints. There are many things that can increase the chance of depression One of these is a family history of depression or because of its gene, it may increase the risk. It is thought that depression is a complex trait. Even after graduating or getting married, having personal problems such as social isolation or being cast out of a family or social group can lead to depression. But we all know that the major cause of it is the death or loss of someone they love. Some origins of depression come from inside homes, where domestic violence occurs and can highly affect children, including their mental health. Children exposed to violence are more likely to have difficulty in school, abuse alcohol, act aggressively, and suffer from depression or other mental health problems. According to the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA), 1 in 4 Filipino women ages 15–49 has experienced physical, emotional, or s****l violence by their husband or intimate partner in 2017. But despite all of this, the Violence Against Women (VAW) is taking action and it is their responsibility to take effort to alleviate or lessen these cases by helping the victims of domestic violence and also advocating mental health awareness.   There are different types and forms of depression. One example is the common major depressive disorder that is sometimes called major disorder, clinical depression, unipolar depression, or simply "depression." It lessens the interest or the mood of someone doing things that he usually likes to do. Another one is the persistent depressive disorder, also called dysthymia, a continuous long-term form of depression. A person experiencing this might lose interest in normal daily activities, feel hopeless and lack productivity, have low self-esteem and an overall feeling of inadequacy. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs and lows. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons and usually begins and ends at about the same times every year. Symptoms of SAD start in the fall and continue up to the winter and make the patient feel moody. Psychotic depression is a subtype of major depressive disorder that occurs when the psychosis could be hallucinations such as hearing voices that discourage the patient or delusions like intense feelings of worthlessness or failure. Lastly is the common experience by most new moms, the postpartum or "baby blues". After childbirth, they experience mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues typically begin within the first two or three days of a baby's birth and can last for several weeks due to a jumble of powerful emotions ranging from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety.There might be different types of depression because of the events in life and the chemical changes in the human brain, but despite all of its differences, they have only one similarity: the experience of feeling down.   Depressed people tend to hurt themselves in a particular area of their body that is linked to an earlier trauma. This causes them to feel aches and pains and makes them think of suicidal thoughts. Some prefer taking drugs or abusing alcohol. Patients experiencing this case skip meals while others overeat and gain weight, turning to food to lift their mood. Others suffer from psychological disorders such as being unable to sleep because of insomnia and anxiety. Others often feel sadness or the feeling of being down. Understanding people with this disorder is something difficult to cope with since they do not really share their problems with others; they just need love and affection from other people. The best thing to do is to talk to a family member or a friend to share your problems with, or go to a psychologist to ask for advice. To be better, it is better to do some exercise every day to lift your spirits and eat healthy foods. Learn to accept yourself and be better every day. Be confident and choose good friends that can help you cope with your problems.