In line with Mental Awareness Health week, I am writing this piece with a hope that everyone has an open mind and welcoming heart to embrace this issue. I, myself, suffer from it.
Recently, Nadine Lustre’s brother also committed suicide.
And sadly, everyone is quick to judge. But when you ask them if they’ve felt or suffered from it – or at least know what it (depression) means, they couldn’t really describe it.
American Psychiatric Association describes depression (or major depressive disorder) as:
A common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.
Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.
Symptoms may be the same, but the organization explains that they may vary depending on the severity of the following symptoms:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Symptoms must last at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression.
Furthermore, other diseases like a thyroid problem, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency can mimic symptoms of depression, so it is important to visit your family doctor once in a while. Only doctors can diagnose whether or not it’s a depression. Therefore, to rule out rule out depression, seek medical help as soon as possible.
READ: Health: 8 Signs Your Thyroid Needs to be Checked ASAP
Even though it’s treatable, people diagnosed or suffering from depression may do unusual things. They can be suicidal. In fact, even famous Hollywood personalities and celebrities suffer from this. Some took their lives, and with a heavy heart, here are some of the famous personalities who committed suicide due to depression.
Kurt Cobain
Image credit: Getty Images
Nirvana frontman and vocalist Kurt Cobain was a victim of depression. His depression was everywhere in his music. The 27-year-old musician was credited for starting the grunge movement in the 90’s. According to his biography, he tried committing suicide twice but the first attempt failed. Sadly, on April 5, 1994, Cobain took a shotgun to his mouth and pulled the trigger.
Cobain was survived by his wife Courtney Love and adorable daughter, who was just a year old when her dad committed suicide.
Robin Williams
A screenshot from one of my favorite movies Patch Adams.
Who would’ve thought that this Oscar-winning actor, comedian, and cited as one of the best actors in Hollywood was struggling with depression? None of us knew. His suicide made everyone mourn on and offline.
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Robin Williams made a lot of movies that made us laugh and smile from his TV show Mork and Mindy to his films Hook, Flubber, Jack, Jumanji, Mrs. Doubtfire, Goodwill Hunting, Dead Poets Society, and much more. What we didn’t know was he was fighting depression most of his life, which was reportedly due to his bipolar disorder.
As stated in the news, he committed suicide by hanging himself on his bedroom doorknob on Aug. 11, 2014, in Tiburon, California.
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