‘We often use the words, “I’m depressed” to mean I am stressed out. But did you know depression is actually a long term mental illness which, if not handled properly, can lead to to some people taking their own lives?
From experience, I can say that in most cases, we often blame the victim rather than helping them. How can you find out whether your significant other is going through depression? Kindly note that I’m not a professional counsellor but rather, simply sharing my own experiences. So here goes:
Has your partner suddenly changed their attitude towards you and/or other people? Have they suddenly become withdrawn and want to be alone?
Many a time when we notice these changes, we either respond by being cold or harsh towards our spouse. Similarly, when parents notice withdrawal or changes in their children, they sometimes become harsh instead of finding out what the issue is. How about Friends? How many times have we seen changes in a friend and rather than criticise them, we instead tell them how proud of them we are?
Depression in women and men may vary for different reasons. Situations that cause depression in women such as post-labour depression may be unique to our gender making it difficult for men to respond appropriately. This often means that a depressed person may interpret this reaction as cold and they withdraw even more which in the end, may result in break ups or even divorce.
Has your spouse, parent, child or friend suddenly changed or become withdrawn? Please reach out to them and offer them support instead of expecting them to get their act together. After all, you could be the help they need to get their life back together again. To get a male perspective on this, please read Mitchell’s post HERE
