Useful Youth Vision Concepts (UYVC), an NGO, has advised depressed youths to talk to someone they trust or seek mental health professionals for help.
The President of the NGO, Mrs. Adetokunbo Shonibare, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
According to her, depression is not a sign of weakness but something that could happen to anybody.
Shonibare said that the life changes that came with ageing could lead to depression, therefore the condition was common in older people.
She said this was however often overlooked and untreated, calling on youths to try and live positive lives in order to prevent depression when they grew old.
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“The signs and symptoms of depression can include loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, withdrawing from close family and friends, relying on alcohol, hard drugs, sedatives and unable to concentrate.
“Others are feeling tired all the time, headache and muscle pains, sleep problems, loss or change of appetite and significant weight loss or gain.
“These signs may defer from individual to individual hence the need to seek professional help,” she said.
The NGO boss said the organisation would create a platform to raise awareness on the need for countries to give more focus to prevention and treatment of depression.
“Depression can be treated; the first step is talking. If you think you have depression speak out.
“The condition is treatable with talking therapies or antidepressant medication or a combination of these.
“There is a lot that you can do to keep mentally strong. If you feel that you may be heading for depression, talk to someone you trust or seek professional help.
“If you live with someone with depression, you can help them recover but you need to take care of yourself too,” she said. (NAN)
