Depression: How Do You Deal With Internal Pain?

Internal pain is more than the tears we cry or the smiles we fake. It’s physically emotional. If you experience persistent sadness and a lack of interest in activities you would normally enjoy, accompanied by the inability to perform your daily tasks, you could be suffering from depression. If these symptoms last longer than two weeks, this should raise a red flag.

Despite depression’s prevalence in the world, it is still a taboo topic. The stigma surrounding mental illness is one of the biggest barriers to mental healthcare, preventing depression from being qualified as a health priority. According to health authorities, this stigma results in something known as social distancing: those who suffer from depression feel increasingly isolated from others. As a result, you may be more afraid to open up about it, leaving the illness untreated.

Why do people treat internal and external pain differently?

Physical injuries are there for everyone to see, but depression is emotional and often feels impossible to describe to other people. Yet it is just as debilitating as a broken arm or leg – often more so. Additionally, sources such as Psychology Today have stated: “80% of people with clinical depression are not being treated for their symptoms, which can include a loss of interest in activities, disturbances in sleep and appetite, and low self-esteem – and going without treatment can increase the likelihood of suicide.”

Negative stereotypes about this condition are embedded into our thinking from a young age. As children, we grew up referring to those with the illness as “weak” or “crazy”. Many people perceive them to be dangerous. This bias is even seen among professionals within the healthcare industry. Therefore, it is crucial that we remove this stigma and educate ourselves about the seriousness of depression.

It is perfectly normal to feel sad sometimes. However, if you cannot seem to shake the feeling and it’s affecting your daily life, you may have clinical depression. There are many different types of depression and treatments, and it’s important to find the right one for you. Often, due to the stigma around the illness, we do not realize the variety of ways in which depression can manifest itself within us. As a result, we begin to feel isolated and lonely, which may be detrimental to our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

There are many different types of depression:

• Major depressive disorder
• Persistent depressive disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Psychotic depression
• Peripartum (postpartum) depression
• Situational depression
• Atypical depression

Although they have unique symptoms and affect us differently, they all require immediate attention. increases the risk of other internal problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Patients and families need to be educated about its impact on our behaviour, mentality and body. Have you ever heard phrases such as “Cowboys don’t cry” or “Just get over it”? We have, and this often leads to feeling that we’re somehow not in need of medical help. As a result, we downplay the effect of this problem.

Depression is real.

It is no different from other illnesses. The first step is to talk about it. Real help is out there! The question is: Do you have a medical aid that guarantees you a full treatment programme for depression? You might not. If you’re a Fedhealth member, we’re standing by to help. If you suspect that you or a loved one might be suffering from this condition, you no longer need to feel alone.

Fedhealth stands by its philosophy: “family takes care of family”. For us, it’s more than just medical coverage. We care about your wellbeing and about creating a community that feels like home.

Introducing the FedHealth Mental Health Program

You no longer need to feel alone. Our program uses innovative solutions to assist with the correct treatment of depression and other mental health disorders. It promotes:

• Greater reduction in mental health symptoms;
• Greater rates of care for mental health;
• Improvement in quality of life;
• Less functional impairment;
• Better patient satisfaction;
• Better provider satisfaction; and
• Lower total healthcare costs in the medium and long term.

In order to succeed, you must actively participate in your treatment. We educate both you and your family, and you receive ongoing support through our Care Managers and community support groups. Never feel as if you have to keep quiet again.

Contact us

Fedhealth offers a number of great value-added benefits, like the Mental Health Programme. To see how our family can take care of yours, contact the scheme today on 0860 002 153 or visit the following link .