HOW BEST TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION
By Mwala Mooto
It’s saddening to see a number of young people giving up on life by commiting suicide. Friends life is full of ups and downs but suicide is never a solution. In July 2018 I quit my job to pursue my dream of starting a business. I had high hopes such that despite many people discouraging me I went ahead to resign and I was determined to prove them wrong.
I moved to the farm in my incomplete house with a K30,000 gratuity to start keeping broilers. within 2 months the business collapsed and I had a bank loan to service. That was the beginning of trouble for me, the bank was on my neck, I accumulated debt from microfinance institutions, money lenders and shylocks, I could clearly see my life going down hill. From having a successful career in a reputable organization I was reduced to nothing; no car, no food, finished clothes and a mountain of debt.
I couldn’t open up to anyone coz I feared they would redicule me and go out there to share the story of how the flamboyant young Finance Manager has fallen in pursuit of entrepreneurship. I became withdrawn, sleeping the whole day and often cried at night. I drowned into depression and often times the thought of ending it all lingered around but I brushed it aside. I left the farm and moved to live with my sister who welcomed me and often encouraged me to start looking for a Job. One day I woke up and told my self I need professional help, I went to one of the government clinics to seek the services of a counselor. She was very polite and welcomed me, I narrated my situation and asked how I can be helped.
We scheduled some counselling sessions and she also prescribed some Antidepressant pills I was to be taking for about 3 months. That was the beginning of my recovery from depression, I religiously went for counseling 3 times in a week and took my medication until I was ready to face the world again.
I know people are vindictive and very quick to say we told you or we knew this will happen. Therefore sometimes it’s better to speak to a stranger who is a professional and admit that you have a problem which requires professional help as I did.
After just 1 month of counselling and taking my medication I was ready to face the world once again. I got back on my laptop to seek for funding for my business. Within a few weeks I won a consulting contract with the African union that saw me traveling across the SADC region, I was selected among the 2019 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs and received $5,000 funding in addition to the $20,000 I received from the African Union, and $7,000 from the SEED Awards. My life was back on track actually more glamourous than before, flying around the world from Belgium to Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and across the SADC region. In 2019 I got married and moved back at the farm to restart my business.
When I look back now I ask myself what if I completely gave up? Our business has grown to a total work force of 23 full-time staff, I have a daughter I love Soo much and a supportive wife by my side. I could have lost out on all this if I gave up during the time of adversity.
My message to anyone going through depression is seek professional help. Almost every government hospital or clinic has a trained social counselor you can access for free. They are also drugs available to assist you overcome depression. Suicide is never a solution actually you will just be transferring your pain to those you love and they will have to live with the guilty of failing you for the rest of their lives. Get help and restart your life, I did that and it worked.