Together We Can Save Lives! #FightingDepressionWithSEF Campaign launches to combat Depression

“Hi. I don’t understand what is going on with me. Nothing seems to be working. I’ve been trying my hands on different things but nothing is ever successful. It’s been one year, I’m hopeless.” 

“I tried five times but the ropes were not strong enough. There is no ceiling fan in my house and no trees as well. I am afraid someone might stop me if I go to the Chemist to get drugs. I need to die.” 

“My child is very ill. I was reckless when I was pregnant with her. Now she suffers every day and it is all my fault. I can’t look at her for so long. Her smile is not how it should be. She is ugly because of me. I hate myself. I hate what I have become.” 

“The pain started three years ago. A constant throbbing pain in my stomach. I scream at night cause of it and I do not get up to two hours of sleep. I am under a lot of pressure and stress. I can’t concentrate, and no one knows what is wrong.”

“I am not depressed, God forbid. I feel worthless, insecure, hurt, sad, I am easily irritable, no one understands me, I do not see the point of living. People would never listen, never. But I know deep down, that I am not depressed.”

“Please do not tell anyone you are depressed. That marriage would never come.”

“People equate my wealth with happiness. They don’t know I need to consume a large amount of alcohol to sleep at night.” 

“I have prayed and prayed and I am tired of praying. Something is wrong somewhere. Please help me.” 

“I can’t talk. My people would laugh. They would call me weak, or worse, mad.”

These are common but serious narratives we hear every single day. A lot of people bottle up negative emotions and are afraid of the shame that comes with being tagged as “depressed”.

The Seraph Empowerment Foundation (SEF) is a non-profit organization that is focused on social empowerment through sustainable development. It has three core areas of focus which are quality education, health and poverty eradication. Their strategy is a select adoption of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

SEF recognizes the need to educate and inform people about this illness. The campaign on depression is geared towards helping people identify triggers, symptoms, self-help tips and understand what the illness is really about. Ultimately, the aim is to connect everyone who reaches out with a qualified mental health professional and ensure that they get the necessary help and support required for recovery. To make this campaign a success story, SEF has partnered with medical professionals, consultants and individuals who are passionate about this cause to offer expert medical knowledge and spread the word. Besides creating awareness, community building events and in-depth training sessions would be organized to empower the general public on all they need to know regarding the illness.

The first awareness day event would take place in May and further details would be shared in due time.

Watch Dr. Bolutife Oyatokun, a Senior Registrar at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital speak on depression:

If you are suffering from depression or know someone who might be, please reach out to us. For more information and to support the Seraph Empowerment Foundation, please send an email to [email protected] and visit any of the following pages:

Website – www.thesefoundation.com

Instagram – @sefoundation

Facebook– @thesefoundation

Twitter– @sefoundationng

Together, we can all save lives!

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