Sinethemba Shozi (22) from Kwamashu. “It was January 2020. At first it felt like I had a headache and it developed into a migraine. The doctor questioned my state of health and I couldn’t answer. I bust into tears. On that day I got diagnosed with depression and was admitted into a psychiatric ward,” explains Sinethemba Shozi.
“My mom fell pregnant when she was in grade 11. She always tell me that if she looks at me I remind her that she has failed in life by falling pregnant, which is why she loves me less,” says Sinethemba, with tears in her eyes
Experts say there’s a range of reasons that lead to depression among the youth – alcoholism, family issues, loneliness, academics and work stress. And it seems, Zanele is not alone.
Nozibuko Mokena (17) from Umlazi, found out that she was pregnant and informed her boyfriend when she was four weeks pregnant. She says, “A close friend instructed me to do an illegal abortion. The next morning I went to Dr Molly in Isipingo, I thought I was dying,” said Nozibuko.
“That was the day I became miserable and hopeless, mentally disturbed, regret and anxious,” she added.
Nozibuko explains, “Depression comes from the future and the past and people do not fake depression but they fake to be okay. Depression within the youth is extremely high, we live in a world where society have high expectations towards the youth, while trying to please our loved ones, that is where you lose yourself along the journey of life, depression is a silent killer. The youth is suffering.”
Depression steals away your youthfulness, depression is selfish. The youth is always a victim of depression and easy to became a victim of depression. In a global scale suicide within our youth has reached a high increase level which shows that our youth are really going through a lot. The youth is drowning in alcohol worldwide, in a battle of being okay in front of people but miserable in closed doors. The causes of youth depression is extremely deep and our parents are likely to be part and cause of depression, pressure and expectation from parents always pave Way for depression within the youth, Nobody cares about your depression until you commit suicide , Nozibuko added.
“DEPRESSION IS A SILENT KILLER”
Rosebank College self-awareness manager, Nokubonga Fuzile shares her experiences of working with young people. She outlined the cause of youth depression, She say, “Fast lifestyle, self-discovery, seeking for soft life and peer pressure. When you seek the soft life which is the new term the youth use to describe luxury lifestyle, they get to feel the pressure and temptation which leads to depression. What I have also witness as a lead and cause of depression is also the story of parenting and unresolved issues within our youth,” said Nokubonga.
The eduvation network has indicated that South Africa is not at all geared to address and really support all individuals who are suffering from mental health illness and statistics are supporting that, almost 3000 people commit suicide daily and every person who completes suicide 20 or more may attempt to end their lives and mostly youth ages from 10-19 mostly find themselves drown in depression and attempt to commit suicide.
Nobody cares about your depression until you commit suicide
Nomalanga (19) says being compared to her sister has had a major hand in her depression.“I’m my mother’s second born and my older sister is now a doctor. Being at home is more like putting myself to hell. I can not find peace at home. When I can’t find peace at home I prefer to go somewhere to find peace which is at a place called Masiphumule (rest/peace) if you want to drink, you drink or smoke or do whatever you want. And so, I started abusing drugs ,” said Nomalanga. Seeking for help is the best decision, “my parents discovered change in my life I became so aggressive and started to yell at my mother, forcing her to give me money but in God’s grace I received the best help in the world”, Nomalanga added.
Depression within our youth is triggered by life experiences and treatment they receive in life. Peer pressure also plays a huge role in leading your life to depression.
Aphiwe mthembu 