Depression rises as crisis drags on<\/p>\n
Feeling blue? In a funk? Join the crowd -- many people are
\nfeeling the stress of living in uncertain times. For some,
\nit can mean a bout of severe depression.The Jakarta Post's
\nRikza Abdullah looks at the causes of the condition, its
\ntreatment and what you can do to keep out of the doldrums.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Businesswoman \"Ina\" came to Cipto Mangunkusmo
\nGeneral Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta complaining of chronic
\nmigraines.<\/p>\n
But doctors found it was not a textbook case of prescribing a
\ncouple of aspirins and having her call them in the morning.<\/p>\n
They were nonplussed when laboratory tests came up empty;
\neventually the 39 year old was referred to the hospital's
\npsychiatric department.<\/p>\n
It was only through a series of interviews that the cause of
\nthe woman's troubles -- depression -- surfaced.<\/p>\n
\"We found out that she always became nervous when she received
\na phone call from her husband or a staff member from the office,\"
\nRSCM psychiatrist Irmansyah said. \"After developing our interview
\nfrom that point, we discovered that she felt extremely depressed
\nby the low education of her husband and the failure of his
\nbusiness.<\/p>\n
\"The psychosomatic symptoms occurred because she couldn't
\ncomplain to anyone else about her psychological stress.\"<\/p>\n
Ina is one of the many who suffer from overwhelming feelings
\nof sadness, dejection and listlessness which add up to
\ndepression. It's a human condition known throughout time, but now
\nit is increasingly striking the ranks of the country's business
\nexecutives during the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Indonesians are not alone. Depression in the workplace is now
\nthe second most disabling disease for workers after heart
\ndisease, an International Labor Organization survey of workers in
\nBritain, the United States, Germany, Finland and Poland found.<\/p>\n
One in 10 workers is suffering from depression, anxiety,
\nstress or burnout, the survey, released on Tuesday in conjunction
\nwith World Mental Health Day, said.<\/p>\n
It costs a major price tag, too, with stressed-out workers
\nfalling sick or being too depressed to drag themselves out of bed
\nto go to work.<\/p>\n
For Indonesians, there has been the double blow of the crisis
\n-- with pink slips landing on desks across the country -- and the
\nfits and starts on the road to democracy after 32 years under
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Abu Ardi, who says repeatedly that he would like to go insane
\nfor a month, is one of the new victims of depression.<\/p>\n
The 45 year old had reason to be feeling down after his joint
\nventure company suffered huge foreign exchange losses in the
\ncrisis. He began to suffer from fitful sleep as his worries
\nmounted, taking sleeping pills before getting help for his
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
Psychiatrist Muhammad Muadz, director of the Islamic
\nPsychiatric Hospital in Malaka Jaya, East Jakarta, said the
\nnumber of patients visiting his hospital increased following the
\nonset of the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the patients initially complain of physical
\nillnesses, but we later find out that they have no problems with
\ntheir physical organs and their pain is caused by psychological
\nproblems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Medical internist Lukman Ali Husin of the state Persahabatan
\nHospital in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, said more than half of
\npatients complaining of hypertension, migraines, dyspepsia,
\nasthma and eczema were experiencing psychological problems, such
\nas stress or depression.<\/p>\n
The problem is that sufferers, either through shame or
\nignorance, do not seek out the help they need.<\/p>\n
\"But I'm concerned that most Indonesians are still not aware
\nabout such mental illness and many sufferers of major depression
\ndon't think about the importance of looking for help for the
\ntreatment of their illness,\" Irmansyah said.<\/p>\n
Severe depression often results in psychosomatic symptoms,
\nsuch as migraines, hypertension, asthma and digestive problems,
\nand sufferers often tend to first visit physicians, who then
\nprescribe drug treatment for the physical complaints.<\/p>\n
It is only after the drugs fail to help that physicians wake
\nup to the possibility of a psychological cause and refer them to
\npsychiatrists, by which time the depression is likely to have
\nworsened.<\/p>\n
RSCM's psychiatric department treats about 40 out-patients
\ndaily, most of them referred by physicians.<\/p>\n
Acceptable<\/p>\n
Of course, it's easier for many people to admit physical
\nillness -- and gain sympathy -- than own up to emotional
\nproblems, which might be construed by others as indicating
\nweakness.<\/p>\n
The problem is that being unable to vent one's feelings can
\nexacerbate depression.<\/p>\n
Depression can hit people of all ages, social, ethnic and
\nracial groups. Women, however, are two times more likely to
\ndevelop depression than men, according to Frank Bruno in
\nOvercoming Depression. About 15 percent of women and 8 percent of
\nmen will battle depression for a \"significant\" period of their
\nlives. At certain points during their lives, about 6 percent of
\nwomen and 3 percent of men will experience depression, Bruno
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Irmansyah believed the figure was likely to be higher today
\nbecause life expectancy was longer, the prevalence of chronic
\ndiseases was on the rise and there was also greater consumption
\nof depressive drugs, like reserpin, corticosteroid, contraceptive
\npills and major tranquilizers.<\/p>\n
Experts say it is often up to the individual to recognize if
\ndepression in its early stages. Depression may be indicated by
\nfeelings of intense sadness over an extended period (more than
\ntwo weeks), loss of interest in hobbies, difficulties in
\nsleeping, feelings of guilt, loss of appetite, poor concentration
\nand reluctance to make decisions. Physical symptoms can include
\ndigestive illnesses or changes in blood pressure.<\/p>\n
If the depression becomes more serious and is left untreated,
\npeople may become suicidal.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Indonesian Psychiatric Association,
\nSasanto Wibisono, said an individual who was at the initial stage
\nof depression could go to the private office of a psychiatrist or
\na clinical psychologist for psychological consultation.<\/p>\n
If the depression was serious, they should visit clinics or
\nhospitals for comprehensive treatment, he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/depression-rises-as-crisis-drags-on-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}