This archive report was first published on 5 November 2019.
A Must Read: How Depression Nearly Killed Me ¶
Published on November 5, 2019
Depression is a silent killer that can affect anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. For one man, depression nearly took his life, but he found the strength to fight back and share his story with the world.
He recalls a time when life was unfair and cruel, and everything he knew and fancied turned out to be the things that brought him more sorrow, tears, and sleepless nights. He lost his house, children, clients, money, and dignity, and was left with nothing but the pain of his mistakes.
He went through hell, feeling alone and abandoned by friends who no longer wanted to associate with him. He had no one to run to but God, and he cried every night for him to reveal himself in vain. His heart was in pieces, and his body was in pain, and he contemplated suicide not once, not twice, but a hundred times.
However, he was held back by something he couldn't understand at the time, which he now knows was his Graceful God. He realized that many people smile, walk alone, and talk to themselves in broad daylight, but assume they are okay. He urges people to check on their friends and family to know how they are doing, as a simple 'how are you doing' can change someone's mind from committing suicide.
He is grateful to his family and his now-wife, Jessy Omwa, for their constant prayers and encouragement. He shares his story to raise awareness about depression and to encourage others to speak up and seek help.
He shares five key takeaways from his experience:
- Men suffer domestic violence not because they can't protect themselves but because they try to be gentlemen who never raise their hands on women.
- Men will die behind a plastic smile with a burden so heavy, and no one will know because no one cares to know how they are doing.
- Men want to cry to let go of the pressure inside them, but society stigmatizes them, branding them as weak.
- Men are family people full of love for their children, who they are often denied access to in trying to prove a point by abusive bitter women.
- Before judging someone who walked out of their marriage, find out the circumstances that led to that walkout, and you will be surprised just how strong they have been all through.
He concludes by urging people to never judge others, to never take the people in their lives for granted, and to not hurt or mistreat others, as they might just be the reason why they take their lives. He also encourages men to speak up and seek help if they are going through similar struggles.
