There are different forms of depression, and they manifest differently from person to person.
Comedian and actress Nina Hastie share her journey with depression on the Kaya 959 Breakfast show. Nina says she suffers from manic depression. This is the most challenging form of depression to identify.
The award-winning comedian has had a tough life and survived mentally and physically. She has been a victim of sexual assault on three occasions and has overcome alcoholism and drug addiction.
Hastie has once shared that her own experiences have helped her understand the uncertainty and struggle many go through.
Many people find it difficult to understand that someone who is super bubbly could be depressed. The super high episodes are called “mania” or “manic episode”. These can be identified when someone is hyper, spends money overtly or has sex without thought of consequence.
View this post on Instagram
Her motivation to share her journey publicly is to destigmatize mental health and teach everyone to understand what depression is and how to support people living with depression.
“I feel like people don’t understand what it is, and it is easy for them to be unkind. It is a fatal condition that can lead to someone taking their own life if not appropriately treated. This is very serious, says the comedian Nina Hastie.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group says mental illness should be treated like any other health condition. SADAG says this will help to get rid of the stigma associated with it.
Listen to the full interview here:
