She didn’t know what it was or what to do. The powerful New York City-based public relations mogul, who had represented clients such as Janet Jackson, Eddie Murphy and Miles Davis as founder of the Terrie Williams Agency, ignored her symptoms. She wore a mask, pretending everything was normal but some days she didn’t want to get out of bed. It got so bad; she cut off communication with friends and family for days.
Williams was diagnosed with clinical depression. After revealing her story in Essence magazine, she received more than 10,000 letters from others silently suffering. She wrote “Black Pain: It Only Looks Like We’re Not Hurting,” the first book on African Americans and depression.
“I saw a community that was literally dying, in crisis, and didn’t know why,” she told Michel Martin during a National Public Radio interview. “We don’t know what our pain looks like. We don’t know what it feels like. We don’t know what it sounds like, because everybody’s walking around with the face. And so you think that people are fine when they really aren’t.”
Dating back to slavery, she explained, black people have masked their pain. It’s inherited from parents and perpetuates. It shows up as anger, substance abuse, promiscuous sex, unprotected sex, excessive shopping, gambling, and hurting and killing one another.
If you know something is not right, it’s time to see a doctor.
A report published in the “Archives of General Psychiatry” says an estimated 14.8 million Americans ages 18 and older are affected by major depression every year.
The National Institute of Health reported that about 80 percent of people who try conventional treatment methods improved in four to six weeks. But half of these patients stop treatment because of side effects or fear of addiction.
Natural remedies to treat depression have shown promise as antidepressant therapy, or can complement medication. With any regiment, consult your doctor before getting started.
Here are some suggested natural remedies for depression:
- Eat clean. Maintain a healthy diet, avoiding junk food, white sugar and flour, fried or processed foods. Drink at least eight to 10 cups of water and eat at least eight fruits and vegetable daily.
- Work out. Exercise for at least a half hour five times each week.
- Feel the sun. Get at least 20 minutes of sunshine and fresh air. Work in the yard, visit a park or sit on your porch. Being outside increases feel-good hormones, endorphins and serotonin, and will make you feel more optimistic.
- Take a multi-vitamin and add Vitamin D, Vitamin B Complex and Omega 3 oils. Many depressed people often have vitamin deficiencies, which adversely affect us physically and emotionally.
- Get some sleep. Getting eight hours of sleep each night will reduce fatigue brain fog.
- Be grateful. Keep a gratitude journal; focusing on the great things in your life will help you have a more positive perspective.
- Listen to music. Research has shown listening to favorite songs can uplift your spirits and help you feel better. Dancing and singing along will lower stress levels.
- Say affirmations. Repeating positive messages such as “I am healthy and a reflection of divine love,” will help you believe it, and your body and mind will follow.
Paul Bridgewater, President and CEO, Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA), hosts “The Senior Solution” on WCHB Newstalk 1200AM, Saturdays at 10 a.m. DAAA is located at 1333 Brewery Park Blvd., Suite 200, Detroit, MI 48207; (313) 446-4444; www.detroitseniorsolution.com.