Mental Depression (精神郁郁症)

In my observations and experience in fieldwork, mental depression is the most misunderstood and mistreated mental illness in our modern time. Both educated and uneducated folks of all ages will suffer mental depression at one time or another.

Sadly in Asia, mental depression is normally treated as spirit possession and many tragedies resulted consequently. It is very difficult for me to tell parents that their child is not possessed but suffering mental depression. To the majority of Chinese community for example, mental depression equals to 'siao' (crazy) and this brings disgraces to the family.

It is rather the case that their child is possessed and be cured by a spirit medium even that this child must have intimate relationships with the said medium. Many cases I have seen that the child I was supposed to cure has actually became somehow insane after rounds of sexual assaults and harassment under the 'permissions' of his/her parents.

My pal's mother was perfectly healthy before 65 years old when working. He thought that his mother was too old to work, so he forbade his old mother to perform any duties until so much so that the old lady suffered serious mental depressions and jumped down from her flat.

Luckily that the old lady survived with broken bones and until today, she is still under medication. As to my pal, he had to watch over and take care of his mother around the clock.

Since mental depressed patients can do all sorts of behaviors that are not their normal selves such as committing suicides, injuring their love ones, throwing babies from windows etc.. people think that they are possessed by evil spirits. Having said so, it is normally too late to do anything to save lives.
There are many tell tale signs that one can pick up if he/she cares of course:

1. The eyes of a possessed person is glassy and dumb, while the eyes of a mental depressed person is very lively. At an angle, the sights of a mental depressed person looks somehow sinister. You will get a message: "I will get you!"

Before my pal's mother jumped down from her flat, he told his mother to 'chap sang' meaning watch your life and the old lady gave him a sort of cheeky look that I felt a sudden shiver. The hidden message was: "I want you to see what I will do..."

2. A possessed person is normally drowsy and sleepy and lethargic, on the other hand, a mentally depressed one would behave more vigorous than the ordinary as they gather their energy to do a 'big' thing.

3. A possessed person would not think or do things that would hurt himself/herself. Just think for a while why does a ghost want to destroy a new house it has gained? So when a person talked about death, injuries, useless, pains etc. pessimistic issues; it is of his/her own will and not of the 'ghost'.
The best way to cure mental depressions is to prevent it from becoming serious. Bear in mind that everyone will have some sort of mental depression or another at any point in time.

There are some DIY points that I found effective at the initial stage:

1. Change your life style.
2. Pick up a hobby.
3. Find someone to talk to. This can be difficult as not many people you can talk to is a kind person. Many conman would take this opportunity to fish your money. Actually, to old folks, the best persons for them to talk to are their children.

I have spent much time with those people who thought to be possessed but later found that there were actually suffering mental depressions. Sadly speaking, not many people can be helped or willing to be helped. Helping the mental depressed requires resources that is beyond my ability.