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Thee Pluto battling depression, asks for prayers


In a heartbreaking confession, content creator Thee Pluto (Robert Ndegwa) has revealed his ongoing battle with depression, saying it is “slowly eating me from the inside”.

Pluto opened up about his illness on his Instagram Stories. Prior to this post, he shared another one while in a car with the caption, “Taking a few days long drive”.

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Another post shows him driving somewhere with tea plantations.

Despite their social media posts showing exotic locations and captions expressing joy and happiness, celebrities are not immune to mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

Contrary to popular belief, many celebrities have struggled with depression despite their success.

Mulamwah, Grace Ekirapa, Mejja, Betty Kyallo, Betty Bayo, Ciru Muriuki, Kimani Mbugua and many others are among the celebrities who have battled depression.

But depression is not a condition that only affects celebrities; according to the World Health Organization’s 2020 report, Kenya was ranked sixth with the highest number of depression cases among African countries.

In the report, a total of 1.9 million cases of depression were reported in Kenya by 2022.

The report shows that the number of people with depression has increased by 18 per cent since 2005.

Depression is a mental disorder characterised by persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities.

It is also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression. Depression can affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, behaviour and overall functioning, resulting in a variety of emotional and physical symptoms.

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Common symptoms of depression include

Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness

Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities

Tiredness or lack of energy

Insomnia or sleeping too much

Changes in appetite and weight

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Irritability or agitation

Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt

Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

The exact cause of depression is not fully understood, but it is thought to involve a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors.

Several risk factors can make a person more susceptible to developing depression, such as a family history of depression, chronic medical conditions, substance abuse, or experiencing traumatic events.

Treatment for depression usually involves a combination of psychotherapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy), medication (antidepressants) and lifestyle changes (exercise, a healthy diet and stress reduction). In some cases, more advanced treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (RTMS) may be considered.

It is important for people experiencing symptoms of depression to seek help from a mental health professional, as early intervention and appropriate treatment can significantly improve their quality of life.

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