Publisher Betty Irabor Speaks On Her Struggle With Depression

Nigerian columnist, philanthropist, writer, publisher and founder of Genevieve magazine, Betty Irabor, has opened about her struggle with depression.

She took to her Twitter handle on Monday, February 28, to recount her encounter with a doctor in a psychiatric department in Dubai.

Irabor wrote;

“I remember sitting at the psychiatric department of the Iranian hospital in Dubai waiting for my turn to see a doctor. I was past being shamed or stigmatised. Besides, no one knew me here, I was no one important…just another psychiatric patient.

Betty Irabor…please proceed to…’ I knocked and entered the consulting room. ‘Who prescribed all these medicines for you?’ The doctor asked after seeing my collection of antidepressants. ’You don’t need these, they are too many.’

He sorted them and told me which to continue with & which to dispose of immediately. The truth was, while a few were based on doctors’ prescriptions, I was also self-medicating. At the end of my consultation, I felt great. I understood a little more of the nature of my illness.”

I left the hospital with my head high and a bubbly spirit…But it wasn’t quite the happy ending I expected… Depression persisted…..I just could not find peace amidst the turmoil…Mental illness sucks big time.

I began to find peace when I realised how much learning and unlearning I had to do. I was tired of self-pity and this thing that was consuming my life… I did not only want my life back, I wanted to be an even better version…It was time to fix me.

How did I go about it? I embarked on a journey of self-evaluation and self-discovery. I made peace with my past and then forgave everyone including myself.”