The number of Fijians suffering from depression has risen in the wake of stressful events, such as last year's Cyclone Winston.
The World Health Organisation estimates that there are more than 30,000 people in Fiji living with depression.
WHO mental health officer for the Pacific region, Yataro Setoya says that while there is still a stigma attached to depression, Fiji has made some progress in raising awareness.
But he told Sara Vui-Talitu that communities still need to encourage people who are depressed to seek help early.
Seven people died in Nasau Village, Koro Island, Fiji during Cyclone Winston which hit in February 2016
Photo: Supplied/Fiji Red Cross
Transcript
YATARO SETOYA : So any stress leads to depression and so Fiji has gone through a lot in the past year. We had a Cyclone Winston that came and many people washed away or they lost their house relatives and their families. And so that kind of stress leads to increased depression, stress and anxiety. And also things like poverty or domestic violence or abuse or whatever. Any stress, everyday stress, so it could be economic stress or everyday stress or it could also be like acute stress like having a cyclone or an accident. That kind. So sometimes all the stress can add up, and people can become depressed and so yes, anything like after any disaster like a cyclone or conflict in many countries it can lead to higher rates of depression.
SARA VUI-TALITU: So how can people help each other in relation to a loved one or friend who is depressed?
YS: Traditionally Fiji has a very strong cultural bond with the family and the community. And so I think they have a natural resilience to that. Like when the community gets things washed away and many people have a lot of solidarity and help each other and that helps a lot. Community bonding helps a lot to be a kind of barrier or protective factor to becoming depressed. And so I think in many Pacific countries, including Fiji, they have this community bonding and a more relaxed lifestyle and so that will help them not to develop depression. But at the same time there are a lot of people who are depressed and can't talk about depression in the community. Many women think and a lot of health workers out in the community realise that there is a lot of people out there in the community who are depressed but people don't know about it but they get called lazy or useless. So it is an issue and many people are not receiving treatment.
SVT: How does Fiji compare to the other islands in terms of combating depression?
YS: Fiji has been strengthening their mental health system and so compared to other Pacific Island countries because they are a little bit bigger and they have done a lot over the past few years. They have developed a mental health app and a mental health policy and they have had a psychotic hospital and they have also developed a lot of stress management work in various areas and also training at the family health care level for general doctors and nurses across Fiji and so I think of course there is still quite a lot to do but still I think it is going along in the right direction.
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