Mind Magazine July 2017 Mind Magazine July 2017 | Page 7

Real-life inspiration
Finding a way
forward
Jaabir’s mood swings and anxiety led to
isolation and loneliness. But since getting
a diagnosis for his mental health problems,
he’s learning new ways to cope.
‘The overwhelming loneliness
and feeling of emptiness
have gone hand in hand for
me with the depression,’ says
Jaabir Ramlugon. ‘When I’m
very low, I find it difficult to
reach out and ask for help,
because you feel like you’re
intruding on people’s time.’
The starting point
Thirty-one-year-old Jaabir
was diagnosed with
depression and borderline
personality disorder (BPD)
– also known as emotionally
unstable personality
disorder (EUPD) – in early
2016. Before this, he’d
reached a point where he
was struggling to find a
reason not to end his life.
It’s been a long journey ,
but Jaabir’s diagnosis has
helped him understand his
feelings and take time to
focus on getting well.
A pattern of behaviour
‘Depression is something
that has been with me for
many years,’ Jaabir explains.
‘I’ve had extreme mood
swings and social anxiety
for a long time. But I just
didn’t realise what it was.
‘I’d been to the GP several
times, and each visit led
to antidepressants and
maybe a short course of
therapy, then I’d go back
to my previous life. And
then I’d get ill again,
and it became a pattern.
It happened many times,
because I wasn’t tackling
the cause.
Mind Magazine 7