Depression is an ongoing struggle that still faces several taboos and stigmas in society. It is due to these stigmas and taboos that those suffering from it fail to realize that it is ultimately a medical condition needing treatment, and ultimately, when the illness takes a toll on them, they go on to take their own lives. This project is a necessary intervention in preventing suicide and improving mental health, not only nationally, but also globally.

 

The organisers at RC Caduceus decided to do an online project to spread awareness and break stigmas regarding depression. Target groups were patients of depression and those around them. The aim was to achieve empathy and not sympathy.

 

The message to the patients was to hold on, and continue to fight, with a promise of a better tomorrow. Those around the patients were told how to identify the signs of depression and encourage those suffering from depression to seek treatment – something that can potentially reduce suicide mortalities drastically.
 

Via text, volunteers were gathered. They were given information regarding suicide awareness and prevention as well as depression, and carried this information forth in their respective colleges and neighbourhoods.

 

As an impact assessment, the volunteers were asked to send in write-ups on what message they took back from the campaign. The best write up was chosen and published on the Caduceus Facebook page. The project is now ready to be passed onto the next avenue for the new month.

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The volunteers learned a lot more regarding depression through the campaign. They were able to effectively disseminate the targeted messages via word of mouth communication to those around them. The project was purposely kept informal in order to achieve greater efficacy in terms of the audiences reached.