Exams were also approaching, which only added to her stress. She resorted to eating everything and anything she came across, then hurling after every meal. She began experimenting with drugs, supposedly to make herself feel better, and soon became very withdrawn. Yolande is not alone. The problem is that depression carries a stigma of weakness and the lack of ability to cope with life's daily challenges.
Many depressed people are reluctant to publicly declare their condition.
When you have cancer, everyone rallies around to support you, but when you have a mental illness, no-one wants to be there. For many youngsters, adolescence is a time of discovering one's self and having fun. But many battle with the challenges that come with puberty - the need to be accepted by peers, developing your own identity, economic problems and the pressures society exerts on young people. She felt under tremendous pressure to do well at school and to fit in with her peers. She attempted suicide a number of times before eventually getting help.