Celebrity Dad, Owen Gee Story of His Personal Battle With Depression Will Inspire You

To the world, Comedian and TV personality, Owen Gee, known more for his skits, is a happy man. But as they say, all that glitters is not gold.

While speaking at a new initiative, Live and Not Die, an initiative charged with the responsibility of campaigning against suicide in the country, Owen Gee who has joined the campaign against Nigerians committing suicide, opened up on his personal experience and battle with depression.

The married father of two revealed that he almost committed suicide in 2017 when he was faced by some challenges of life, Punch reports.

“I have had suicidal tendencies. Last year, I tried several things, but they did not work out. It was not because the ideas were bad, but the people I was working with just didn’t let them work out. Then anxiety and depression set in.

It was then I realised that no drug could calm depression. There was hardly anyone I didn’t take. There was a time I was sleeping on drugs.

There was a particular yellow tablet that, if I took it on Tuesday, on Wednesday I would only be prompted to barely wake up, eat and go back to sleep even before I finished eating. I would not wake up until Thursday.”

The comedian, however further gave an explanation on how he was able to overcome the situation. He mentioned that all he needed to do was face reality and come up with solutions to his challenges because he felt he had to live not just for himself, but to take care of his children and wife.

He appealed to Nigerians to stop leading fake lives which he said is very prevalent in the entertainment sector which he is a part of.

With Kunle Pelemo as the convener, the programme held in Lagos encouraged several professionals to share their experiences while experts proffered solutions to depression.

READ ALSO: 8 Ways to Fight Depression

According to Pelemo, suicide is so rampant that the World Health Organisation affirmed that it is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. WHO, he added, noted that about a million people committed suicide annually.

Pelemo thus believes that it is important to take a conscious and sustained effort to tackle the menace. He told the stakeholders that gathered at the Empowerment Centre, Allen Avenue, Ikeja,

“The idea and passion for suicide prevention dawned on me after my intervention helped to prevent a friend and protégé from carrying out the destructive act.

At LAND, we realise that there is always a gap between the period of suicide ideation and the act. If we care enough to render support to people prone to suicide, we will achieve a zero-suicide society.”

Other people shared their experiences and offered motivational ideas at the programme.

They all expressed the need for everyone to see life as a system of ups and downs, with all of them agreeing that challenges, no matter how tough, are often a stepping stone to breakthroughs.