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ERC Commissioner, Neaz Subhan, details struggles with depression in book
Dealing with depression: Neaz Subhan
Neaz Subhan’s book on depression and suicide
Kaieteur News – Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Commissioner, Neaz Subhan, has written a book titled “Coming Back: An Escape from Suicide” centered on his battle with depression over the years.
He had surprised many with an admission that is unusual in Guyana, generally a conservative society.
He appeared on Kaieteur Radio’s “The Wake-Up Guyana Show,” hosted by senior journalist, Leonard Gildarie, on Monday, and opened up about his challenges with depression and how he overcame it.
Subhan is no stranger to the media, having served as director of the state’s Government Information Agency. He is well-known as an actor, playwright and former TV host for the “Guyana Today” morning talk show.
Back in 2013, Subhan won the ‘Best Playwright Award’ for the play ‘When Chocolate Melts,’ which was based on domestic violence.
His book has 184 pages and seeks to highlight his personal experience with suicide and depression, while offering advice to persons who might be struggling with the same mental issues.
In his interview with Gildarie, Subhan was candid, disclosing that he has been suffering from depression for about four years, and there was a combination of things that led him down that path.
These included various challenges in his life as well as social issues and the lack of confidence. He stated that during that phase, he became very withdrawn from the people closest to him and forced himself to put on a smile, because he did not want them to feel burdened or know what he was going through.
Subhan explained that it got to a point where he didn’t want to live anymore and attempted to end his life on various occasions. He recalled one night he was driving home on the East Bank of Demerara Road, and he wanted to crash onto it and take his life.
He had also revealed that he remembered a woman named ‘Norma,’ who was like a second mother.
“I remember having a conversation with her sometime back and she saw that I wasn’t myself. She asked what was happening and I told her it was just some stress I’m going through. She said pray, pray harder, pray consistently, and ask for strength.”
According to Subhan, he followed her advice and that is when he also realized that he needed to seek help. He decided to start therapy and there he got the idea of writing a book. He said the doctor advised him to write about his depression, because since he naturally liked writing, it might have been therapeutic for him and there was also the possibility that it could help other people.
He began writing his book and had completed most of it in January this year.
But his challenges were far from over.
His mind was tested after he was placed in isolation for more than seven weeks.
He was one of the early ones to test positive for COVID-19 and was isolated.
It was a painful experience. In the hospital, he could not see his family and recalled his son waving to him.
Death surrounded him.
Subhan sought help from doctors, and they counseled and supported him through some dark days.
But it also encouraged him to complete his writing, and he added a chapter based on his experience with COVID-19.
Subhan hopes that with his book, he can bring more awareness to suicide and break the “tabooism” and help those who might be suffering from it.
It was printed right in Guyana, he says.
His book is available at the Austin’s Book Store and the Giftland Mall for $3,000.
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