How Acting Saved Me from Depression – Dakore Egbuson

Nollywood actress Dakore Egbuson reveals that she suffered from depression after the birth of her daughter.

In an interview on With Chude, the mother of two said her “seemingly perfect life” deteriorated because of postpartum depression.

According to her, “I had some slight complications after the birth of my daughter. I was in a sad state, and I just slipped into postpartum depression,” Dakore said. “I didn’t even realise it when it started happening.”

The 42-year-old actress said a conversation with a trusted, older friend helped her identify the source of her sudden and recurrent mood swings. She then visited a specialist in pregnancy and female reproductive health; and this was when Dakore confirmed that she was indeed suffering from symptoms of postpartum depression.

She said:

“I started to realise that I wasn’t using my creativity, so it was dying inside. This was after four years of being away from work.

“I just had this consistent and persistent sadness – a lack of joy – almost like I would be struggling to reach the joy, then sometimes I would be very manic-like very happy, then very sad,” she revealed.

“After a while, I started going to therapy. My therapist asked me what I used to do before I had my baby. I told her I was an actor. She said to me, ‘It’s probably because you’re not doing what you’re used to doing. You’ve been doing this since you were a kid, and now you’ve suddenly stopped’”.

The Isoken actress added that through the support of her therapist and a supportive friend, she identified that her depression stemmed from the recent changes in her life.

With a slow but eventual return to acting and the entertainment industry at large, the Bayelsa-born actress pulled through and regained control of her life and mental health.

Dakore is married to Olumide Akande and the couple shares two daughters.

Postnatal depression affects more than one in 10 women, and may develop suddenly or gradually at any point in the first year after giving birth. Symptoms might include insomnia, loss of appetite, intense irritability and difficulty bonding with the baby.

Treatment can include counselling, antidepressants or hormone therapy.