Monday, March 4, 2013

Am I Blue?








Did anyone see  the "60 Minutes" feature, addressing the issue about how many of our  young war veterans are killing themselves after they return to the safety of home?  The story of a young 26 year old ex-veteran, shooting himself in the head due to depression, was just heartbreaking! I wish I could pound into the heads of people what a deadly illness Depression truly is! My lung inflection, that gave me a mild heart-attack and nearly send me to that undiscovered country, was triggered by Depression from the grief over my mother's passing.  If I told my family & friends that I had cancer, they would had reached out to me. But when I told them that I was suffering from Depression, they just ignored me. They must of thought, "Get over it, pulled yourself up by your boot strips" and so on.  But Depression is a real, serious medical condition that shouldn't be ignored and that other people, must address and help their friends and family members out when they show signs or express this condition to them!

3 comments:

Z said...

You are so right. I also think it's a word that's used too much and too casually because there are so many degrees of depression and the causes are so wide-ranging. It's hard for friends to know how to help, but help is vital - it's often personal contact and kindness that makes all the difference. There is a natural inclination to hide away and brood, which is the worst thing to do.

Anonymous said...

omg I totally get this. It's true, depression is viewed as a weakness by so many. And to say you're suffering from it, right away sends the unenlightened and uneducated into their self-righteous attitude that it isn't at all the same thing as a "real disease".
I'm sorry you had to be treated that way.
peace!

goatman said...

I understand it's a brain-chemistry imbalance, serotonin and such.
And totally treatable with meds and some talk therapy.