callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
Bestoutwest said:JW IN VA said:Allow me,if you will,to clarify my intent on the OP.
I started this thread to make folks aware of the higher incidents of depression this time of year and to try to get them to be aware of others around them.
Depression is a year around disease for those who have it and there are two,somewhat distinct, types.
Everyone who will admit it has been somewhat depressed at some point in their life.May have only been something that today seems trivial.May have been the loss of a family member, close friend or a treasured animal.
Those things are temporary and can usually be overcome by refocusing,work,hobbies etc. Not extremely hard to cope with.
The other type is a disease and doesn't matter if it's caused by heredity,chemical imbalances,nutrition or a combination of those. This is the type that is most debilitating and,while similar to the other in appearance to others,is the hardest to deal with.Those who have experienced it know that they,themselves know what they are feeling is counterproductve,they know the things they feel bad about are a part of life and that life isn't fair always,they know that the people they feel depressed for don't see it like they do.They also know if, it was just a matter of willpower,they could eventually overcome it.Some have tried,again and again,to change their attitude and thoughts with failure.
What I want people to see is that there are those around them that do have a disease they can't "cure" on their own.All they are asking for is a little understanding and,in some cases,a little positive help in getting themselves back on track.It's no different than opening a door for someone on crutches,picking up something someone dropped when their arms are overloaded or anything else most of us do without even thinking about.
Telling folks to simply "walk off" a mental health issue does nothing to help the person solve the problem. It only pushes them farther into the shadows and delays their treatment until it becomes to much to bear. For some it ends in hospitalization, in others suicide. The worst thing you can do it to trivialize something. Be a support person, not a detractor.
So let's tell everyone who won't get out from under the covers and face the world that it's just fine to be that way. Let's tell the acholics and drug addicts that it's ok. Their just sick, have a disease you know. Maybe there's some that absolutely are mentally damaged. But most are just weak. And it's easier to be weak when someone gives you a excuse. A human being can do extraordinary things when properly motivated. And shame can be a helluva motivation.