Question:
Does anyone else battle with this word depression?
I feel such anger toward the way it locks me in, laughs at my pain, and
informs others so casually I am no good at life, a loser (a term used
recently by my wife to descibe me).
Cancer ! see how that word grabs hold of you.
How it explains to wives,husbands,family,friends straight away your need
for support.It drives the sick on to talk shows and to run marathons.You
can beat it,we are all behind you, the whole world is routing for you.
Depression ! once uttered already begins to fall away from you.
Pull yourself together, get on with it, have a holiday etc.
do you ever feel supported?
Answer:
Does anyone else battle with this word depression?
I feel such anger toward the way it locks me in, laughs at my pain, and
informs others so casually I am no good at life, a loser (a term used
recently by my wife to descibe me).
Cancer ! see how that word grabs hold of you.
How it explains to wives,husbands,family,friends straight away your need
for support.It drives the sick on to talk shows and to run marathons.You
can beat it,we are all behind you, the whole world is routing for you.
Depression ! once uttered already begins to fall away from you.
Pull yourself together, get on with it, have a holiday etc.
do you ever feel supported?
Yet untreated this illness is the number one cause of suicide.Yes the
numbers are far smaller than those who die of cancer/aids etc but is one
life any less valuable than another, save one life and save the world
entire is an absolute truth.
Change the perception of this illness and I feel people can be saved.
With an illness that has at its heart basic questions of self worth,
loathing,and identity we must approach all elements that engender or
exacerbate these conditions with import.
footnote:My mother died from cancer and my father was an alcoholic who
committed suicide.I mention these facts because I am aware that this is
a place where thought and deed are joined and that the mention of
sensitive topics such as cancer can be conveyed with apparent
lack of understanding, this is my tone to temper my words.Prior to the publishing of DSM-IV we started a serious discussion about
changing the name. To us, calling clinical depression, the 7th greatest
cause of death in this country, 'depression' is analagous to calling
cancer 'pimples'; after all they're both just growths. The committee handling Affective Disorders was amenable to it and asked
whether we thought 'melancholia' would be acceptable. We felt that that
was not any better really and we offered to come up with a suitably
impressive name with a lot of Zs and Xs in it. Unfortunately, the
release of DSM-IV got delayed and we'd generated so much media attention
to this disease under the name 'depression' by the time it came out,
that we thought we'd better leave the name alone. Obviously though, we
agree that it is a really poor and confusing name.
That only occurs with people who truly do not understand the physical
nature of this illness. You are absolutely right! However with continued publicity and
education, things have begun to turn and there are far more people now
who do understand. There are corporations who recognize the magnitude
of the problem, $43.7 billion per year, and who are doing some of the
right things about dealing with it. The federal government officially reports 30,000+ cases of suicide per
year. Suicide, however, is the most under reported cause of death.
Where a doc is given any choice at all (s)he will give another cause of
death. Single occupant, fatal car crashes at high speed into bridge
supports, etc. where the driver is a depressed male who's had a drink or
two to lessen his inhibitions against suicide are listed as accidents.
Elderly people who go along taking two or three pills a day and then
suddenly swallow 250 pills one evening have their cause of death listed
as accidental drug overdoses. Elderly people who stop eating or
drinking are said to have died of natural causes. This is all very
helpful for the survivors, but a more accurate reporting of the number
of suicides each year would be between 150,000 and 200,000. The National Foundation for Depressive Illness is dedicated to
accomplishing that. You words were fine and accurate. The National Foundation for Depressive Illness, Inc. maintains "800" lines which, presently through a
recorded message, provide callers with the symptoms of depression and manic depression and inform them
of how to receive a packet of additional information from NAFDI. This additional information includes a
referral list, by state, of doctors and support groups as well as a bibliography, our brochure and additional
relevant articles. The number to call, toll-free, is 1-800-245-4306.
If you are familiar with the symptoms of depression and manic depression and prefer not to listen to the
recording, you may write to us, The National Foundation for Depressive Illness, Inc. (or NAFDI) at Post
Office Box 2257, New York, NY 10116-2257 and request the information. Please enclose a self-addressed
envelope of business size or larger with $1.01 of U.S. postage affixed (for U.S. addresses). As we are a
not-for-profit organization, if you can afford it, please enclose a contribution of $5 or more. If you can't
afford that, please let us know and we'll be happy to send you exactly the same material at no charge.
You may also visit us at our web page .
You have hit one of the most frustrating aspects of suffering from
depression--perception.
I get tired and frustrated hearing from people to just pull myself together--as
if it were that simple.
