Poor Robin Williams. Drowning not waving. Depression apparently affects at least one in four of us - thats the recorded statistics so I am guessing its much more than that, as people tend to hide their feelings & carry on as best they can, & sometimes they cant as we know which is terribly sad. Winston Churchill, Stephen Fry .. to name but a few who have experiences with Black Dog An involuntary monster in our minds that doesnt show broken bones or wounds but affects us intensely & painfully & is not just being sad or something that you can pull yourself together or snap out of which is frustrating to many. I know. Although I am an energetic & positive optimist, I suffer from depression intermittently - it comes & goes - much of the time I am fine but in the past there have been certain times when it has varied from low level blues to quite severe - where I reluctantly took prescribed medication for a time & that helped tremendously Fortunately Im going through a good long period - a few years which hopefully long will continue. Apparently theres a big relationship between diabetic type 1 sufferers , thryoid disorders & depression - ( i have both ) something related to endocrine impairment. That seems to make sense as it is a hormone related condition - ie not enough dopamine or seratonin being produced. Although i think its also accompanied by triggers - the usual - lack of self worth, grief over a loss, rejection - which some may be more sensitive to due to other factors in their life experiences. I know many people who suffer some depression in different degrees & for short or long periods. There is a taboo , a stigma about telling people you are depressed the mental illness thing There shouldnt be. Its much better than it was 50 years ago or even 10 years ago but people like things to be fixed & have solutions & depression is just not like that - its an insidious creature that comes & goes.. & given its negative nature, help may not be at hand when it is at its worse - as often people get fed up with the ongoing nature of an invisible illness . People may feel at that moment that the pain is unbearable & cant see any hope at the end of the tunnel, that they are a burden.. This illness takes a lot out of friends & family - to be endlessly & persistently kind & understanding - to be supportive - its often immediately unrewarding dealing with someone who is completely negative - but its an illness & its the support & love that are absolutely essential. We may not always win but solidarity is one of the best medicines to keep this monster at at bay. For me exercise, contact with people & doing seem to work . I think that Fritz Perlz in his wonderful book Mans search for meaning was right when he said that people need hope and a sense of future to survive. God bless.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 10:02:57 +0000
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