mental-health-mondays

[mental-health-mondays]

RIP Robin Williams

I am deeply saddened by the loss of Robin Williams, someone so special and genuinely loved by so many. The untimely death of someone seemingly so happy and was constantly making others smile came as a shock to all of us.  But with this fresh in our memories, I think it is time for some deep self-reflection as a society on whole. What saddens me deeper than Robin William's passing, are the utterly disgusting comments from a lot of people around the world. Countless blogs and comments have plastered the internet harassing Zelda and her family, creating a hostile environment for those currently suffering from mental illnesses of any sort. I am so tired of hearing the words "suck it up" "suicide is selfish" "its the result of a choice, not an illness" "depression is the common cold of the mental-health-world" etc. I am by no means romanticizing anything here, (as I have also seen much of and am infuriated by) I am simply addressing a serious issue.  Let's get something straight: depression is a severe illness. It takes lives just as cancer or heart disease. But when have we ever sat around and called a cancer sufferer selfish? When have we told a diabetic to just "tough up and get over it?" When did the medical community determine a heart attack was a choice? Nobody has, because it isn't the truth. These common illnesses require treatment, specialized care and a LOT of support from our social circles. The same goes for depression and any other mental illness out there. Yet so many continue to sit around stigmatizing and oppressing the people who need loving care the most.  I'd like to share some stats real quick: depression is caused (like many other illnesses) by a combination of environmental and genetic influences. There is a chemical imbalance within the brain of a few "emotion" neurotransmitters such as serotonin, (mood balancer attributed to sleep, sexual function, digestion, memory and social behaviour) norepinephrine, (a stress hormone that underlies the "fight or flight" response) and dopamine (attributed to learning, sleep, mood, pleasure, memory, attention, behaviour and cognition). When the brain lacks the normal level of these hormones, we begin to see the common symptoms of depression. Please stop telling depressed religious people that this is a spiritual battle and you just have to "be more spiritual". It honestly does not help anything at all. 20% of Canadians will personally deal with a mental illness in their lives. That is 1 in 5 of you. For a lot of us, that is at least one person in our own homes. Out of those with depression, 1/3 will get better without the need of treatment, 1/3 will get better with treatment and the last 1/3 will never be able to recover.  Similar to an illness like cancer or diabetes, depression has some serious physical and mental affects: 

Feelings of hopelessness. 

Loss of interest in daily activities. Things that you enjoy, pastimes, social activities, or sex no longer appeal to you.

Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.

Sleep changes. An inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, waking up at strange times in the early morning, or excessive sleeping.

Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, even violent. Anyone and everyone is getting on your nerves.

Loss of energy. Feeling totally drained physically and mentally. Your whole body may feel heavy, the simplest tasks such as getting out of bed in the morning, showering, eating are now the hardest to complete.

Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness and harsh self-criticism.

Reckless behaviour. You may engage in escapist behaviour such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.

Concentration/memory problems or indecisiveness. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.

Unexplained aches and pains. An increase in headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.

Typically to be diagnosed officially, these symptoms will continue on for multiple weeks at a time. And that's just for the less severe cases. You cannot tell me that these are made up. You cannot tell me that people who suffer depression choose to endure this. You cannot tell me that wanting to end these symptoms is "selfish" and that "your will is still present".  Suicide commonly accompanies depression. In fact, about 60% of people who commit suicide suffer from depression according to Stats Canada. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in Canadian adolescents and adults today, with the rates being the highest within the 40-60 age group. This doesn't tell me we have a lot of selfish people out there, but rather, there is a problem with how our society treats the precious human beings that are suffering and in pain. If you cannot find help for the aforementioned symptoms, why would you want to suffer alone?   We need to be reaching out to support each other. We need to end the stigma that surrounds mental illness. We need to stop verbally abusing the mourning family of the late Robin Williams and others who are in the same boat. Each and every person you meet is precious in the sight of God and are fighting a battle you will never understand. If you cannot find your heart to support others who are struggling with mental illness, and are at the end of their rope, please just don't say anything at all. Your words can hurt far more than you imagine. And to those of you who are hurting, don't fight your battles alone. Depression is not a sign of weakness, sharing the burden is the mark of courage and strength not many people have.  http://www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca/