This week we’re going to do some heavy topics. Today’s is depression. It is a subject I know an awful lot about from personal experience. I am not depressed. But several people I love dearly have this disease and – well, it impacts me as well because I love them more than you can imagine. Second hand depression is rather like second hand smoke – being around it impacts your life as well.

Kevin covers it in 12 minutes. 12 of the best minutes you’ll spend this week, next week, or possibly ever, in terms of learning about a fatal illness. Please watch the video and then we’ll talk about it below the jump.

There’s not a lot to add to what he says in terms of casting light on the disease known as depression. One thing that I need to emphasize is that it’s a disease of the brain – “just like diabetes” as the saying goes.

I have always thought that was a bit trite, but lately I’m seeing the similarities more and more. Diabetes and depression both start with a “D” and both will kill you dead if you don’t treat them. Both are, usually, manageable. Sometimes not. Sometimes you lose a foot, sometimes a life. But unless you treat them both you will die. It’s that simple. Very few people can “gut it out” through diabetes. Same goes for depression.

The difference is that depression is known as a mental illness and there’s a huge shadow that casts for the people suffering from the disease. They don’t want to reveal that they have mental health issues. Part of it is society’s urge to “help” by controlling their ability to raise their own children, to hold certain types of employment, to own a gun, to be admitted to certain levels of secure information, and the list goes on and on. Most of this is simply misguided or wrong headed. People with depression are just as trustworthy and lovable as anyone else.

I remember going for my annual psychiatric exam when I was in Spain. My job required the check due to the stress and elements of danger we might face in a special unit I was assigned to at that time. The navy didn’t want us to lose it out at sea and endanger the ship. Every time I went to that clinic the other patients turned away and some actually covered their faces. For Cryptologic Technicians in 1987 you could, and probably would, lose your access to classified material if your mental health problems were deemed severe enough. Our solution? Self-medication. Our little band of brigands drank more than any other group of sailors I’ve ever seen. We proudly drank SEAL teams under the table now and then. A bunch of egg heads – but egg heads with depression in many cases.

What triggers depression? Sometimes it’s a right of birth. The brain chemistry is predisposed to the condition. Sometimes it’s some horrible thing you’ve seen or been a part of that messes with your brain. Sometimes another illness screws with your body enough that you have altered brain chemistry as well.

The cause is irrelevant – getting treated is what counts. Most people with depression don’t deal with it any better than a bunch of drunken sailors did 25 years ago. Self medication and self loathing go hand-in-hand. Drugs, alcohol, depression. Kind of a deadly trio.

What’s my point? First, if you have depression you have nothing to be ashamed of in medical terms. You need to seek help from a doctor and get well. You need to share the fact that you’re depressed with your family and friends. And you need to get God on your side. Prayer. Lots of it from you and everyone you know. It may not be the cure, but it does help – I know this from personal experience.

And if you’re not depressed but know people who are, take some time to actually listen when they respond to the question, “How Ya doin?” Just that bit of listening makes all the difference between this being the beginning of a longer conversation or it possibly being the last conversation you have with them before a suicide attempt. Yes, it’s that tenuous in some cases.

Be aware of those around you who suffer from depression. Love them. Pray for them. Nurture them.

Let’s get this disease out of the shadows and help our loved ones in getting better.

Thanks for listening.

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