Experiencing the stigma firsthand.People need help before they can't function any more When the nurses went through my things confiscating "sharps" -- a glass jar of face cream, a nail file nail file n. A small flat file used for shaping and smoothing the fingernails and toenails. , a hair dryer -- it hit me, how serious this depression was. I'd checked myself into a facility when, at the end of a week's vacation, I still could not get out of bed or stop weeping weeping said of frozen meat on thawing; the fluid that runs away as thawing proceeds. It contains myoglobin, salts and protein and is fluid leaked from muscle fibers ruptured by the formation of crystals during the freezing stage. The amount of weeping, and it can represent 2. . Something was terribly wrong. I'd felt it coming, but had been able to work through it. From 5 in the morning until 9 or 10 at night, six or seven days a week, for over a year, I'd taken up the slack after both a managing editor and news editor left. When the new managing editor was finally hired, he was demanding (which is fine) but abusive (which is not). I was named news editor. As much as I welcomed the fresh ideas and high standards of my new boss, there is a quirk quirk n. 1. A peculiarity of behavior; an idiosyncrasy: "Every man had his own quirks and twists" Harriet Beecher Stowe. 2. in my personality I don't respond well to abuse. That is, I didn't see it as abuse. Where someone else might have refused to take it, I saw the criticism as deserved and quietly struggled to meet impossible standards, professional and personal. Finally, I couldn't do it any more. I couldn't put on the act that kept even my closest friends from knowing what was happening to me. That boss is long gone. But frankly, I still feel a bit guilty, like I should have been able to handle the situation. Rationally, I know I have nothing to feel guilty about. I also know that this episode of major depression taught me a lot about myself, the incredible complexity of the human mind, and the depth of the stigma stigma: see pistil. Stigma mark of Cain God’s mark on Cain, a sign of his shame for fratricide. [O. T.: Genesis 4:15] scarlet letter surrounding mental illness even in this "enlightened" society. The stigma is obvious sometimes, easily identifiable in jokes in jest; sportively; not meant seriously. See also: Joke or the way Uncle Harry's suicide is never spoken of. More subtle is the value society places on its perception of success. Successful people have outgoing personalities, handle stress appropriately, assert themselves, and are always happy If you don't fit that mold, you're a lesser being. Useless. The lack of parity in insurance coverage tells a truer story of society's view: "It's all in your head. Buck up." It makes me angry when I see how little we do to lay the foundation of good mental health for children in this nation. School psychologists are so stretched they're lucky if they have time to meet with a troubled child once to refer the youngster to outside help. If the family is willing to get the child help, insurance may not pay, and it takes a wealthy family to fork out $100 a week for therapy sessions. Public assis the quick fix of medications without the talk therapy that helps people deal with whatever event triggered the chemical imbalance chemical imbalance Psychology A popular term of uncertain utility, which refers to a belief that many, if not all, mental disorders are attributable to a disequilibrium of one or more neurotransmitters . The result is people don't get help until they can't function any more. Along with the stigma comes fear. If you know someone who struggles with any kind of mental disorder mental disorder Any illness with a psychological origin, manifested either in symptoms of emotional distress or in abnormal behaviour. Most mental disorders can be broadly classified as either psychoses or neuroses (see neurosis; psychosis). Psychoses (e.g. , you've been blessed with some insight. To many people, however, mental illness is the kid who mows down his classmates Classmates can refer to either:
psy·chi·a·trist n. A physician who specializes in psychiatry. is feared, as if he could crack at any moment and hurt others. In reality, most mentally ill people hurt themselves far more often than they hurt others. I can't speak for all kinds of mental illness, but I know that to be true of depression. Depression is anger turned inward. To have come through a major episode is to have faced the ultimate act of anger at self -- looking suicide square in the face and somehow finding the strength to choose to live and deal with that anger and pain. For me, living with depression is choosing each day to get up and take care of myself. If someone is being abusive to me, I need to see it for what it is, and I need to be able to do something about it. The learning process is a long one, probably a lifetime, but not so different from what any thoughtful person goes through, changing and growing with the years. What has amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. me most as I've come to understand depression is the delicate balance of mind and body. A touch of this chemical or that and the world changes. One slight shift and I slip down a black hole of hopelessness, desperately clutching for a hold on rational thought. It gives me a measure of empathy empathy Ability to imagine oneself in another's place and understand the other's feelings, desires, ideas, and actions. The empathic actor or singer is one who genuinely feels the part he or she is performing. for those with more severe forms of mental illness. I hope it gives me an understanding and respect for all people. A few people I work with know I deal with depression, but unless someone tells them, they wouldn't know. Staffers probably do notice I'm quieter at times. Nevertheless, I continue to critique copy, banter with coworkers, ask rude questions, and write critical editorials. I once heard columnist Richard Reeves
adj. Too expensive: medical care that has become unaffordable for many. un , or all of the above? I'd like to know how many children we're willing to lose to violence, eating disorders eating disorders, in psychology, disorders in eating patterns that comprise four categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, rumination disorder, and pica. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation to avoid obesity. , substance abuse, and suicide before we treat mental illness like the real illness it is. How many who don't fit the mold of "success" are we killing? It's enough to make anyone weep weep (wep) 1. to shed tears. 2. to ooze serum. . It's enough to make quiet people speak. Like now. NCEW NCEW National Conference of Editorial Writers member Sharon Larsen is editorial page editor of The Daily News in Batavia, N.Y., where management is still demanding but treats people with respect. Depression screening test This test was developed by National Depression Screening Day executive director Douglas G. Jacobs MD, incorporating the results of 1992 through 1998 screening days. It is not designed to provide an actual diagnosis of depression. For that, you will need a complete evaluation by a psychiatrist or other health care professional. Answer yes or no. 1. I feel sad most of the time. 2. I have trouble doing or enjoying the things I used to do. 3. I sleep too little or too much. 4. I notice I am losing weight and/or my appetite. 5. I can't make decisions. 6. I feel hopeless and/or worthless 7. I get tired for no reason. 8. I think about killing myself. If you answered yes to five or more of these questions, and you have felt this way every day for several weeks, you may be suffering from clinical depression and should consult a health care professional. If you answered yes to question 8, seek help immediately, regardless of your answer to any of the other questions. To find the location of a free depression screening, |
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