I ran across a very interesting article about depression which presents many facts that everyone would benefit by knowing. What I found a bit unsettling were a lot of the comments that followed. There were, however, a few that were quite accurate. Depression is a disorder. It is real. It is painful. It is debilitating. Left untreated, depression is often deadly because the sufferer takes his/her own life. The good news is that depression is treatable. Medication and therapy relieve the awful symptoms and help sufferers stabilize and begin to recover. The stigma often associated with depression is one of the main reasons people may be reluctant to seek help. I am not surprised that--as the article indicates--more Americans die due to suicide than auto accidents. If you have never suffered from depression, or are not aware of the medical facts about this illness, you may have misconceptions about it. Depression is not: a normal part of life; a sign of weakness; occasionally feeling sad; always due to a person's circumstances. Famous people such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Winston Churchill suffered from it. If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs of depression, please do not ignore the symptoms and seek professional help. Life is too short and too precious not to!
Beth Healey, Director of Marketing and Development
