“When I initially informed my first wife of my diagnosis and the associated concerns I held for our three boys, she expressed strong reservations about saying anything to them. This, however, is exactly the problem for men with depression. It actually needs to be talked about more, and if I don’t talk with my sons[…]
“As a survivor of suicide I feel that it is our time to lead the conversation around suicide prevention. Those of us who have been impacted by suicide have a unique perspective, to put it mildly. We have information we need to share. We hope that even a small part of our experience will be[…]
“The WHO wants all countries to have a national suicide prevention strategy, which must include reducing access to the means of suicide. Also important are responsible reporting of suicides by the media to avoid the risk of inspiring copycat attempts, alcohol policies, care for people suffering from mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and[…]
“Currently only Washington state and Kentucky have adopted laws that require suicide prevention training be included in mental health education programs. It’s too soon to tell how effective those laws have been, but smaller scale efforts have shown great results. The Henry Ford Health System, a Detroit-based health care organization,found that suicide rates among its patients dropped by 75 percent[…]
“When it comes to symptoms of depression, the code of masculinity complicates matters. Usually, the result is what’s called male-type or masked depression. For a man, the traditional symptoms of depression are deemed atypical. Men often “externalize” their symptoms — anger or irritability, risk-taking (such as gambling) and substance abuse.” Read the Full Story Source:[…]
“The problems surrounding mental health stigma are nuanced and far-reaching, and we really need to get to grips with the effect that each different type can have. I think it’s great that more people are now feeling able to talk about their own experiences with depression, but we mustn’t fool ourselves into believing that this[…]
“Isn’t there something lost in taking drugs?” I asked him. “A great deal would be lost if we had medication that eliminated sadness,” he said. “We need sadness to have our basic human experiences of love and connectedness. I would not want to lose that. Antidepressants deal with a lack of vitality: the shift for[…]
“Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness. Many people with a depressive illness never seek[…]
“Since suicide is the ultimate act of disconnection — from society, from community, from friends and family — it’s not surprising that connection is a powerful roadblock to suicide. We’re creatures of connection. We’re hardwired for it. It’s a fundamental human need. So it’s worth noting that this deadly phenomenon that we know is caused,[…]
“If I had to name one thing a person (or persons) said to me when I was severely depressed that made me feel better, it would be this: “You won’t always feel this way.” It is a simple statement of truth that holds the most powerful healing element of all: hope. As a friend or[…]
