A-Z April Challenge…
For the letter ‘D’ I chose DEPRESSION.
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At some point in our lives each and every one of us will experience some form of depression. The numbers are staggering.
The good news is help is readily available and the stigma once completely clouding mental health issues is slowly lifting.
The bad news is you cannot turn on the TV or radio without hearing of a student shooting at a school, violence in our neighborhoods, a parent killing their child or some sort of act of terrorism.
I knew, as a 10-year-old girl scout singing Christmas Carols at the county nut house, that ‘those’ people were not being treated right.
I was thrilled years later when the facility was ordered to open the doors and let everyone out. They then closed the doors forever. A gross injustice had been corrected…so I thought.
Stop for a minute and ask yourself this, “Do you know a crazy person?” I’m guessing the answer is yes, we all know at least one. Now think again about the news. When interviewed how often do the relatives and friends of the perpetrators of these tragedies say, “It was just a matter of time.” “We tried to get help for him/her.”
The problem is no one can force these people to ‘get help.’ Even with the percentages of teens dying of suicide rising every year, a parent’s hands are tied unless the child wants help.
I believe we have traded one injustice for another. We have gone from institutionalizing people with the slightest form of mental illness for life to doing nothing. The families and loved ones of those affected by mental illness find themselves on a merry-go-round that leads nowhere.
As a society we need to do better. I have no idea what the answer is but I do know there needs to be an answer. It is so depressing! Do you have any ideas?
