May is Mental Health Month.
I’ve always been a
strong believer that mental health must precede physical health. In
fact, the two fit closely together like a sneaker on a marathon runner‘s
foot. In order for someone to be physically fit, a state of mental
well-being is an essential first step.
But depression is
a horrible, horrible disease -- one that too often leads to a tragic
ending for those suffering its awful wrath.
Depression
contributes to 38,000 suicides per year -- one death every 14 minutes.
It’s also higher than the death rate from homicide, second leading cause
of death for college students, third for ages 15-24 and fourth for ages
24-65, according to Dr. Dwight L. Evans, Chairman of the Department of
Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, who spoke during the
Seventh Annual Hope for Depression Luncheon Seminar.
Yes, this is a true problem. It’s real. And it’s not funny.
I
was invited to attend the Manhattan-based luncheon as a guest of
Huntington-raised and nationally-recognized American photographer
Patrick McMullan, who‘s one of the event‘s co-chairs.
The
mission of the New York-based Hope for Depression Research Foundation
is to fund cutting-edge depression research to find the origins, medical
diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related
mood and other emotional disorders.
During the seminar, Dr. Evans added, “Depression isn’t just a disorder of the brain, it’s a disorder of the body.”
He couldn’t be more correct.
Depression
can cause symptoms, such as insomnia, appetite loss, weight change,
fatigue, aggression, workaholism, substance abuse and reckless behavior,
according to the seminar.
What freaks me out the most
about this disease is personal -- my potential inability to recognize
that someone I know is battling depression … until it’s too late and
they end up taking their own life.
I’ve seen it happen
to people around me -- two special individuals who have suddenly
committed suicide due to depression. That’s two too many. Trust me, it
leaves you speechless, even if you’re not extremely close with the
victim.
But I’ve recently had the opportunity to step forward -- an attempt to make a positive impact on the depression pandemic.
Someone
who is close to me, was -- and is -- suffering rounds of depression,
secondary to an addiction to heroin and attempts to withdraw. The drug
is an evil epidemic on Long Island, has extremely addictive properties
and can wreck havoc on the mind -- and body -- during attempts at
becoming clean.
But he came to me for help. To mentally
keep him in the healthy game. We talk every day, sometimes many times
each day. But that’s fine with me, because, in a way, sometimes I feel
lost in his situation. I’ve never been through this with someone before,
and I don’t know what he’s truly experiencing -- besides what he tells
me.
During a combo of recent conversations, I said to
him, “I’m not going to force you to do anything. [Wanting help] has to
come from you. I can only encourage you. … Keep being strong, pal,
you‘re making me proud.”
His responses: “I know bro,
I’m just so messed up right now, so depressed. … Getting a little
better everyday. I am trying my best, thank you, guy. Love you.” Anyone
who has been in a similar position -- trying to assist someone in need
of help -- can attest that “thank you” and “love you” are powerful,
powerful words.
No matter how much knowledge I think I
may possess, it’s not nearly enough. I’m blessed that I have great
resources feeding me the best practices that I need to give forward to
him. But in the end, all I can do is stand by his side, provide the
shoulder he may need to rest his head upon and try to get him the best
help available.
When I told him I was going to write
this piece, the type of information I was going to include, while making
sure to keep him anonymous, his response was perfect. “Brian, that just
made me cry,” he said. “Bro, it’s beautiful.”
Help for
depression is readily available but sometimes difficult for the person
suffering to seek out. Hesitation may be due to embarrassment, denial or
fear. But in reality, there’s no shame in finding or asking for help --
it may be the strongest and bravest move ever made.
Fortunately,
I can never claim that I know what it’s like to personally wrestle with
such a debilitating ailment, but I hope that if someone I love is
becoming mentally mangled from such a horrible condition, that I’ll be
keen enough to recognize it and help point them down the path of
healing.
Please, if there’s one thing that can be taken
from this column and Mental Health Month, don’t ever be afraid to reach
out a helping hand if someone you know may be showing signs of a
depression downfall. Ultimately, if this column can help just one
person, it’s done its job.
If broken bones can be set and healed, so can broken minds.
Here are two useful resources for mental health assistance on Long Island:
Nassau County -- http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/mentalhealth/mh/mh-menu.html
Suffolk County -- http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/departments/healthservices/mentalhygiene.aspx