Winter.

[sarka]

The nights were long and cold and scary
Can we live through February?

I've been looking at the above quote, and it pretty much summarizes what I'm feeling. So instead of writing a post about my current problems, I'm going to do this instead:

• At this moment in time, every fifteenth person is suffering from depression.
• Within their lifespan, more than one out of every six people will suffer from depression.
• By the year 2010, the World Health Organization predicts that depression will be the leading cause for hospitalization in the world. By the year 2020, depression will be the second largest killer - after heart disease - in the world.
  
• Depression is the leading cause of disability in women.
• In most developed countries, depression is the leading cause of fatalities among young men.
• Every single person will at some point experience depression, either themselves or in someone they love.
  
• And yet, only two out of ten depressed people are receiving treatment.
  
• Probably because every other person believes depression to be a personal weakness.
• Even despite the fact that the rate of growth of depression in children is 23% per year.
• Every sixth person suffering from depression will commit suicide.
• Two out of three of them will have gone to see their doctor, and/or spoken about suicide with a friend or a family member.
  

It's not just in our heads. It may be the leading cause of absenteeism from work, but we're not just lazy and irresponsible. And despite everything counted above, we're not just a statistical problem.

We number in millions. We are every fourth woman ever born. We are young, and we're old. We're your mothers, your sisters, your brothers, your fathers, your employers and employees, your friends, your cousins, your schoolmates, your acquantances, your grandparents. In some cases we are your children.

Every day, millions of people suffer from a disease that they're too ashamed to seek treatment for, because of prejudice, a disease which has been described and defined as such for hundreds of years. A disease which often proves fatal. Too often. Not a lot of diseases in the world today can lay claim to a 15% fatality rate.

And as if that wasn't enough, depression is proven to be a leading cause of heart problems. Not only is the risk to develop heart diseases higher, if you have a heart disease and depression, you are more likely to die.

This is the worst time of year for most of us. We're, in general, feeling really shitty, right about now.

Sometimes, it only takes a smile to make us feel better, let alone a hug, a phonecall or email. Sometimes it's easy. Other times it's hard. The words "I'm fine" come very easily to most of us. And sometimes, we don't want your concern or even your love.

That usually just means that we need it more.

And even if we are ungrateful, on occasion, there does not exist a scenario in the world where showing a person that you care isn’t worth it.

So, if you can, try to smile a little more in the depths of winter. For the rest of us.

Comments

[ashavah]

*hugs* Thank you for this. Both for me and for all the people I know who battle depression.

I love you.

[sarka.livejournal.com]

I love you too.

[dipsas.livejournal.com]

We number in millions. We are every fourth woman ever born. We are young, and we're old.

Thank you. I needed to hear that today.

[sarka.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

Glad I could help.

[alili.livejournal.com]

if more people knew those statistics maybe those of us who suffer wouldn't feel so stupid about being depresed.

i deal with it by pretending it doesn't exist, at least you're coping by being constructive and raising awareness. hope life isn't too horrible right now *hugs*

[sarka.livejournal.com]

Nobody should ever have to feel stupid for being depressed, but all too many of us do.

Don't put yourself down. I've gone down a long road since my darkest days. And while my moods generally gravitate downwards in the winter months, I've also got all the tools and the perspective to pull myself up by my bootstraps. It sounds like you're still getting over it, and that's pretty amazing. I wish you good luck, and good moods.

*hugs back*

[wolfiekins.livejournal.com]

Wow. Well said. It's difficult enough to acknowledge to yourself that the depths can be all-consuming...very few outside of the darkness truly understand or accept just exactly how far down we can actually go.

I simply hate the idea of medicating myself...but I've also got to realise that just maybe, it might be necessary.

Thanks for posting this...knowing that someone understands, truly, does a bit to cushion the fall.

Peace and wishes of lighter and warmer days to come...

[sarka.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And I definitely agree that people who haven't felt it have a very hard time understanding what it's like.

Thank you for commenting - it means a lot to know I'm not just rambling into the darkness. It's always easier to have someone who understands, even if that's all they have to do.

[smith-seven.livejournal.com]

hi! i just wanted to wish you the best. months ago i friended you (and you friended me back!) because of a truly great H/D fic you wrote, but i've fallen out of the LJ habit for the month or so. i've recently been trying to catch up and have come across your rather heart-renching posts on my flist.

i really hope that with the changing seasons things start to look up for you. sometimes i think i have it bad, being stressed about deadlines and not really knowing where i'm going, but reading a post like this one just reminds me to step back and assess what's really going on in my life. is it "just stress", or am i having a hard time coping generally?

anyhow, i know we don't know each other well, but i still wanted to say that i'm pulling for you, and that your posts have made an impact on me. sometimes we are our own worst enemy (cliche, but true!) when we make too many commitments, and i hope that everything works out well for you.

cheers!
frosty