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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:
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.
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.
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.
