Fighting the stigma
 

Some if you are aware I advocate awareness of brain disorders. I found this video of a kid named Kevin who is a young man who suffers from depression. He really brings home the fact of how debilitating any kind of dysfunction in the brain can be.
Please watch & share it too if you will. :)

This Kid Thinks We Could Save So Many Lives If Only It Was OK To Say 4 Words

He speaks to eloquently on the subject. I shared it on my Facebook. Thank you for posting it.

You're welcome and thank you!
What really spoke to me is the viewpoint others may have. He IS a great speaker and I'm sure God will smile on this young man.

Wonderful post, and always much needed. It's shocking, but true, that still in this day and age - SO many don't understand depression, what causes it, and what it can mean. He speaks very well about the terrible stigma that still attaches itself to depression.

I'm proud to say I've fought and survived depression pretty much my whole life (even recall it as a young child). I didn't seek help until I was 36 (omg, WHY did I wait so long?)...and I tell ya, I'm grateful I even survived until getting that help.

Depression is a very real, profound, excruciating, and deadly disease. It's *not* a light switch one can turn off...if it was, I would've flipped that dang switch eons ago, trust.

So, stigma? Talk to the hand, bc I refuse you. :)

Wow, what a powerful message from this intelligent young man. It is true, there is a stigma attached to having depression. Yes, I suffer from depression. I have for most of my adult life and it was worse when my Dad died. Then, a so-called "friend", told me to "snap out of it". I'm glad to see someone shed light on this and maybe people will be more compassionate and less judgemental.
Thank you so much for sharing this video.

My aunt actually knows this guy and watched him grow up

Thank you for sharing this. I think that the greatest fallacy of belief that somehow people can just "snap" out of depression. It is not something you snap out of, not withstanding how much you would like to 'snap" out of it yourself.

I still mourn the loss of a friend of mine, who actually did commit suicide, not so young, he was in his forties. Was actively getting treatment both medical and with-iin a support group. He went away, and hung himself in a forest. He had all his affairs in order before doing this; so it was a planned thing.

Many of us were shocked at this. Some of us knew his struggles somewhat. But I don't think any of the 700 or so people at his funeral expected this. He was a much beloved man.

Education is paramount. We've got to make it "ok" to talk about. Way too much has already been kicked under the carpet so to speak.

You're welcome & if you ever need to talk, I'm here. :)

WOW! He's really awesome Taylor. I know it's hard to talk about depression and brain disorders in general but until we do I really don't think much will change as far as people understanding that it's NOT something a person can just stop at will.

Let your aunt know that I think this guy is a hero for speaking in public & trying to make a difference!

I'm so sorry Gail.
I nearly lost my sister last year to this terrible illness.

I wanted to take just a minute to thank all of you for your support. I know many won't reply on this thread & that's ok! What's important is that we continue to try to educate; one person at a time can make a big difference.

:ghug:

*bump*

PLEASE, watch then share this video with someone you love!

Thanks for sharing. A topic very near to my heart as most of you know, I lost my oldest son to suicide in 2000 just 3 weeks before what would have been his 18th birthday.:(

I, too, have fought and survived it. But I remember a time when you didn't talk about it or tell anyone. It is a shame in this century that there is still no cure and you can be labeled like you have a horribly contagious disease. :(

It's so hard to talk about this disease, and it is a disease the same as diabetes and cancer are diseases.

I have suffered from depression as long as I can remember, and it got worse when I found out about my cancer. It almost took my marriage, as well as my life. I had several suicide attempts over the past 3 years, and I know that my extended family only speaks of it in whispers, as if its something I did wrong, like being unfaithful to my spouse, when in reality, its nothing I can control. My mother in law thinks I should just "snap out of it" and get over whatever it is that makes me depressed, and of course this makes me feel worse. If it were something I could control, I would. It's not as simple as surgery for cancer, as it can not be removed, only treated, and often the treatments quit working. (I've been through several antidepressants because they stop being effective)

I truly wish more people would talk about it and its toll on their lives. How it affects them, their families, their jobs. And that more people would understand that it's not some horrible thing to be made fun of and whispered about. It's real, it's crippling, and it can be deadly.

Thanks Cindy. I am sorry for your awful loss. I know that no words can ever make what happened go away. Trust that keeping your memories of the happy times with your son will help until you meet again. Hopefully, by sharing his story, you've been able to help another.

It is a terribly crippling disease and it's extremely cruel that often in order to get help, a person must also endure the crippling opinions of others on top of all of it!
Thanks for sharing.

Michele, thanks for posting.

There are SO many great points in your comments that I want to highlight the whole thing! Our "families" should be places we feel safe.I'm glad that yours has shown you(for the moat part) that you are indeed loved and lovable! :)

Sadly, not enough people have been educated about brain disorders and that lack of education often leads to the whispering. I encourage everyone who reads this thread to do all you can to arm yourself. Look for support groups. KNOW that you are not alone!

Sherry - thank you for sharing this - what an amazing young man. How brave of him to get up and speak in such an eloquent way.

I was 'absent' from YT for a while around last Christmas - my brother-in-law had committed suicide. He, too, hung himself after getting all his affairs in order.

He was in his 60's, a designer of oil-rig pipe lines - a fabulous house, plenty of money, a wonderful family.....but no-one knew, no-one had the faintest idea that he was suffering from this terrible, destructive disease.

My heart truly goes out to you all. Sally xx

Michelle, thank you so much, from the bottom to the top of my heart, for posting this. It means so much to be open about this disease, to have the courage to share experiences - bc every time we share, we continue to dispel the myth and the stigma that is cruelly and wrongly attached to this disease.

Why on earth we treat disease above the neck differently than below the neck is beyond all comprehension and so dangerous, so life threatening.

There is NO SUCH THING as snapping out of it. My God, if only there was...all of us who suffer would've flipped that switch the very first moment we felt depression sneak its way in.

I too have suffered as long as I can recall, Michelle. So I know the chronic pain / suffering it can cause and what it can do to your entire life. It brings you to your knees, in such a way that you barely can describe the devastation or pain that is felt at times. It is no wonder that it is so deadly :(.

If you ever need anything, I am always here for you.

I'm going to PM you too bc I also have dealt with extremely treatment/medication resistant depression, and I want to share what worked for me, finally.

I'm so sorry about your brother in law :(. My condolences.

EMR is a great tool when presented within the right setting with the right person. It is especially good if you suffer from any PTSD symptoms.