Depression and all that comes with it is a real, all-encompassing illness. Not everyone understands it, and some dont believe that it is more than a sad mood. For some people, eating well, exercising, meditating, and supplements do the trick to help when feeling low. Frankly, I think a lot of that is just good human practice. Lets call this Typical for a Human Experience. For others, depression can be based around an event. Situational, if you will. These people may find resources that help them through a tough time. Though temporary, the depth of this type is nothing to be brushed aside. Eventually, they are able to overcome the depression. Then there are those that struggle with their entire being for their entire life, varying in regards to the level of aggressiveness of the disease. Some, like my Uncle John and myself, begin receiving aggressive medical attention for this awful disease when they are young. Often, as in my own case, treatments can be discovered that are able to help manage the disease and level the playing field, if you will. The treatments dont make the disease go away, but its managed well enough. Sometimes, treatments are not enough. The disease wins. When this happens, some people judge. Some people say that the person wasnt doing enough, wasnt reaching out, wasnt strong enough to handle it. They should have stuck it out. I have never heard someone negate a person for dying of cancer because their immune system was compromised or because they were too sick to make a phone call. Compassion is what is needed, not judgement or assumptions. Compassion may not necessarily lead to understanding of why that person had to die, but then again, its equally impossible to understand why so-and-so had to die of cancer. We do not share compassion in order to understand, nor do we share compassion as a manner of justifying anything. We show compassion because we are all in this together. Depression is an illness that is strengthened by stigma. Fight the stigma. Uncle John, thank you for sticking with us and fighting for so long. We love you and are so grateful for the time you gave us. May you finally be free from pain.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 02:05:15 +0000
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