October 5. 2011 10:31

Families don't often want to know about depression in their teens. It's a status thing. How could their child be depressed? They HAVE EVERYTHING they could possibly want! We are the best parents possible.

GPs and psychologists often don't treat depression with the seriousness it deserves--they are also loathe to have to deal with it. GPs especially as they are often not trained, nor have the stomach, to deal with depression

So, teen depression which leads to adult depression continues--and many commit suicide. I know of teen in our extended family and friends who committed suicide. I have adult friends of mine who did as well. I am so happy that CTV is treating this condition with the coverage and importance that this is. Bravo!

M P

October 6. 2011 09:05

My comment is about my best friend who committed suicide December 2007. I am now 48 years old, and at the time of my friend's death i was attending the first year,second cemester of college, studying too become a counsellor.
RJ's suicide happened two days after christmas. I had spent the holiday with RJ and his family. On boxing day, RJ asked me too go with him too Canadian Tire, so he could purchase a snow blower, with the canadian tire money he had been saving for many years.
RJ's social persona was, an easy going individual, but also tough no bull,,,#@!!%#* personallity.
There were signs leading up too RJ's suicide, but i was not educated on the subject of suicide at the time. It was such a shock and disbelief when i learned that RJ had taken his own life.
There is much more too this story, and i would like too tell it too as many people as possible
!!!!!!

Be well , and talk too someone.

Robert Dufaure

Robert Dufaure

October 7. 2011 14:41

I’ve struggled throughout my life with depression. That terrible feeling of hopelessness; a darkness inside that won’t go away.

My old boyfriend from when I was a teen struggled with the same illness. His father was an alcoholic and left his mother when he was quite young. I know he always felt lonely and abandoned, even though his mother remarried a good person and provider.

He became abusive with me early into our relationship, however I lacked confidence and didn’t get much support from my family. I am one of eleven children, so growing up in a home where you were pretty much ignored didn’t provide a very good support system.

When I was in my late teens, I finally had enough courage to leave him and entered into a relationship with someone much older than me. I felt protected and safe, even though it wasn’t an honest relationship. I lived with this person for 12 years and throughout that time, had severe feelings of depression. I was afraid to talk about them, so tried to hide it from the world.

I contacted my old boyfriend and agreed to meet him. I had a feeling inside of me that if I met with him again, some things would be explained as to why he was so abusive toward me in our past, and why I kept hiding from a true relationship.

We met and I knew there was something not right with him. He seemed anxious and withdrawn, even though he did agree to meet with me.

I went back to my safe and not so fulfilling existence and continued to hide my depression and feelings of self-worth. Several weeks later, after attempting to reach me by phone, my old boyfriend killed himself.

I’ve always wondered; if I had only tried to get in touch with him maybe I could have helped….or maybe he would have taken me with him. It still haunts me to this day.

I've since married and have a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful children.

Several years ago II had another episode with depression. My mother was ill and had died, and at the same time I was going through changes in my career, not to mention hormonal changes which I think added severely to the problem. I fell into a very deep depression where I couldn’t eat or sleep and had extreme feelings of hopelessness and darkness. My husband came with me to our doctor to seek medical help and I was placed on a mild prescription for depression.

After several months I was able to regain my life and today I am back to my normal self and feel happy with my life again. I am still taking a small dose of a mild prescription for depression.

I know thinking back now that my old boyfriend’s suicide had a lot to do with the feelings that I kept locked up inside, however I’ve learned to let them go or I know they will destroy me.

I hope and pray that my children never suffer from this illness, and I constantly watch for any signs that they may.

I try to live each day with hope, love and joy.

If you are suffering from depression, seek help and talk to someone before it's too late.

LM

October 8. 2011 06:07

My daughter first tried to kill herself when she was 19 yrs. old. I came home early from work early that day, the only reason she survived is that.
The hospital (Ontario) didn't care, I had to pump her stomach and save her my damn self. Ok, but looking back, I'm really pissed that health care was not provided for her at all. It was provided to me to do. What if I didn't figure it out? I was told by nurses (and never saw a doctor) that it was "a teenage trend that there was no time for".(it was 2003)

I have found hospital bracelets to show she has tried since being on her own.

I have gone to the police begging and they don't care because she's "over 18".

The "system" does not address suicide until it actually goes through. This needs to change.

Marianna

October 11. 2011 18:49

I am amazed at how many people have gone through depression and have had the same experience I have had and am still experiencing.

There are still a lot of people who do not understand why we just can't snap out of it. I am still dealing with my depression and I find it really hard to tell people about my condition because they look at me like I am making it up.

I guess when you can't see someone horror movie going on in their mind its hard to understand if you haven't walked in their shoes Its not like a broke limb or a scare you ware on your body - its inside and no one can see it but you.

I am writing a book about my experience in hopes to help others understand what depression really feels like - maybe I will be able to finish the book soon, so it can help the understanding of depression start to make sense to others.

CMS

October 12. 2011 18:17

I am a parent of a 21 year old who is depressed and can't acknowledge that he needs help. He will not take medications prescribed by a 2 different psychiatrists. This problem has been escalating for the past 20 months. He refuses to talk to us about his problems and how we could help. His older brother avoids coming home after work because he is tired of dealing with his brother's rants that he is going to kill all of us. We know he is self medicating. We have spoken to our family doctor, councellors, church pastor and no one seems to be able to help us. He has no driver's licence due to a rant at the time that he was trying to kill himself. He sometimes says he wants it back but thinks they had no business taking it from him . It is everyone else's problem. We love our son and it looks like no help will come until it's too late. We either will be dead or he will.

JD

November 12. 2011 00:51

I'm glad you posted about spelt flour. I've been wanting to try it, but leery myself. It just doesn't sound tasty...what a logical reason to not give something a shot, eh? : ) The muffins look great!

Carl Olinick