Depression is like a heart attack
Depression is like a heart attack. After a period of stress build-up, (just like your arteries build up cholesterol), part of your functioning collapses, causing you great pain and difficulty, and in some cases putting your life at risk.
FACT: YOU, AND THOSE YOU CARE ABOUT, ARE FAR MORE LIKELY STATISTICALLY TO SUFFER DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS THAN YOU ARE TO BREAK A BONE, HAVE A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT OR HAVE A HEART ATTACK.
The only people immune to depression are all those who will never have a heart attack or cancer ! Phrased differently, no one is safe.
Depressive illness is a silent but hidden epidemic which will affect at least 20% OF ALL WOMEN, AND AT LEAST 10% OF ALL MEN at some stage in their lives, damaging every aspect of their lives, and affecting the lives of those close to them. The illness will be severe in one-third of cases. Depression is as common as asthma, your susceptibility is unknown, and your response to treatment is uncertain.
THE MAIN REQUIREMENT NEEDED TO SUFFER DEPRESSION IS TO HAVE A NORMAL BRAIN, AND BE LIVING LIFE.
FACT: DEPRESSION IS A BREAKDOWN IN YOUR INTERNAL CHEMISTRY AS A RESULT OF STRESS, AND IS NOT A SIGN OF PERSONAL WEAKNESS, JUST LIKE GETTING DIABETES, A HEART ATTACK, OR ASTHMA.
DEPRESSION IS LIKE BEING TAKEN OVER BY AN ALIEN, WHICH STOPS YOU BEING ABLE TO ENJOY LIFE OR FUNCTION NORMALLY, AND WHICH TRIES TO PUSH YOU INTO SUICIDE IN SOME CASES.
Either YOU THE READER, or someone close to you is, or will be, affected by depressive illness. In view of the figures quoted above, and in view of the fact that sociologists tell us we are all closely involved with five other people on average, you will inevitably be affected directly or indirectly by this epidemic. The World Health Organization in its multi-national study “The Global Burden of Disease” has estimated that by the Year 2020, Depression will be second only to Heart and Blood Vessel disease in the amount of lost productivity and general illness burden on society
For most people, depression will be an illness that is not severe, and settles down within weeks or months, after causing a greater or lesser degree of pain and disability. Depression is a highly treatable but potentially fatal illness. While suicide is a rare outcome in most depressions, except severe depression, 10-15% OF people who suffer repeated attacks of depression will die from suicide. This is an unnecessary waste of human life, and a result of intense suffering by the person involved, which could have been avoided in most cases with proper recognition and treatment.
The major risk is that depressive illness will be a fatal condition leading to suicide in some people. This site gives detailed information on RECOGNISING AND CURINg depression and preventing suicide. SUICIDE IS more common than CAR ACCIDENTS AS THE KILLER OF YOUNG ADULTS. IF YOU WARN YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT DRIVING SAFELY, THEN READ THIS, AND WARN THEM ABOUT DEPRESSION.