depression

stones piled up in the forefront with a still, blue lake in the background

Depression Duration

My mother said long ago, “Everybody has something”. She meant that we all have something to deal with, whether it’s an illness or a physical issue or a crummy family life – something. More and more, we’re becoming aware of how many people’s “something” is mental illness.

Blue Monday

This is it. It’s the third Monday in January, the day of the year when our emotions hit rock bottom and we’re at our most depressed. The idea is that the holidays are over and the flurry of activity suddenly stops. Christmas bills start coming in. It’s cold and the sun doesn’t want to show itself. If you’re feeling this way, you’ve got lots of company. Mental health experts estimate up to 10% of Canadians get the genuine winter blues. …

Suicide is Painless

That’s the title of the theme from M*A*S*H and I always wondered why it was appropriate for a TV show about a war, but that’s a topic for another day. Now that we’ve had time to absorb what Robin Williams has done, I’m really hoping the dialogue around suicide and mental health will change a bit. I hope Williams’ universal appeal is enough to make some people learn more about depression and how it differs from ordinary feelings of being down or sad.   …

Review: Out of the Blue by Jan Wong

If you remember Wong’s “Lunch With…” series in the Globe and Mail you’ll probably recall that she was a true journalist.  She didn’t suck up to her subjects who ranged from the famous to the notorious.  She sometimes ripped them a new one for everything from table manners to the way they answered questions. Wong was a marquee writer for the Globe for two decades until she wrote an article that inspired death threats and instead of backing her up, her employer hung her out to dry.   …