The hardest enemy to fight is on that you do not believe exists, one you do not take seriously and one that you neglect. That is what makes depression and mental health so dangerous. It is written off, not taken seriously and ignored. People simply think your either crazy or your fine and its not that simple. You can be a perfectly healthy person and catch colds, get strep throat, or any other random infection and if not treated it will wreak havoc to your body. The physical symptoms are easy to spot and treat, but when the only person who really knows is yourself or your close friends its harder to spot. If its hard to identify then it cannot be treated and it only gets worse.
Depression strikes those of all types, all fame, all fortunes. This is the reason you see so many stars from actors to musicians to athletes all struggle. They show cracking with public outbursts, heavy drug use even to their own detriment and deaths. I use the recent tragedy with Junior Seau as an example. Nobody but him and the lord knows what really went on with him, but he seemingly had everything one can ask for, money, women, and a great and respected career. What is true is that something was bothering him, he did not ever share it or talk about it or get it properly addressed before he took his own life. Some may say the blows to his head may have contributed, either way there are far more formers players who endured blows and went on to survive, no matter how you slice it mental health played a role here. After the tragedy NFL Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall wrote this
piece discussing his own struggles with mental health. Marshall is a young famous millionaire, I need not elaborate of how things should be fine with him, but they were not. Marshall sought help, found he did have a problem and was treated.
I would like to echo those thoughts of Brandon Marshall. I too believe that people avoid this issue of mental health due to the stigma and connotations associated with. By not addressing the problem they allow them selves to get worse and worse until they become a shell of themselves, someone they do not recognize. Days simply get worse and worse and the pride, the strength, or maybe even not wanting someone close to see you weak makes you destroy yourself. Everyone standing has someone in their life willing to hear them if they open up, but first one must accept the fact that something could be wrong. Just give it a thought and be open to the possibility of getting yourself checked out if you know you suffer from the symptoms (taken from WebMD):
- difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
- fatigue and decreased energy
- feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
- feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
- insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
- irritability, restlessness
- loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
- overeating or appetite loss
- persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
- persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
- thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
Some of the signs are more simple than you think, do not destroy yourself by letting a simple problem get big. Too many people have lost their lives or made too many mistakes due to depression, if you think its a possibility then check out more information
here. I ask that you all recognize depression as a worthy foe, least he defeat you before you ever know it.
