Do you or someone you know suffer from depression? What has been the best resource or help in dealing with the disease?

I worked in Disability Services at the U of Minnesota and retired 3 years ago. . Depression was the number one disability among students and staff. I suspect there is a long way to go in terms of better understanding the biochemistry etc. let alone developing treatments that really work. Not to suggest that much can't be done already. Paul Wellstone had it right when he proposed legislation to put treatment for mental health on a par with physical illness. Many of the current health care insurance programs limit the amount and type of treatments to ridiculous levels. The health care reform that passed doesn't go far enough. We need comprehensive health care for everyone and take the costs for marketing and executive bonuses etc. out of the equation. Employers need to be flexible with their approach. Student services need to work in collaboration with staff and medical providers. Seems obvious but too often is lacking.

I realize that to you, as well as to me who has had depression from the start, it does seem obvious. But to the every day "Joe or Suzy" it is not obvious. One thing that can be done is education of what depression is, how does it present, what does it look like: i.e. has a change occured in someone you know, dramatic weight loss or gain, isolating themselves, inability to sleep or so tired the person cannot get out of bed. How is the person's ability to concentrate? Are they irritable? Have they lost interest in things they used to enjoy? Do they talk about whating to "sleep forever?" "crawl in a hole and die" "drink until there I die?" These are red flags that professionals can teach to others. A part of the social workers ethical code is to give back to their community. To me this is one way to give back. A person does need to be a professional speaker to do this either. I agree with you that there isn't enough money alloted for mental health disorders. At the same time, training students to be peers counselors and provide support in conjunction with professionals is one way to deal with the over whelming situations that college students will encounter.

For me, I deal with depression in a variety of ways. This past year I decide my project for getting through the winter would be to write one thing I am grateful for and put it in a big plastic jar. And when my depression lifted enough that I could go back and appreciate the coping skills that I have I could look at the day, date, time, mood, and how I was during the depressive episode. I experience major depression recurrent. Much of the time I will cycle starting around fall and lift in spring, however, I wish it were just that simple. I can be experiencing a depressive episode and not even realize it. I am usually on medication, so I tend not to pay attention some times. And some times I end up hitting bottom before I realize that the medication is no longer effective. It is at that time I need to see my doctor, schedule an appointment with a therapist or friend, be more attentive to my diet, and no matter how much I do not want to exercise, I do just that, exercise. It is like pulling teeth to do it but it provides quite a lift. I also remind myself to be gentle with me, I must take care of myself in order for this to lift. Use of a journal, a short phrase of words (this too shall pass) is a favorite of mine which I repeat to myself several times during the day, pets, doing something for someone, feeling needed, baking, cooking, doing a simple craft, taking a day, an hour at a time are all ways I deal with depression. I have crawled out of the hole many, many times; I remind myself of that when I am experiencing a depressive episode. I also ask myself when I am feeling better what have I learned from this and how can I use what I experienced the next time or will there be a next time? I always have hope that there will not be a next time. I find it interesting that employers being flexable with employees is mention. So much is lost in performance & morale due to untreated depression. I know of somone very near and dear to me that lost her job due to "performance issues" and this wonderful person actual told the employer but the employer didn't listen. She lost her job, and he lost a dedicated, knowledgable, passionate employee. If the employer would have been flexable it would have been a win/win situation for both.

When faced with a major life transition, (death, divorce, job loss) you can feel like your life has just stopped and that you are experiencing a situational depression. I still hear people say that you can get over this kind of depression by just "moving on." I would rather hear that it's okay to be where you are until you are ready to be in another place. We own the pain and the disappointment and we should give ourselves permission to be where we are and feel the way we feel that day. When we get up tomorrow we might be in a different place, just because it's a different day.

What is the best resource/help? That's a tough question since the best is so unique to each individual. There's medication, talk therapy, stress management, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, light therapy, acupressure, cognitive-behavioral therapy, exercise, diet, spirituality, etc.