I hope you'll excuse me for the length of this post but I have to get this off my chest after the past couple of days reading letters, emails and comments from people reacting to the Mindy McCready/David Wilson double suicide.
So many comments have come in calling Mindy a Coward. A horrible
person. A Sinner. Weak. How can you call someone who is
Insane 'A Coward'? A Sane person DOESN'T commit suicide. A chemically unbalanced brain thinking irrationally without medical treatment IS capable of doing all sorts of horrific things, HOWEVER,
expecting an insane person to think rationally is in itself INSANE.
This is all about depression caused by heredity/drug
abuse/and chemical imbalance. If you are lucky enough to NOT be
among the estimated 54 MILLION Americans suffering with
depression, you probably don't fully understand the pain and agony both physical AND mental these victims suffer. They deal with EXTREME shame and embarrassment along with a number of other symptoms. Calling them names is NOT the answer. Let me correct that. Calling "US" names is not the answer.
I AM in the 54 million who deal with depression. I see a psychiatrist and am on a prescription drug which helps me deal with panic attacks and mild OCD. Am I uncomfortable telling you this? Yes. In a world where people look down on others who suffer with a disease of the brain differently than a disease of the lungs or heart or kidneys. The brain is just another organ that can get out of whack and require medical attention.
If you've followed Dr. Drew who treated Mindy, you may have
heard him say "We need to treat disease above the neck just like we do with disease below the neck!"
Let me ask you, if you saw someone having a heart attack, would
you say they are a coward?
A person suffering with clinical depression not thinking
rationally doesn't realize it and can't be held accountable. The courts treat insane people differently than sane people and it's time the rest of society does as well.
I hope you don't think less of me because of what I've told you
about myself but its a chance I'm willing to take.
Let's 'Normalize' depression and people suffering with mental
illness. Let's each try to realize we are all doing the best we can. If you feel out of control yourself and think you need help. Look for it. Talk to a friend, call the numbers my buddy Boxer has listed on his page. http://www.wmzq.com/pages/the-boxer-show.html?article=10831401 Most importantly, try to remember there is a way to feel better and depression can be treatable. If you are lucky enough to not be a sufferer, pay attention to the warning signs of your neighbors/friends/family and children. If you witness someone threatening suicide. Get HELP! IT IS a Medical emergency, JUST LIKE SOMEONE HAVING A HEART ATTACK. Who knows? You just
may save a life!
Best Wishes,
Michael J
