Senator John Fetterman has been voluntarily hospitalized for the treatment of clinical depression. I am not a medical professional; however, clearly depression is serious stuff with potentially very serious outcomes. We all probably know someone who has suffered from it, or perhaps we have personally had bouts of it. At AGEIST as we often write on the benefits of connection and the massive importance of a friend network; we are assuming it is within one’s capability to reach out and make or enhance human connection. However, if one is clinically depressed, reaching out to make new friends may not be on the menu. What may be called for is appropriate medical help. This is not about just having an occasional bad day; this could be a mental health condition requiring trained professional help. The consequences of not getting that help can be catastrophic and even life ending. We are talking about a condition whereby a person cannot, by their own force of will, pull themselves out of a downward spiral. It is just not possible.
Covid isolation has made this much worse, for people young and old. The results are increases in the whole range baddies: opiate addictions and overdoses, suicides, and more. Striving for the sort of healthy lifestyle we write about can be an impossibility if one is clinically depressed. I have known, as we probably all have, people who have died directly by their own hand, or indirectly via some self-destructive attempt at overcoming the darkness of depression.
Senator Fetterman’s choice to undergo treatment is admirable, and I wish more people in need did this. I am not sure what the statistics are, but I would guess that he is in the minority who do. We at AGEIST tend to be rather sunny and positive, but there are also times when being deadly serious are called for. If you feel you may be depressed, there is no shame in asking for help. We are cheering you on, we have you in mind, and we are pulling for you to get to the other side because there is another side. If you know someone who may need help, this is when you need to be that friend I wrote about last week; the one who is there even when it is tough to be there. If you are in crisis, call a hotline; they would very much like to speak with you. To Senator Fetterman, we applaud you for being public about your choice to get help.
Onward and upward,
David
