This week the Centers for Disease Control revealed some alarming statistics regarding the problem of depression here in the United States.
The use of antidepressant drugs has soared nearly 400% since 1988.
Antidepressant medication is the most commonly used form of medication for people between the ages of 18 – 44. One in twenty-five teens regularly takes antidepressant pills. The study also showed that nearly one in four women ages 40 to 59 are taking antidepressants. Furthermore, more than 60% of Americans have taken antidepressant medication for two years or longer, with 14% taking the medication for 10 years or more.
There are genetic and organic causes for depression, but most depression is being caused by the dysfunctional society that we live in.
What is the remedy for this alarming crisis?
First of all, we need to remedy our relationship with God. Recently, the outdoor sign of a Christian church of another denomination was advertising their health program: yoga, Yahweh Yoga and Zumba. Exercise is important, but what we really need is the Eucharist, Mary and Confession.
Secondly, our family life needs to be strong. A great place to start is for moms to stay home and take care of the kids and for families to have dinner every night as a family.
Thirdly, we need friends, and not friends on the Internet, but real friends; friends that we talk to in person. Friends that we can hug, shake a hand, enjoy a good laugh, a good glass of wine, and yes, even a good cigar.
If everyone were to implement these three things, I am sure that the next study from the Centers for Disease Control will show a dramatic decline in the use of antidepressant pills.
posted October 26, 2011 at 2:55 am
I say we need jobs, work that are friendly to mothers, on site daycares. Shorter work days so family can prepare meals and eat together. How about health care? The uncertainty of not knowing what’s going to happen to you if you get sick can make people very depressed. As a matter of fact, many mothers become slaves of work so they can have insurance for their families. Father the leave to beaver days are over!
The changes have to be done in the policy level, so we can live in a fair society.
posted November 3, 2011 at 8:11 am
d Today, ECT is safe and painless. The patient is given anesthetic before surgery, and muscle relaxant drug, which reduces convulsions. The procedure is performed in short-term anesthesia, seizure itself lasts about 30 seconds. ECT is performed two or three times a week, the depression is carried out for 12 treatments in mania and catatonia up to 20
posted December 6, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Appalled at the statement”Mothers need to be home taking care of their families” HELLO WELCOME TO REALITY…….those days never existed to start with and are still being pushed in todays society. We need to work on things that are reality based. There are a lot of single parents in this world WHY!!!!! Maybe because of these BELIEF’s of how life should be. In todays world it takes two incomes to survive. So the mom stay home theory is out the window. Moms today are proving that it can be done at the expense of sanity….Society dictates that a MAN should be a provider for the family so that a woman can take care of the kids. Men today do not want the responsibility of that, or dont make enough to support a family. All this hog wash makes me sick. The message you are trying to send is not a realistic one. Try dealing in todays world and reality….
posted December 10, 2011 at 11:53 pm
Awesome article! I think your writings could help a lot of people over at The Panacea Community. If you have a minute, come take a look at how you could help more people from around the world.
posted January 15, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Thank you all for the excellent commentary. Yes, the “Leave it to Beaver”-days are over. So let’s all work together to improve each our own thinking, contemplation, prayer, and love for one another. Again, thanks…
posted February 12, 2012 at 11:12 pm
I have not looked at this blog before. For a sentence or two you seemed to be on the right track – but going back a century or so isn’t going to solve any 21st century problems.
Why didn’t you suggest that men stay home and take care of the children in order to “strengthen” families?
Those who try to limit women – who have as varied a range of personality, interests, and talents as men do – are not helping the real world of real people. But, that’s one of the biggest weaknesses of having an all-male, all celibate clergy – they don’t actually live in the real world of real families.
posted February 12, 2012 at 11:46 pm
I couldn’t quite believe what I was reading – who IS this man, I wondered. So I looked at his website. I should have guessed – he is a member of the Legionaries of Christ. I will not both to read this particular blog again. It is of interest to only a small number of people – those who don’t really like living in the now, but want to go back to the (not so) good ole days – when women “knew their place.”
posted April 17, 2012 at 4:05 pm
A relationship with God is very important, however, for those of us with ongoing depression, we need our medication just to avoid going into a severe depression again. You make it sound like we have a weak spiritual life or we wouldn’t be sick. Articles like this one only strengthen society’s belief that depressed people are somehow weak and could do something more to get well than take their medication.