Delta Burke's Admission

Delta Burke's Admission

Actress Delta Burke just made public her battle with depression on an airing of “Entertainment Tonight”. I applaud her courage and forthcoming candor. She is not alone in her battle with this illness. It effects approximately 14 million adults per year in just the USA alone. Most of us woman have suffered from post partum “Blues”---depression.

Some symptoms (Please do not assume if you have any of these you suffer from depression………..if concerned, please see your doctor): Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood; loss of appetite and/or weight loss, or conversely overeating and weight gain; insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping, restlessness or irritability; feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt, helplessness, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism; difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering, or making decisions; thoughts of death or suicide or attempts at suicide; loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex; decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down" or sluggish. persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain.

It is not a disease to be confused with being mentally slow or mentally handicapped…..check out some people who have suffered from depression: Abraham Lincoln, John D.. Rockefeller, Princess Diana, Vincent Van Gogh, Winston Churchell, Issac Newton, Mark Twain, Buzz Aldrin, Terry Bradshaw, etc. Although I am not too impressed with this site’s title, but it does offer a very good list of famous people who have suffered or suffer from depression.:
http://www.mixednuts.net/depression-famous.html

I know whereof I speak because I suffer from depression and oft times have been put down by family and friends because I am not able to be “up” when they want me to as me being “down” makes them uncomfortable and they don’t know how to handle it and often think it is a “put-on”.

If you know of a friend or family member who might be suffering from depression do not judge them but urge them to seek medical advice. Please do not expect him or her "to snap out of it."-----do you actually think that the person WANTS to be depressed? It is a lonely place to be and it is a world of entrapment without getting the necessary help and support. People who never have suffered from it, assume the person affected, is crying out for attention, or should be strong enough to snap out of it, or just needs “to get a grip”.

They need your support and understanding…support that involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. A person can’t fight this illness on their own and a little bit of understanding and support goes a long ways for them.

Answer to 2/22’s trivia question: Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, was created in 1939, in Chicago, for what department store as a Christmas promotion? Montgomery Ward.
Today’s trivia question: Howdy Doody of the TV show Howdy Doody had a twin sister, what was her name?
Thought for the day: Motto for my kitchen: A messy kitchen is a happy one and this one is delirious.