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Depression:
Why Suicide Should Never Be A Secret
So many people wonder just HOW a person
becomes depressed, as depression is such a very hard concept to wrap
one's mind around. WHY would a young person, with what seems
like everything to live for, suddenly and abruptly end his or her
own life?
Kristina was suffering from depression, which unfortunately went
unrecognized. I have learned a lot since her death and would like to
share some of that with you. The following information is
borrowed from one county's Suicide Prevention Program and has been
interspersed with Kristina's personal information:
You may have learned in biology that our bodies are made up of
cells. The brain and the spinal cord are made up of 300 billion
special cells called neurons.
Neurons act like electrical wires. They send messages to all of
our body parts to do something. Neurons tell our lungs to expand and
contract so that we breathe. They tell our heart to beat, and
they tell our intestines to process food into energy. They also tell
our legs and arms to move.
Another function of the neurons is to put together all of the
information that we get from the world around us in order to create
the way we look at life. We call this 'thinking'.
If the neurons are not working correctly, we don't function well.
For an example, if the spinal cord is injured, the electrical
messages stop from the injury down and the body parts below the
injury don't move anymore. If the neurons that cause us to think are
not working correctly, our thought patterns change.
The problem is that this is a very tricky electrical system
because no two neurons touch. There is actually a space between each
one. So, it is an electrical system that basically has 300 billion
shorts in it. If we cut a lamp's electrical cord in half, the
electric current stops running and the lamp won't work.
The electric current keeps flowing through the brain because we
have natural chemicals (called neurotransmitters) that are between
each neuron. These chemicals allow the 'electricity' to keep
moving.
When there aren't enough of these chemicals, the electric current
slows down. Our thinking slows down, too. This is what's known as a
'chemical imbalance'.
When we can't think as quickly as normal, we can't concentrate,
it gets hard to problem solve, we start to feel badly about
ourselves, we get frustrated and angry, and we feel sad and
hopeless. All of these are symptoms of depression.
It is very, very important to get help for people who are
suffering from depression. Depression works on a continuum and left
untreated, it begins to affect more and more areas of the
brain. Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide.
Suicidal thoughts often begin when depression gets bad. You must
remember that suicide can be stopped at many points.
In Kristina's case, her brain basically got sick. The brain is an
organ of the body and can get sick just like the heart, liver and
kidneys. Just like when you get a broken arm, you CAN'T fix it
yourself. Depression is nothing to be ashamed about. It is an
illness...one which IS treatable.
Kristina was hurting inside and all she really wanted was to feel
better. She didn't know that if she got help, those feelings would
go away. Depression can be treated and the bad feelings...those of
hopelessness and worthlessness....go away with treatment.
This was a mistake that Kristina would never want anyone else to make.
Suicide should NEVER be a secret. If you are feeling
suicidal or depressed, there is help. You do not need to suffer with
this pain.
IF YOU ARE
IN CRISIS AND NEED IMMEDIATE HELP:
.. Call 1-800-273-TALK
(1-800-273-8255)
.. Check yourself into the emergency room.
..
Tell someone that you need help immediately....tell a responsible
adult.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the information
contained herein is being provided for educational purposes
only and is not intended to replace the necessity of a trained
medical professional. As such, this information should
NOT be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment
of any mental/psychiatric disorders. Please consult a medical
professional if the information here leads you to believe you or
someone you know may be depressed as the proper diagnosis and
treatment of depression and other psychiatric disorders requires a
trained medical professional.
© 2007 The Shabby
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