People struggle psychologically for many reasons. Depression knows no boundaries; it transcends age, gender and socio-economic background. Depression is the great sad equalizer.
I struggled with depression for years without ever knowing it. At first, there were environmental causes (a deprived and sometimes violent childhood), then much later in life, circumstances created the crisis that led to a breakdown and then a breakthrough.
What does this have to do with men? Our society is facing a suicide epidemic, especially among young men. In Australia, Ehon Chan views this as a crime of humanity and has launched a social movement to create cultural and behavioral change. It’s not enough to just talk anymore, he writes, when suicide is the leading cause of death among young people, of which 4 out of 5 are young men.
In the world of social media, word of an online compatriot’s death by suicide sped across the Internet. This news finally prompted me to write this article, which I had intended to write 2+ months ago. Steve Woodruff writes eloquently of his friend and offers a free e-book which has a particular focus on men, who often live in denial about things like depression. “It is definitely not a literary masterpiece – it’s primarily a call to action,” said Woodruff.
The book is free to download and may be distributed freely:
Click to download –> Clearing Clouds
But depression and mental health is not just a men’s issue. We are their wives, sisters and mothers who champion them from birth to middle age. What can women do? We can love unconditionally. We can embrace our differences. We can applaud their successes and lift them up when they fall.
And sometimes, we simply have to let go.
In loving memory of my brother who would have been 47 on September 24th.
