Mental Health Awareness month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which prompted me to share the story about my diagnosis with cancer 25 years ago. Because I was the first in my family to have cancer, I had no idea what to expect. My doctors assured me repeatedly that I would get through this, knock the cancer out (with chemotherapy and radiation) and never hear from it again (all true, thankfully!).?

What they didn't prepare me for was the aftermath. And the aftermath it turned out, was nearly as challenging as the disease. I (somewhat naively perhaps) expected to recover immediately once my treatment was finished. Wrong! Fatigue, mental fogginess, and a tingling sensation throughout my lower body whenever I walked were my constant companions for most of the first 12 months following treatment.

While I might have guessed there would be some side-effects, what I never expected to experience was depression. Depression does not run in my family (there is often a genetic predisposition to this which makes it important to know your family history) and I didn't recognize the symptoms. Because I didn't recognize the symptoms, I delayed treatment.?

It didn't have to be this way. There are a lot of misconceptions about depression and a lot of fear in talking about it.?

It is time to change this.?I am sharing my story with the hope that it starts the conversation. Maybe it will help one of us recognize something in ourselves or those we care about and seek help.

?A few observations:??

Depression is not necessarily a lifelong affliction. My disease was described by my physicians as "situational depression" meaning my healthcare providers anticipated a relatively short-course treatment and likely no recurrence. This has very happily been my experience. I have never had a relapse but I am now alert to the symptoms. If there is a next time, I will recognize the symptoms and will not wait to talk to my doctor. ?

Even where it is a lifelong challenge, depression is treatable. Upon my diagnosis I immediately started taking anti-depressants and meeting regularly with a therapist. I was floored by how much and how fast these interventions, working together, helped. We live in an age of almost miraculous therapies which can help guide our recoveries. Your doctor can help you choose the best, most effective course for you.??

Depression does not have to mean you are suicidal. There are a whole range of symptoms associated with depression. My disease showed up as extreme lethargy: an inability to get anything done.??

Depression is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed by. I view my own bout of depression as no different than my fight against cancer or any other illness. One of the things that helped me most as I faced these challenges was openly talking about both with friends, family, and clergy. The openness removed the stigma and the fear and helped speed my recovery.?None of us is embarrassed when our eyesight fades and we need glasses. We are not embarrassed to admit having had a cold or the flu. If you cut yourself, you put on a Band-Aid. Depression is no different.?

If you are experiencing depression, there are resources to help. If you have suicidal thoughts please get help immediately by calling the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

The last few years have been more difficult than any of us could have imagined on many different fronts. Partly as a result of that, we are seeing an epidemic of too often undiagnosed and untreated depression. It doesn't have to be this way.?