Winter is fast approaching and the weather won’t be the only thing changing within the next few weeks.
For the one million Canadians who suffer from depression, the coming switch in seasons will be quite challenging.
The Mood Disorders Association of Ontario and the Toronto Distress Centre, say the number and severity of calls by depressed people increases every year through November and December.
According to The Canadian Mental Health Association, the reasons why the winter season is challenging for people with depression is a no-brainer.
The colder weather, shorter days and lack of light can affect levels of serotonin, a chemical that lacks the brains of those who suffer from depression.
With natural triggers in place, why are so many Canadians skeptical of the disease and those who seek medication for treatment?
According to the CMHA, 54 per cent of Canadians believe depression is a personal weakness, instead of a medical problem.
This opinion and similar attitudes that spring from it are detrimental to Canadian society not to mention incredibly inaccurate.
Too many Canadians believe depression is a character weakness and a sign of not being able to cope in society, thanks to the above attitudes.
According to the CMHA, many depressed Canadians fear they will be ridiculed by society by accepting and treating their diagnosis.
This is probably why only 20 per cent of depressed Canadians will seek treatment, according to Health Canada.
About 97 per cent of those who report their depression also say their work, home life and relationships suffered as a result.
So why then, are those who seek medicine for treatment seen as weak when they are simply taking control of their mental health in order to improve their lives?
According to any medical professional, depression is a treatable illness, similar to diabetes or any other illness.
Major depression can occur once, as a result of a significant psychological trauma, respond to treatment and never occur again within your lifetime.
A large number of Canadians will suffer recurring depression, with episodes of depression followed by periods of several months or years without it, followed by another episode, usually in response to more life stressors or another trauma.
The latter is often treated with anti-depressants which help regulate the levels of serotonin in the brain, responsible for causing depression.
Unnecessary stigma attached to depression causes a major barrier between Canadians suffering from the disease and medication that helps them cope.
Depression must be seen as a medical problem.
It is simply a deficiency of chemicals in the brain that need to be replaced by medication to regulate behavior.
For those who question the validity of this, the query to be posed is, would you discriminate against a diabetic for taking insulin to make up for a sugar imbalance in the body?
I think not.
So affected Canadians: when the colder weather hits in a few weeks, pull out your winter coat, wrap a scarf around your neck and pop that happy pill.
No shame required.