The tragic death of former Toronto Maple Leafs player Wade Belak highlighted the ongoing battle against depression facing as many as one in 10 men. With the drop in daylight hours, we tracked down The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Dr. David Goldbloom for a primer on the dangers of depression.
Wade Belak's death really put depression in the forefront in Toronto. Are people talking more about these sorts of issues?
We live in a culture of celebrity, so when a tragedy befalls a famous person it generates more conversation. But for the 4,000 Canadians every year who kill themselves, silence about depression is still a big problem.
But does a tragic incident like this help or make it worse?
Hopefully, it opens the door to more conversation and acknowledgment. Michael Landsberg’s post on TSN about his own struggle with depression and his friendship with Wade Belak is a great example of trying to make something positive and useful out of this tragedy.
Is depression on the rise?
Depression has been around and well described since the time of Hippocrates. It’s been a closeted illness for centuries, but now we have good evidence that it affects one in five women and one in 10 men over the course of their lives. What’s on the rise is our awareness and acknowledgment of this common disorder — and ideally for its treatment as well.
But what actually is depression?
There’s still a lot of misunderstanding because we use the word “depression” liberally, as a more sophisticated way of saying “sad” — which is a normal and universal human emotion. When people become clinically depressed, it’s a lot more than feeling sad. For many people, it’s a kind of numbness rather than sadness. It’s sustained over weeks to months, and it’s associated with characteristic changes in pleasure, sleep, energy, appetite, concentration, memory and motivation. It can reach a severity where suicide seems a reasonable option. It fundamentally takes over how you see yourself and your future.
There is also a new show on CBC called Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays that deals with therapy. Have you seen the show?
Only the first episode.
What did you think?
It’s funny, which is really good since it’s a comedy. I think even the fact that it’s on Wednesdays is funny. And it did include some elements of work outside the traditional office setting — like exposure (no clothing removal) in a shopping mall to a feared activity.
Who is your favourite pop culture therapist?
Frasier. I like him because he’s an all-too-human pompous and vain prig, but he cares genuinely for his family and his work, and he’s funny.
Is this depression season?
It is indeed. Changes in available light can have a significant mood effect in vulnerable individuals.
How do I know if I have seasonal affective disorder?
First step is finding out from a health professional if you do have a depression and then looking at the pattern if it recurs.
What can be done, other than moving to Florida and retiring early?
For some people, light therapy, using high-lux lights, can make a significant difference. Again, a careful diagnosis should precede any treatment.
Can I dancercize those blues away?
It helps. But feeling blue is not the same as clinical depression. People should find out what they are up against before figuring out the best solution.
What is your own remedy when in a funk?
Let’s be clear — funks are not the same as clinical depression. My remedies include being with the people important to me, playing the piano or playing squash.
I hear how alcohol is a depressant, but is a glass of wine really bad for my mental health?
I hope not.
