News
Spotlight on depression
A Depression Awareness Day was held on Sunday, with guest speakers talking about the symptoms, the effects and where to locate help for depression.
More than 460 people attended the day to hear speakers Professor Chris Tennant department head of Psychological Medicine RNSH and University of Sydney, author of I Had a Black Dog Matthew Johnstone and founder of depressioNet Ms Leanne Pethick.
All speakers agreed they had not experienced an event quite like the one held at Wambianna, and were pleasantly surprised with the crowd which came to listen.
"This is a first, never have I been invited by a community group, I hope it will roll out across rural NSW," Professor Tennant said.
Professor Tennant spoke about the statistics and the symptoms of depression.
"Over the last 10 years surveys have indicated that depression in the community has increased by 25 per cent and this is despite, generally speaking, the economic situation improving, although this is not so for farmers and there is no doubt that during economic downtimes depression increases. The drought is a good example of that in rural areas," he said.
"The sooner we recognise depression is as much a medical illness as diabetes or heart disease and is caused by chemical disturbances, the better.
"In general terms the more people are open with each other about having this condition the more confidence there will be in the community overall about dealing with the problems."
Mr Johnstone describing his own experiences with depression said, "someone said to me of depression it robs the twinkle from your eye, that spark of life seems gone."
"My biggest fear was being found out.
"It also becomes very familiar. I became very suspicious of feeling well, in the end letting the dog out is far better than keeping it in, it is an ongoing process, I know that it will always be with me."
Professor Tennant went on to say the other important thing for the population to realise is that depression is eminently treatable.
"Medications are effective and safe and readily available through general practitioners who themselves are increasingly aware of depression and diagnosing it much more easily," he said.
Professor Tennant spoke of the future.
"In the long term of course it is most important to get an attitudinal change in the next generation namely the adolescents," he said.
"This will extend education programs into secondary schools and I suspect will be a significant benefit."