Going Public About Depression

Going public about depression is a big step.  In the links that follow are some good stories about depression and going public.  The Toronto Mike story on stigma was really good, and it led me to tracking down Dani Stover's story.  Dani's a radio producer that used to work in Toronto, now she's in Peterborough:

http://www.torontomike.com/2010/03/the_stigma_of_mental_illness_a.html
http://www.canadianthinker.com/2009/05/dani_stover_is_a_friend.html

Someone you may be a little more familiar with is Clara Hughes.  She's battled depression for a while too.  She's the spokesperson for Bell's Let's Talk campaign (http://letstalk.bell.ca/).  Here's just one of the many articles that tell her story:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/story/2011/02/06/sp-hughes-q-a.html


I've mentioned Michael Landsberg, before, and if you've been reading this, you've probably checked out the links, so I'm not going to repeat them.  But sometimes if you're suffering from depression, it's too hard to deal with, and that's when tragedy strikes.  Two of the more prominent examples are Wade Belak and Daron Richardson.  I'm sure you've heard about Belak - he was one of 3 NHL players to pass away this summer in a very short time:

http://www.torontomike.com/2011/09/suffering_in_silence_wade_bela.html

But, unless you really follow hockey, you might not know who Daron Richardson was.  She was the daughter of former NHL player and current Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson.  She took her own life last November.  She was 14.  I can't imagine what it was like for the Richardson family to go through that, and my heart went out to them as soon as I heard the news.  I can, on a certain level, relate to Daron - when my life fell apart last year, ending it all seemed like a pretty attractive option.  I have two girls - one's 9 and the other's going to be 7.  Daron's story scared the hell out of me...I'm the second generation in my family that has suffered from depression, and I'm terrified my girls will be the third.

That's why I wear a purple D.I.F.D. bracelet...for only $20 you get 4 of them.  Purple was Daron's favourite colour.  I can't bring Daron Richardson back (or anyone for that matter) but the whole point of Do It For Daron is to transform youth mental health.  I'm doing it for my daughters and all the other kids out there, so that hopefully me & other families don't have to go through that devastation.  When my girls are older, and the bracelets will stay on their wrists, I'll explain who Daron was and why depression is an important subject to me, especially as it affects them.

For more information:
http://www.doitfordaron.com/