| Titel: | Dealing with the big "D" |
|---|---|
| Autor: | Graham, C |
| Mediengruppe: | journal article |
| Herausgeber: | --- |
| Zeitschrift: | Advocate |
| Jahr: | 2004 |
| Band: | --- |
| Heft: | 921 |
| Seiten: | 46 |
| Sprache: | englisch |
| Abstract: | The article recounts a gay man's struggle in battling with his depression for two years. A few weeks ago I bought a home yoga kit complete with instructional CD and flash cards. My first session was going smashingly until the Warrior II position: twisting the body back with arms up to the sky. My motivation to start a yoga regimen was not about being trendy. I wanted another way to relieve stress and to deal with my depression, which was diagnosed two years ago. Since then I've been engaged in a constant battle to manage it. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 6.6% of men and 12% of women in the United States suffer some form of depression in any given year. There is no solid data regarding the prevalence of depression specifically among gay men and lesbians, but in a health study of 2,881 gay and bisexual men released in February, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that 17.2% suffered symptoms of major life-altering depression--five times the rote among all men. Depression goes well beyond a simple case of the blues. No one can just snap out of it. It can be completely absent and then wash over you in a sudden wave. It can mentally and physically crush you, leaving you barely able to function at times. In severe bouts you may think about death constantly or even plan suicide. In some cases depression may be accompanied by panic attacks in store aisles and sleepless nights of worry. Medication may well help, but it is a good idea also to see a therapist. Pay special attention to the medicine: Some forms increase appetite, while others produce sexual side effects or sleepiness. If one medicine is not working, talk to your doctor about changing the dosage or switching to another. And always remember: Be careful if you decide to attempt yoga. |