Depressing - Whangarei Leader - 8th June 2010

Closer communities - Northern Advocate - 4th June 2010

In my youth times were tough for many but most people had broad family or community connections. Family, friends and neighbours socialised making their own entertainment, youth seldom made trouble without someone noticing and doing something about it. Things did go wrong, never a perfect world, but people usually supported each other and were generally pretty happy. The decent family men would soon put a stop to the not so decent men who mistreated a member of the family, usually someone was around home during the day and there were enough local policemen (bobbies) to know their community. Were things hidden then, are we truly better off today? My family held concerts, my father sang a song ….. ‘When you’re smiling, when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you’, it really cheered us up!

This leads to the subject brought to my attention recently, depression. Who gets it and why? Apparently anyone can get depression and for many reasons. It’s well known that Mike King, John Kirwan and Lady Diana suffered from it proving that suffers are often high achievers, perfectionists.

Sadly, lacking understanding, many people avoid the topic or sufferers. My research so far has only touched on the subject but I sense that people feel isolated and unhappy despite the fact they are living in well populated towns and cities? Like most issues perhaps we need to realize the community holds the answers. What can be done?

Through this column I’d be interested in the opinions of others, professional or otherwise, regarding depression or closer communities.

Pat Slater

Maunu