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DIRECTORS REPORT
Recently the "Courier Mail' published an article titled "Horror of London's Human Zoo" The article described the treatment of people suffering mental illness during the 1200's to 1700's. Where they actually were using the mentally ill as zoos for the more elite/affluent who paid a sum of money to watch the mentally ill's behaviour. History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is. We cannot escape history. We must learn from past mistakes and condemn the repeating of the facts we now know better.
Time and time again people that I speak to are afraid of using the word "Mental Illness" in fear of them admitting that they are lunatics. An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don't. There are three kinds of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. When will we come to terms and stop being in denial of Mental Illness/Suicide. Until we come to terms with the word mental illness how can we expect to help those in need? We are not afraid to use such words as AIDS, Cancer, Diabetes, SARS, Asthma, Menengoccolous, Polio, Heart Disease, etc because we have an understanding of what these diseases can do to us and we know that they are treatable in most cases. But do we have the same understanding of words such as Personality Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bi-polar, Anxiety Attacks, Paranoia, Depression, Schizophrenia etc. No we do not. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering... government and the media are the culprits of confusing our society. Government keeps all of the promises they intended to keep. Through government/media we are confused of what to believe and what not to believe. Don't be afraid to accept that you have a Mental Illness. It is so easy to laugh and hate however it takes a special kind of strength to admit something that is shamed by whole of society. Only then can we hope for Action Against Suicide. Before you help others help yourself to have a better understanding of Mental Illness/suicide. Wisdom is to the mind what health is to the body.
If you have the right to vote but don't exercise it, don't complain about society's ills. They `re not your problem - they your fault! The most violent element in society is ignorance. After all there is only one race - humanity. Stand up and be counted.
Help us to help you.
If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance. - Orville Wright
Fanita Clark
Director
AGM was held 22 SEPTEMBER 2003
COMMITTEE AS FOLLOWS
Director:- Fanita Clark
SECRETARY:- Mark Knipe
TREASURER:- Pam Burke
COMMITTEE:- Peter Neame, Ruth Avenall, Donna Palmer, Tina Knipe, Andrea Bentham, Peter Clark, Ivars Milnis, Tony Newett
I look forward to working with you all.
A "Special Thanks" to our previous Treasurer Wendy Jensen for a wonderful job she did for the past three years. Wendy and I worked tirelessly behind the scenes and I especially will miss her.
THANKYOU"S
Metropolitan Funerals - Doug Austin, Newhaven Funerals - Phil Connolly, Index Business Park Self Storage Units - John Diegan, Mainfreight - David Kingdon,
Zupps - Roger Farrell Brisbane, Rockhampton City Council, Grand Plaza Shopping Centre - Browns Plains Qld - Melinda Hopf, Browns Plains Hotel Qld, The Warehouse - Logan Central, Price Choppers - Logan Central Shopping, Vietnam Veterans Motor Cycle Club Qld Chapter for all their support in particular "Breaker", "Rocky" & "Wayne", Patrons of Fihelly's Arms Hotel - Ann Street Brisbane, Kevin Knipe for donating stamps, Centro Properties Group - Logan Central, Vietnam Veterans Qld Association, Rockhampton Mayor, Cr Strelow, Salvation Army, Dr Michael John Clinical Psychologist, Superintendent Darryl
Cameron Rockhampton Police District, CQU Students Association Rockhampton, Pastor John Buchholz Baptist Church Rockhampton,
SPECIAL THANK YOU'S
Index Park Self Storage Units - John Diegan that allows us free of charge to store all White Wreath Association items.
Zupps - Roger Farrell for kindly donating a vehicle enabling us to travel to the many places that we hold Services all over Australia.
Mainfreight - David Kingdon for kindly transporting the thousands of White Wreaths all over Australia.
*We are most grateful and appreciate your kind support*
Dr David Horgan Consultant Psychiatrist
MB BCH BAO(DUB) MPHIL DPM MRCPSYCH FRANZCP MD(MELB)
1300 360 980 - Suicide Prevention Medical Specialist 24 Hour Recorded Message Service Charged at a local call cost.
If you need advise in an "Emergency" or know somebody else who does ring the above telephone number to hear advice that our Association believes is sound, helpful and caring information which will help people in their hour of need.
This is a service provided by Dr David Horgan and is a service that our Association wanted to implement but cost prohibited us from doing so.
Research all over the world, over many years, repeatedly identifies depression as the main cause of suicide. Other psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, and abuse of drugs/alcohol, also contribute, but the scourge of depression remains the major contribution.
The World Health Organisation, in a massive international study entitled "The Global Burden of Disease" calculates that by 2020 depression will be the second most disabling disease in the world, second only to heart/blood vessel disease. We believe 1 in 5 women, and 1 in 10 men approximately will develop at least one episode of depression. Unfortunately, taking into account presentation for treatment, adequate diagnosis, and treatment perseverance and effort by both patients and doctors, only 12 % will have their depression totally eradicated in a modern society! The emotional pain affecting the person and their close family and friends can be intolerable.
It is increasingly clear that depression is like cancer. Early and intensive treatment lessons suffering, reduces the risk of the depression returning, and lessons the risk of death, and of a wide range of medical illnesses associated with depression.
The following is a summary of depression I have prepared. More details, and a questionnaire on whether or not you (or someone you care about) may have depression can be found on the site I wrote www.depressiondoctor.com. By the time this newsletter appears, Australian residents in certain local Council areas (if their Council has joined the support scheme) will be able to get the 200 pages I have written about depression free of charge through www.depression.com.au.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION OR DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS?
We use the term "depression" in normal conversation to describe distress or unhappiness following an unpleasant event that has happened to us. This depression is a perfectly normal response of course, is usually short-lived, and usually resolves rapidly, without the need for any specific treatment.
In contrast, depressive illness, is a much more severe and prolonged condition, with persistent sadness, negativity and difficulty coping, which will affect about 20% of people at some stage in their lives. Those who have not suffered depressive illness can understand more clearly the suffering involved by recalling the most distressed state they have experienced in their own lives, and imagine that feeling continuing for weeks or months. Depressive illness is the emotional equivalent of a broken leg. The condition is painful and disabling, but with a very high cure rate. Indeed, many people state they would far prefer to have a broken leg or some other obvious physical problem, which would allow them and the people around them to understand why they are so suddenly disabled.
Depressive illness is similar to cancer in many ways. No one is immune from either, regardless of age, sex, intelligence, social status, etc. In severe cases, the condition is life threatening. Early, intensive and occasionally prolonged treatment gives the best chance of totally eradicating the illness, and reducing the risk of relapse. A combination of your own efforts, and appropriate medication, produces much better results than either approach on its own.
Who gets depressive illness?
In the vast majority of people, depressive illness results from a build-up of stress, which eventually causes a breakdown in internal chemistry. Factors which increase the risk of developing depressive illness, when faced with stress, include:
Who gets depressive illness Continued
1) Not communicating frequently with a partner or friends, usually about the normal things in life, and occasionally about more serious matters as they arise.
2) Multiple demands on your time, leaving too little time to relax.
3) Certain personality characteristics such as being anxious or worrying easily, lack of self-confidence, difficulty in being assertive, or excessive perfectionism.
4) Having fragile biochemistry, either due to genetic factors, or as a result of viral infections, medical illness or recent childbirth.
5) Drinking excessive alcohol or smoking excessive marijuana.
Diagnosing Depressive illness
This illness is diagnosed if you have some of the following standard complaints in depressive illness. These include:
1) Lowered mood - feeling sad or unhappy most of the day, and nearly every day.
2) Generalised negativity and pessimism - so that everything seems black or pointless.
3) Loss of interest or pleasure in your normal activities.
4) Tiredness, chronic fatigue (often not relieved by sleep).
5) Avoiding social contact.
6) Less talkative than usual.
7) Reduced concentration, memory or ability to think clearly.
8) Reduced productivity or ability to cope.
9) Tearfulness or crying.
10) Impaired sleep, appetite or sex drive.
11) Reduced self- confidence, feelings of worthlessness.
12) Anxiety and irritability.
13) Thoughts of life being pointless, especially when losing hope of recovering.
14)
Blood test for depression
In 50 to 60 per cent of cases, an unusual blood test (known as the Dexamethasone Suppression test) can measure the presence and severity of depressive illness. A normal test of course does not outrule depressive illness (just having a normal Xray when you have back pain does not mean you do not have a pain).
Treatment
This depends on the severity of the illness, and on the predisposing factors. Mild illnesses may respond to discussing the stresses, and finding better ways to deal with them. Encouragement to think and act positively (cognitive therapy) may be helpful. Discussing relationship difficulties has also been shown by research to be effective (interpersonal therapy). For more disabling or severe depressive illnesses, medication is usually necessary to repair the damaged chemistry, before dealing with the stresses and predisposing factors. Deciding not to take medication at this stage runs the risk of prolonging the illness and the suffering. There is also recent research indicating the importance of eradicating depressive illness as soon as possible, to lessen the risks of developing resistant or relapsing depressive illness. It is therefore important to take adequately strong doses of antidepressants, and to remain on the medication for some months after recovery. Antidepressants are not addictive (unlike tranquillisers in some cases), and can only bring an individual's mood back to a normal level (they are not "uppers").
NOTE It is important to avoid alcohol when significantly depressed, and certainly to avoid alcohol in anything other than very small amounts. This reduces the risk that you will become more distressed as the alcohol suppresses the normal aspects of your emotions, running the risk of the distressed part of you becoming more prominent and disabling. Also, it is important not to make any significant decisions while depressed, as depressive illness causes you to see only the negative side of situations (making mountains out of molehills), without being able to properly appreciate the positives that also exist.
Continued
What can others do to help?
The most important role is to understand the illness and indeed the suffering that goes on under the seemingly healthy surface in patients with depressive illness, sometimes described as the "walking wounded". You cannot give answers to the illness, but a vital aid to recovery is to express understanding and sympathy, while reminding the depressed person that they will recover, despite their own pessimism and fears.
Fear of the unknown
The idea that you, or someone close to you, has an illness which is not visible, and does not respond to simply being logical, can be very frustrating and perhaps frightening. Human beings have always been afraid of unknown illnesses, until medical science solved the problem including epilepsy and TB. In time, depressive illness will also lose its stigma, but meanwhile, fantastic rumours and fears will continue about the illness and its treatment.
Important Disclaimer: This site is medical information only, and is not to be taken as diagnosis, advice or treatment, which can only be decided by your own doctor."
David
CONTACT DETAILS:-
David Horgan
Suite 609
89 High St
Kew, Vic 3101
Tel (+61) 03 9853 5211
Fax (+61) 03 9853 0744
Email: davidhorgan@email.com