My book STILLWATER is a coming-of-age novel. One of the book’s central themes is mental health and how it was looked in the 50s. At that time, people with mental illness were one of the most highly stigmatized and devalued groups in the country. They were considered dangerous or weak. Family members and friends ordered them to snap out of it; they were over or undermedicated, hospitalized, sent to state institutions, and subjected to shock therapy. People suffered in silence and didn’t get the love, support, and help that they needed. It was a tragedy, not only for the mentally ill but for their families and friends.
My father was bipolar—back then, it was called manic depression. Today, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, the disease affects an estimated 5.7 million people in the United States. Many people with the disease self medicate; they become alcoholics or drug-addicted and end up taking their own lives. My father experienced all of those things, and when he was fifty-six, he committed suicide. I was thirty.
Right now, we’re going through a pandemic—a global pandemic. People all over the world are suffering from anxiety, uncertainty, loss of income, not to mention the twenty-four-hour daily onslaught of bad news. Social isolation, worries, the profound loss of “life as we knew it” and COVID-19 fatigue are getting to all of us, but it’s especially hard on those that are depressed.
Depression makes life seem dark and hopeless; it saps your energy, interferes with your concentration, and makes the days seem endless, but if you’re depressed, there are things you can do to improve your mood and feel more optimistic about the future.
It sounds simplistic, but it’s essential to eat healthy meals, exercise, and get enough sleep. Fill up on fruits and vegetables, not potato chips and ice cream. Walk for thirty minutes a day; you’ll feel better, and walking around the neighborhood instead of staring at four walls can ease your stress and lessen your negative feelings. Go to bed at the same time every night—have a routine.
Listen to music instead of the news, and watch funny movies and videos instead.
Start a gratitude journal, and every day write down three things in your life that make you grateful. They don’t have to be huge; it’s okay to be thankful for your morning cup of coffee, for the way the sunlight shines through the kitchen window and clean socks.
Don’t abuse drugs and alcohol; it only makes things worse.
Reach out to others for help; it could be a loved one, a friend, or a therapist. Make it a regular thing—share your concerns and feelings, don’t isolate.
If you’re feeling suicidal, tell someone you need help and support, don’t suffer in silence. Call 1-800-273-TALK .