What’s There To Be Depressed About?

It’s Spring! Should we be depressed?Unfortunately an estimated 30 million people are depressed and taking antidepressants—that’s one in 10. That’s sad in a country so full of opportunities and freedoms.Further narrowing down the facts, Utah has a higher rate of depression than any other US state and women suffer twice as much with depression than men. Also, depression is so high among LDS women that they even have a name for it: the Mother of Zion Syndrome. The only way they could get closer to a description of me is if they said everyone with the name Cindy A. Christiansen is depressed. (lol)Well, I’m not depressed. And despite the fact that my doctors continually tell me I should be, I’m not. Do I get feeling down, discouraged, sad or overwhelmed?  Yes. That’s not depression. If you’ve ever had a chronic illness, you might know the difference.Depression is when you don’t care about anything. You don’t want to do anything. Life is meaningless and you want to continually sleep to escape.For a person with chronic health problems, you are, instead, frustrated that you don’t feel well enough to do all of the things you enjoy in life. Which type are you?From a report on CBS Sunday Morning, Dr. DeRubeis, who co-authored a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said antidepressants don’t benefit those with mild to moderate depression any more than a placebo. Are you wasting your money on antidepressants?I don’t want to get all religious on you, but here’s what I believe:On the other side of the veil, we were in the presence of God in the most glorious of places. We were ripped away and put down here on earth to face hardships and with violent shows like CSI, Law and Order and Criminal Minds to entertain us. Who wouldn’t be depressed? (lol)Surround yourself with people and things that make you happy and do things that make you feel good about your life while you’re here. Also, remember that one day soon you’ll be back in His presence and all will be well again.As they say, “Enjoy the ride.” I'll keep writing, loving my family, and having fun with my dogs. What will you do?


Cindy A. ChristiansenSweet Romance, Comedy, Suspense…and Dogs!Fly into a good book at:  http://www.dragonflyromance.com
Reference: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57399521/examining-the-broad-reach-of-depression/?tag=contentBody;cbsCarousel
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Sweet (clean) Romance Author