I wanted to allow Brandon’s story to stand alone, with only minimal comments by me, so I decided to write a second blog for my own reflections on the story. I am struck by the extreme similarities between Brandon & Kody’s stories. Especially their school histories. Both excelled at school with minimal effort and both were left unable to pursue college after high school was finished. For both, the reactions around them by their families were overall unhelpful. I don’t blame either family as it is extremely easy to get frustrated with someone who is depressed.

From my own experience with Kody, I know how hard it is to face a person with depression each and every day. It is a real challenge not to start blaming them for the difficulties they are facing. The circular discussions that come from depression start to ware quickly. This doesn’t make the reactions any more helpful or correct. But it is so easy to fall into the trap of falling back on all the old lines that society gives about how depression is something you can get over with enough force of will.

People cannot overcome depression through prayer or will. What actually works is getting into seeing therapists, learning a variety of techniques to help with triggers, and finding medication that makes a difference and balances the chemicals in the brain that aren’t in the right balance. The trouble with this, as we saw in Brandon’s story is how challenging it is to find those resources. At least at the beginning, Kody had access to insurance that helped him find therapists and get a diagnosis more quickly.

Brandon wasn’t as lucky and so was trapped in the nightmares of our public medical system where there are far too many patients and not enough doctors to go around. The lengthy waitlists put those facing depression in danger. Suicidal ideation doesn’t pause while you wait to get in to see a therapist. Once a therapist decides you need medication, additional waitlists for a psychiatrists can help further extend the process. This is just the start of the process, as few people are diagnosed and receive a pill that works for them on the first try.

All of this waiting time is dangerous, as there is no doubt a whole group of people loose their lives while waiting for treatment. Mental health needs to be taken seriously and to be treated a little more urgently. I’m not sure how to fix this broken system, but just making more people aware of the problems being faced by those dealing with depression can help spread the word.

We have to shift the attitudes of our world. We have to understand that depression is a medical condition and it isn’t something that can just be brushed away. It is so difficult for a person with depression to reach out, so when someone does, it is extremely important that we make it easy for them to get the help they need. If we don’t, we might miss our chance at saving someone from the grips of depression.