Mental Health Matters Returns
By Kermit Klaerner
Welcome back to “Mental Health Matters!” After a busy December selling poinsettias to raise money for the Mental Health Association in Abilene and a hectic holiday season, I am resuming the Publication of this column along with guest columnists who will give insight into mental health matters from the direct providers’ points of view. Guests will include staff from The Betty Hardwick Center, the Abilene Psychiatric Center, plus staff from other area organizations.
The New Year brought about the closing of the Bipolar/Depression Support Group which had met regularly on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church for many years. Due to personal reasons, the facilitator—Doug Sellers—had to resign; he will be missed. However, the Mental Health Association is in the process of reorganizing this group. A local licensed professional counselor (LPC) has offered to begin a daytime group on Wednesday mornings, if enough individuals express an interest in attending. An evening group will also be restarted as soon as a qualified individual can be found to facilitate the group. If you suffer from either depression or a bipolar disorder and are interested in joining either on of these groups, please call the Mental Health Association at 325/673-2300. Meeting will begin as soon as enough individuals are signed up and as soon as a facilitator can be recruited for the evening group.
Depression usually requires three things to address the problem: proper medication, effective counseling, and a will power on the part of the individual affected to overcome the disorder. This will power to overcome or at least control the illness is also often essential to recovery from a physical illness. Recently, I experienced a mild onset of depression, and now I can more fully appreciate what this illness can do to a person. The usual reaction to depression is a desire to isolate oneself and hide in the dark—depression loves darkness! I learned that no matter how badly I wanted to pull the covers over my head in the mornings and stay in bed, this was not a good solution! First thing to do is swing one leg over the side of the bed, then swing out the other leg; now sit up! Turn on the light (remember that depression loves darkness), get up, get dressed (don’t slouch around in your pajamas), open all the doors and windows, eat a good breakfast, then do something (even if it’s just walking around the block). Another suggestion is keeping plants and flowers around the house; if they don’t cheer you up, at least caring for them will give you something to do.
Medication and counseling can (and usually will) help a person suffering from depression, but the rest of the process is up to the individual.
Kermit F. Klaerner is the executive director of the Mental Health Association in Abilene. Mental Health Matters is sponsored by the Mental Health Association, phone (325) 673-2300, e-mail mhaa@bitstreet.com. Need help? Call the Hope Line (325) 673-2300.