I found out today that Aaron Swartz, the co-founder of Reddit, committed suicide yesterday at the age of 26 (thanks to another member posting in an off-topic area of a forum I frequent).
Before today, I had no idea who this young man was. I’ve barely heard of Reddit, still don’t quite know what it is. At the moment, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is that a life is ended too soon. A mother and father are burying their son; friends are saying a final goodbye to a loved one. Aaron didn’t leave a note, though everyone close to him knew he struggled with Depression, and they knew the legal troubles he was facing, so the cause for his suicide is easy to guess.
Those of us on the outside have no idea if he was receiving any treatment. His friends and family may have no idea if he was receiving any treatment, or may well know that he definitely was not.
What I’m pretty certain of is this: Because he didn’t go out with a huge bang, taking down a number of innocents with him, Aaron’s death will likely go unnoticed by much of America. There will be no major news stories on this man, on this life.
Yet again, mental illness will be, at best, glossed over. . .or, most likely, completely ignored.
Why do I feel compelled to write about this? Because his words haunt me. I could have written them myself:
"You want to lie in bed and keep the lights off. Depressed mood is like that, only it doesn't come for any reason and it doesn't go for any either. Go outside and get some fresh air or cuddle with a loved one and you don't feel any better, only more upset at being unable to feel the joy that everyone else seems to feel. Everything gets colored by the sadness."
I have been here. Thankfully, I have also had it instilled in me that it’s ok to seek professional help, that it’s not a weakness. (Knowing that this runs in my family, and that I’m at least the 3rd straight generation on one side, also points strongly to a genetic and physiological tie.) And, mostly, I’ve had this help available to me when I needed it, or I knew where to find it.
Many Americans are not so lucky. Many are trained to think that Depression is something you “just get over.” That it’s a sign of weakness to get help. That it happens to someone else, not you. And when they do come to grips with Depression, and are ready to get the help they need. . .good, quality help isn’t readily available to them.
The issue of quality care for mental health issues--not just Depression, but ALL mental health issues--shouldn’t only come up for five, ten, fifteen minutes after a mass killing as has been the case lately. It shouldn’t be the precursor to some other polarizing debate. This is a discussion we should be having until we talk about it as easily as heart disease, until we seek treatment for Depression as readily and quickly as we seek treatment for high blood pressure.
I’m sorry that this first post in over a week has to be so heavy, but here it is. And before I sign off, please, if you recognize any of these symptoms of Depression (courtesy of the Mayo Clinic), please call a mental health professional and get treatment, whether it’s talk therapy, medication, or both. Don’t let it go untreated, you can feel better.
~Asile, Just Another One Trying
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