Unmasking Depression: No Respecter of Persons…
This post is part of a series to foster understanding about depression.
Other posts in this series include the following:
Part 1: Challenges to Understanding
Part 2: The Internal Cacophony
Part 3: Fighting Back
Part 4: The Tug of War
In the 1946 classic holiday film It’s a Wonderful Life, the main character – a man named George Bailey – exclaims what may be one of the most un-holiday-like lines in any holiday film ever produced. In a moment of absolute frustration, despair, and apparent hopelessness, George Bailey cries out, “I wish I’d never been born.”
What is even more poignant is how leading up to this statement, Baley could be seen considering taking his own life by jumping off of a bridge. And it is this brutal moment of authentic honesty that has helped make It’s a Wonderful Life a holiday staple almost 80 years after its release.
Yes, there’s a happy ending. Yes, there is snow and a Christmas tree. But within the black-and-white images of this Christmas classic is a glimpse of a character who questions if living is worth it. Throughout these moments you can see that George Bailey…feels very alone.
For those who struggle with depression, moments like this can, unfortunately, happen quite often. As I spoke about in previous posts, the internal messages one endures, coupled with the tug-of-war feeling that you DESERVE to go through this fight alone creates a chaotic environment inside one’s mind.
However, I have one point, and one point only, in this post. It is to communicate the following message to those fighting their own invisible battles:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
NO RESPECTER OF PERSONSDepression does not care about your status, celebrity, or income. Depression can, and will, impact anyone.
Well-known personalities of history such as Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln were known to carry a very melancholy disposition and wrestle with attitudes characterized by despair. While not diagnosed in their time, nearly everyone that studies what was written by them, and about them, agrees they dealt with depression.
Other modern-day celebrities have also been transparent about their struggles with mental illness. Such celebrities include singer Lady Gaga, Olympic champion Michael Phelps, and author J.K. Rowling just to name a few. In a 2014 interview following the death of Robin Williams, comedian Wayne Brady discussed his battles with depression, recognizing that if he was willing to talk about his struggle and journey, it may help save the life of someone else.
Even Time Magazine’s 2016 “Sexiest Man Alive” Dwayne, “The Rock” Johnson has discussed how he has battled depression with statements such as, “I found that, with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone.”
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues don’t care about how much money you make or the size of your house. Such issues can, and do, impact people of all types. If this is the type of battle that you are fighting, I hope you walk away able to use the following four words as a mantra in your struggle:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
For mental health resources in your area visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
If you know of someone who struggles with suicidal thoughts, encourage them to text HOME to 741741.
A trained volunteer at the National Crisis Text Line will anonymously help navigate whatever crisis they are going through.