In Memory of My Friend Robert Who Died By Suicide!

On Monday of this week, a friend of mine in Nashville was found dead in his apartment.  Robert was an outgoing, enthusiastic radio personality who (on the outside) loved life!  Unfortunately, as I have learned, he suffered from serious bouts of depression for many years and (according to his family members) kept it his secret.

I recently spoke with Dr. Matthew Stanley, a psychiatrist and medical director of the Avera Behavioral Health Center in Sioux Falls about depression!

"The reality we see in our practices is a different type of depression.  For many of our patients, depression is a chronic disease, like diabetes.  You have to learn how to manage it."

According to Dr. Stanley, millions of adults and children are affected by the illness.  In fact, the World Health Organization reports that depression will be the second leading cause of premature death and disability by the years 2020.

But, the good news is this:  Dr. Stanley says depression can be successfully treated with talk therapy, medications and most recently TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).

Perhaps, Robert would still be alive if he had sought help from mental health professionals.  Given the right treatment, my friend might not have given up on life.