A Public Service Announcement

According to the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) 18.8 million American's over the age of 18 (or 9.5% of the population) suffer from some form of depression. 30% of women are depressed. 54% of people think of depression as a personal weakness. 80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment. (http://www.upliftprogram.com/depression_stats.html#1)
After nearly six years of treating my depression and anxiety with various medications I now find myself sans pills. Anyone who has ever taken treatment for their depression will understand what a process it is to find just the right balance. You will most likely have to experiment with different brands and doses and over time your brain chemistry will get used to those and you will have to change it up again. Plus, these things do not just start to work and you have to take a pill everyday no matter how you are feeling. it is a pain in the ass and you will constantly question yourself and your medication. I can tell you that these drugs are nothing short of small miracles. They make life better and in some cases they save lives. Between the ages of 17 and 21 I lost 5 classmates to suicide. It's not easy to admit when you are feeling blue and often people just wait for it to pass. If it doesn't pass, you need to get yourself help. And once you get that help, whether it is talk therapy or medication, you need to stick with it. There is no cure, only treatment and your treatment is your responsibility.

Baseball Without Beer

Today is opening day at Fenway Park--the home openah, as the locals call it. The Sox are currently 0-6 so there is really no where to go but up. I became a Red Sox fan while in college, having been raised a Mets "fan." I say "fan" because I never sat through a whole Mets game ever, even live at Shea Stadium. But life in Boston will change a person. New Englanders are rabid sports fans like nothing I have ever seen before. It was impossible to resist the enthusiasm, the love, the dedication that they have for the Red Sox. So I joined right in. A big part of enjoying sporting events here in Boston is drinking beer, like a lot of it. When you see a game at Fenway they actually stop serving in the 7th inning because of the over-indulgers in the crowd. The bars surrounding Fenway, however, keep serving and serving and serving. But this season will be beer free for me which makes me wonder how interested I might still be in baseball. Is it fun to go to a bar to watch the game and drink water? Can one fully enjoy a delicious Fenway frank without an equally delicious Sam Adams to wash it down? Will I fall asleep at home while watching a double-header completely sober? I guess only time will tell.