The ‘Black Dog’ known as depression

Greetings, Friends.

Here’s a little quiz – Do you know “the Black Dog?” There are a couple of acceptable answers to this question. My first thought is to remember my previous dog Holly, a beautiful Black Lab who brought much happiness to my life. Having also lived on Martha’s Vineyard before moving to Michigan, I automatically think of the famous Black Dog Restaurant situated right on the water’s edge and which also sells all kinds of trendy Back Dog paraphernalia (t-shirts, mugs, jewelry, etc.). But that’s not the answer either. The answer I’m looking for today is much more serious and not very friendly – the Black Dog is a metaphor used to describe depression. Depression is an illness that has likely reached into each of our lives at one time whether in a family member, friend or in ourselves. While the image of a black dog can be endearing, this disease is not trivial nor cuddly but causes much pain to those affected by it.

I bring this topic up today for a few reasons. I know that all of us were saddened when we learned of the death of Robin Williams a few weeks ago. September is Suicide Prevention Month and Sept. 10 is specifically World Suicide Prevention Day. The tragedy of suicide has likely touched each of us at some time in our lives. It is a grief that is hard to bear because the public has been silent about suicide and the disease of depression for too long. It’s time to break that silence and acknowledge that depression is an illness and there is no stigma to needing help for it than for someone needing a doctor for a sore throat.

People don’t choose to end their lives. “It’s not a rational act. It’s the illness making the choice for the person who is suffering,” explained the Rev. Elaine Ellis Thomas, curate of St Edward’s Episcopal Church in Lancaster, Pa. in an article presented by the Episcopal News Service this week – http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2014/09/10/episcopalians-seek-to-erase-stigma-of-suicide-inspire-church-advocacy/

Rev. Thomas’ son, Seth Allen Peterson, took his life five years ago. Since then, she has felt alienation by even close friends who don’t seem to understand and well-meaning people who just don’t know what to say.

This past summer as I participated in my CPE training, I was stunned to see how many hospital admissions were related to suicide attempts. According to the CDC, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death for Americans aged 10 and over. In 2011, one person died from suicide in America every 13.3 minutes. Based on those statistics, I probably should not have been surprised at the hospital.

Our Native American brothers and sisters experience even higher rates according to another article from ENS –

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2014/09/10/brightening-the-spirits-breaking-the-silence/

Not surprisingly, The Episcopal Church has brought this topic to our attention before. At the 73rd General Convention of 2000, Resolution D008 called us to prayer, support and advocacy for suicide prevention:

Resolved, That the 73rd General Convention adopt and affirm the resolution on Suicide Prevention by the Diocese of West Tennessee at its 19th convention, March 25, 2000:

We affirm our belief that, as St. Paul teaches (Romans 8:39), “Nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We pledge ourselves to collaborate with other religious bodies and secular agencies in educating ourselves to recognize and minister more appropriately to those among us who are especially at risk of suicide as well as those who are impacted by the suicide of others; and

We urge that all levels of the Episcopal Church, parochial, diocesan, and national, accord high priority to the prevention of suicide in prayers and programming.

What can we do? First, I would suggest that we educate ourselves. The articles cited above are a good beginning. Lately I’ve also seen some well-done videos produced by the World Health Organization dealing with taming the Black Dog –

http://www.upworthy.com/what-is-depression-let-this-animation-with-a-dog-shed-light-on-it

I’ve used this video in my work as residence director for a women’s dorm to educate the friends of those suffering from depression. Friends need to know that it’s not a matter of “just getting over it” or “pulling oneself up by their bootstraps” but it’s an illness.

We can also participate in local “Out of Darkness Walks” to bring the subject out into the open. We can mourn with those who mourn. And, of course, we can pray:

God of Life,
our hearts go out
to all those whose
suffering and loss
is so deep and unrelenting
that they want to end it all.
Every 13.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.

God of Life,
help us to understand
and to empathize with
the isolation, the fear,
and the loneliness of
all those who are bullied
by others and made to feel
they are worthless.
Every 143.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.

God of Life,
help us to understand
and to empathize with
the terrible toll that
pressure and demands
from parents, teachers,
and peers can have
upon sensitive souls
who are unappreciated
and, in many cases,
are treated like dirt.
Every 13.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.

God of Life,
help us to understand
and to empathize with
those who have plunged
into the abyss of depression
and despair for any number
of reasons or for no reason.
Forgive us for not paying
attention and trying to ease
their pain and fear.
Every 13.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.

God of Life,
help us to be present to
and to take note of the
distress signals of suicidal
relatives, friends, or community
members. If problems persist,
may we call for help from
suicide prevention centers,
crisis hot-lines, and therapists.
Every 13.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.

God of Life,
we are all in this life together
and as fellow travelers
we know there is more that
we can do to eradicate
fear and denial of suicide and
to make a place in our prayers
for all those who give up on life
and choose self-destruction.
Every 13.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.

God of Life,
suicide has touched the lives
of many of us and we are
called to bring to both
the victims and their survivors
our large reserves of
love and compassion.
Every 13.3 minutes
someone dies by suicide
in the U.S.
Amen.

(from “Praying the News” by Frederic Brussat)