yay they're home!
I just picked Kat and Leslie up from the airport, they were a little bleary from a bumpy ride from Houston, but home they are. The Atlanta screening was a turning point for us in so many ways.
You know that Celexa (sp?) ad where the depressed person is sitting in a dark kitchen, with her finger in her coffee, wearing a housecoat? It disturbs me as much as the characters on film and in TV who "go crazy" and do terrible things.
In reality, depression and mental illness are more insidious. They can sneak in and and cloud up your whole life, mess up your relationships, your ability to function and to feel. The sooner we get past the stigma, and tell the truth (raise your hand if you've ever been on meds, seen a therapist - or would have if you'd had good insurance - taken "herbal" remedies, drank too much, turned to illegal substances, just to feel good again...Yeah, that's pretty much everyone n the room.) It effects all of us, rich, poor, smart, not so smart, CEOs and homeless people.
Sadly, mental health issues are often not covered by insurance, the assumption being, I guess, that if you're physically healthy, that's all that matters. Tell that to some of my homeless friends who struggle to pay for their meds every month, or to someone who is uninsured and could really use a good therapist or a chance to get some blood work done to see if the reason they don't want to get out bed in the morning might have something to do with their brain chemistry.
I was on antidepressants several years ago. I usually temper that with, "everyone I knew in Seattle was on meds", or "it rained 67 days straight that year". But that's' not the point. I'm a good Mom and being depressed got in the way of continuing to be a good Mom. I was depressed and I had great insurance and the doc and I took care of it. I've since learned to take better care of myself, I exercise, I eat right, I moved back to Texas and sunshine, etc. and I haven't been on meds since, but I would never rule it out.
Since then, I've met others who sheepishly admit they are or were on medication for depression, anxiety, whatever it is.
Maybe one day we can stop feeling ashamed of being human and get the care we need when we need it.
- First of all, it's a huge honor to meet a former President and First Lady and for them to watch your little film.
- The audience was packed with mental health professionals who could speak about the impact of mental health on individuals, on families, on, well, on all of us, and what we can all do about it.
- We will get a lot of new screening possibilities from this screening arranged by our own Leslie Langee.
You know that Celexa (sp?) ad where the depressed person is sitting in a dark kitchen, with her finger in her coffee, wearing a housecoat? It disturbs me as much as the characters on film and in TV who "go crazy" and do terrible things.
In reality, depression and mental illness are more insidious. They can sneak in and and cloud up your whole life, mess up your relationships, your ability to function and to feel. The sooner we get past the stigma, and tell the truth (raise your hand if you've ever been on meds, seen a therapist - or would have if you'd had good insurance - taken "herbal" remedies, drank too much, turned to illegal substances, just to feel good again...Yeah, that's pretty much everyone n the room.) It effects all of us, rich, poor, smart, not so smart, CEOs and homeless people.
Sadly, mental health issues are often not covered by insurance, the assumption being, I guess, that if you're physically healthy, that's all that matters. Tell that to some of my homeless friends who struggle to pay for their meds every month, or to someone who is uninsured and could really use a good therapist or a chance to get some blood work done to see if the reason they don't want to get out bed in the morning might have something to do with their brain chemistry.
I was on antidepressants several years ago. I usually temper that with, "everyone I knew in Seattle was on meds", or "it rained 67 days straight that year". But that's' not the point. I'm a good Mom and being depressed got in the way of continuing to be a good Mom. I was depressed and I had great insurance and the doc and I took care of it. I've since learned to take better care of myself, I exercise, I eat right, I moved back to Texas and sunshine, etc. and I haven't been on meds since, but I would never rule it out.
Since then, I've met others who sheepishly admit they are or were on medication for depression, anxiety, whatever it is.
Maybe one day we can stop feeling ashamed of being human and get the care we need when we need it.
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