Mental Health
B
obbe White of Quincy, Ill., had traveled for work
several times a year without incident. On one
business trip, however, a deep sadness gripped
her hard. What she felt wasn't just a bad day.
"I felt no joy in my life but had every reason why I
should," she says. White had a loving husband and
a job she enjoyed, yet "I found myself sobbing
uncontrollably in my car," she says.
It took years for White to commit to therapy,
but once she did, she was able to transition to a
successful public speaking career. Today, she
shows others around the country how to manage
stress using laughter and humor.
White is just one example of how therapy and
education can help combat debilitating depression.
One in 10 women ages 18 to 44 has experienced
symptoms of major depression in the past year,
according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and 1 in 9 women experience
postpartum depression. But early treatment
can help many people recover successfully.
Symptoms to watch
Depression, which can range in severity from
mild to severe, isn't the same as rainy-day
gloom or the irritation that results when you
have a bad day at work.
"Depression negatively impacts your entire
life," says Ali Mandelblatt, a Florida psychologist.
"You don't get out of bed to go to work. Or
you've lost a lot of weight, you can't focus
in class, or you're not relating to your
Don't put up with depression:
Getting the help
you need
By Heather R. Johnson
16
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