Suicide and depression and being turned into “sacrament dispensing machines” are part of an ongoing struggle for many Irish priests. Diocesan priests in Ireland are ““often pitied, patronised, reviled, insulted, disrespected, ignored and resented.” These words came from Fr Brendan Hoban at last week’s annual meeting of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP). Abuse scandals Read more
This is my confession: I have a mental illness When I was 17, I was diagnosed with Chronic Depression (yeah, we’re diving straight in) but I believe that if I’d had the guts to see my doctor earlier, it would’ve been diagnosed when I was 13, or maybe even earlier. I suffered from Insomnia throughout Read more
On certain days we have all been sad, days when we have been unable to overcome an inner torpor or depression that weighs down on us and makes it difficult to interact with others. Is there a trick for overcoming sorrow and recovering our smile? St. Thomas Aquinas suggests five remedies against sadness that have Read more
“I had a very challenging year and wasn’t always as happy as I may have seemed.” It was not a typical start to an end-of-year prizegiving speech, but that’s exactly what Timaru’s Roncalli College head boy Josh Batchelor wanted. The popular 18-year-old stood in front of hundreds of people on Thursday night to announce that Read more
The suicides of two medical residents in New York City last fall have thrown a spotlight on a real problem among health care professionals, particularly physicians. Medical students, residents and practicing physicians commonly report symptoms of burnout and depression. Rates vary depending on the group, but range from 20-60%. Frank suicidal ideations (when someone has Read more
Eighteen years ago, Lisa Miller, now the director of clinical psychology at Columbia University’s Teachers College, had an epiphany on a New York subway car. She had been poring over the mountains of data generated by a three-generation study of depressed women and their children and grandchildren. The biological trend was clear: Women with severe—and Read more
John, a 57 year-old man, consulted me for a mixture of “personal and career stagnation,” as he put it. His thoughts soon turned to a decision he made in his 20s, when he reluctantly entered a career path and profession that his father urged him to follow. He said he now saw that his need Read more
I like stories. Whether it’s a program on EWTN, or a homily, or an article, I like the saga of how some Catholic figure dealt with a challenge. It could be a story about converting the barbarians, or some primitive people, or of a modern man being thrown into prison while facing a seemingly impossible situation. Regardless, I will remember Read more
“Soul Seeing” editor Mike Leach asked me to write on what I wish people knew about depression in light of Robin Williams’ suicide. Here is what I wish for. I wish people knew that the soul of someone who dies of suicide is as perfect as the moment God created it, that depression is an Read more
Robin Williams threw his swaying power behind a number of causes, including the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Comic Relief, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Livestrong Foundation, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, among others. It was the way he used his craft to help people in need that many will miss most. Read Read more