So many have been shocked by the news of Robin Williams and what appears to be his self-inflicted death. For years, he was to me a poster-child for depression. Laughter became his shield, as it has for many who suffer from mental anguish, but he still was internally haunted. I know in my own struggles Read more
Comedian and actor Robin Williams died on August 11, 2014. According to local law enforcement authorities, he probably died by suicide. Williams had it all: a rare talent, a great career, family, friends. However, talent, wealth, fame, family, and friends can mean nothing when you suffer from an acute, deep depression, and believe you have Read more
Google now beats talking to friends for young Kiwis with emotional or health problems, a survey has found. The Colmar Brunton national survey of 403 people aged 16 to 24 found that 64 per cent of young people said Google or other websites were the most common places their peers would go to “access information Read more
A new study done by the Clergy Health Initiative at Duke Divinity School found that demands placed on clergy by themselves and others put pastors at far greater risk for depression than individuals with other occupations. The study, published this week in the Journal of Primary Prevention, compared the mental health of 95 percent of Read more
I was motivated to write the book A Catholic Guide to Depression because I believe that our Catholic tradition – including the writings of the Church Fathers and saints – has something important to say to those suffering from this terrible affliction. Depression is often misunderstood; most people mistakenly believe it’s nothing more than intense Read more
Many people know what it’s like to feel sad or down from time to time. We can experience negative emotions due to many things – a bad day at work, a relationship break-up, a sad film, or just getting out of bed on the “wrong side”. Sometimes we even say that we’re feeling a bit Read more
When I was in college nearly 20 years ago, most of the young women I knew took birth control pills for medical reasons as instructed by their gynaecologists. Now that I am in my 30’s, I am encountering women who are only just discovering that they never really needed to be on the pill in Read more