Depressing Daunting Depression

Doubling Up Doubles Depression for Kids and Adults

Strong boy faces daunting future. Photo Diane Nilan

The Ides of May, the day I just mentally snapped about depression. Not mine. I’m just hit with the pervasive nature of this debilitating condition that seems to affect more people than I can imagine. And I worry about a huge segment of the population whose circumstances breed depression.

A recent Facebook thread from a woman I know pushed me over the edge. She has experienced more than her share of trauma-inducing incidents. She ranted on a tepid political post I made, saying that our government is totally useless and beyond redemption. My attempt to acknowledge the gist of what she was saying was met with an angry retort. OK.

I’d be the last one to jump up and defend our democracy, even though I’m cautiously optimistic about the approach President Biden is taking. I, along with other functionally thoughtful people, feel bruised and battered after this past 4 years of official dysfunction-dom that still claims to be in charge.

Credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/the-impact-of-childhood-trauma/

I’ve read a few books recently about trauma, including, “The Body Keeps Score.” I ran shelters for 15 years, and for the past three decades…