October 8 has been set aside to mark National Depression Screening Day in the United States. We need more than a day, but it’s a start. Why do we need a day like that? Because there are people who are depressed but don’t know they can get help. There are people who are fighting a losing battle against depression because they’re not getting the help they know they need. There are people who deny the existence of a true medical problem called depression, making it difficult – if not impossible – for their loved ones to get help.
Clinical depression is …read more

Today’s post is the second in a series written specifically for Mental Health Notes by Vancouver blogger Airdrie Miller. It chronicles her personal experiences with anxiety and depression, and how she handles the delicate balance of work, rest, and play.
Baking a lot of cookies is not a cure for clinical depression.

My life was going along well, I thought. It was September of 2003, and I was very busy. I worked full time, my husband worked part time, and we were raising two young daughters with the help of our parents, who took turns providing daycare.
I felt like something was not …read more

Today’s post is the first in a series written specifically for Mental Health Notes by Vancouver blogger Airdrie Miller. It chronicles her personal experiences with anxiety and depression, and how she handles the delicate balance of work, rest, and play.
Oh baby, that’s not just the blues!

My first experience with clinical depression came in the year 2000. I remember clearly: I was in the maternity ward recovering from the birth of my second daughter. She was a healthy baby, and my labor was relatively easy. But something was not right; I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was like …read more