Dear LPG,

Did you know that today is the day that is thought to be the most depressing day of the year?

I want to talk about those times when we all feel a bit down.  In my lifetime I have seen what I think are the traits of depression affect some of my friends around me and I have had the odd attack myself.  I know that we older people are not the only sufferers, I remember being a young sufferer and I know that the young of today also feel this way from time to time.  Perhaps there was not so much research done on the subject or so many different names to define the experience of feeling down back then.  So while many suffered, we were all more ready to dismiss what we felt and get on with life.  There are many different reasons why, but as we get older, I think that it happens even though many get really good at hiding how they feel when they are with their friends and family.

I know that other LPG writers have shared their thoughts on the subject, and I also know that there are many different factors which can lead to the negativity that many of us feel.  It is interesting that men are thought to suffer in silence and that one of the symptoms of depression is thought to be a desire to be on your own.

I have written this in advance in the hope that LPG will be able to feature it on Blue Monday, as today has been named, to encourage anyone of any age to get out of the house or phone a friend; no matter how cold and lonely you feel.

I took a look on line to see why today is the day, how many people are affected and what is said about ways to combat being blue and found some videos and information where so called experts have something to say about depression, and I also found some advice for people who perhaps feel a bit blue today, and hope that taking a look will leave any blue spirited readers experiencing a paler shade of blue than they did before they started …   

I hope that, after today,  the only way is up… 

EP, Downham

EP offers some factual information…

  (►►►)   (►►►)     (►►►)   

… and some ways to combat that blue feeling…

(►►►)   (►►►)     (►►►)