Author:
EHG - Exec Dir.
[Edit]
|
Date Posted: 16:44:45 02/21/08 Thu
Mrs. Maine, Sen. Nancy Sullivan speak out about depression (Printed Feb. 21, 2008)
Posted by Ward Peck at 2/21/2008 3:53 PM and is filed under Biddeford,Health,Stephanie Grinnell,southern maine medical center
By Stephanie Grinnell
Staff Writer
Two prominent Maine women are lending their voices to a problem being diagnosed more frequently, depression. Newly crowned Mrs. Maine Kristin Walton and Sen. Nancy Sullivan (D-York county) are working with the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance based at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford to increase awareness of all types of depression experienced by women, including post partum depression.
Walton is from Brunswick and said she plans to use her influence as Mrs. Maine to increase educational programs available to women and their families to help battle depression.
“For one thing, I am out in the spotlight and the advantage is I can tell other people my story,” she said. “I am speaking up and people want to hear it.”
Walton knows first hand the pain of depression and the havoc it can wreak on families. Now a mother of three teenage sons, Walton was diagnosed with post partum depression following the birth of her third child. She said the depression made it impossible for her to function normally and often she took her children to her mother’s house so they could be properly cared for.
“I felt guilty because I couldn’t care for them the way I wanted,” said Walton.
Walton’s symptoms of depression were manifested both physically and emotionally. She lost weight, couldn’t sleep and said she could barely function. Fatigue made every day tasks seem insurmountable and added to her misery.
Finally, Walton went to see her doctor. While in the waiting room, she saw a pamphlet about depression. Each symptom listed matched her condition, so she took the pamphlet with her into the examination room and showed it to her doctor. He immediately started Walton on medication for her depression, which aided in her path to recovery. Currently, Walton is not on any medication for depression.
Sullivan also is familiar with depression, having been impacted by it for many years. She freely speaks about her depression to parents and students at Saco Middle School, where she teaches. Often her students are surprised to hear that Sullivan has been diagnosed with depression.
“There is that stigma and that shame,” she said. “We need to be able to say that we can be high functioning and intelligent.”
Both women said speaking about their experience with depression has helped them cope with the condition and said they would like to see less of a stigma attached to depression. Sullivan said there is a societal expectation for women to be able to be everything to everyone and not all women can handle the pressures of being mothers, wives, daughters and employees.
“Society demands we continue to be the caregiver, often for elderly parents and children. You need to be the mom and have the career,” she said. “We have created a vicious circle for ourselves.”
Sullivan sponsored legislation to increase the monitoring of post partum women for depression, modeled after a similar law enacted in New Jersey. Her legislation was approved as a resolve in May 2007 and a working group was established to create the guidelines for the new law. Currently, LD 792 has been put into final draft form, but has not been taken up by the legislature.
“Education is important. Education to the moms, education to the caregivers, education to the spouses and partners and education in medical settings,” said Sullivan.
Walton concurred.
“The person with depression will try to hide it, so the more the spouse knows about it, the better,” she said.
Registered Nurse Kathy O’Connor helped found the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance of Southern Maine or PMHA. She said women need to feel accepted and understand there is help available through the hospital and other sources to help deal with depression.
Women are not the only ones impacted by depression, their families are often left to fend for themselves when the mother is unable to care for them.
“Not only does depression affect the mother, it affects the baby as well,” said PMHA Co-founder Ellen Kunkle.
Sullivan said it is important for doctors to listen seriously to patients who think they may be depressed because an earlier diagnosis is better for the patient. Walton said she went to doctor after doctor trying to find an effective treatment for fatigue caused by her depression and was told over and over again there was nothing the doctors could do to assist her, increasing the depression further.
“I was very low energy most of the time. Going to the grocery store was a chore,” Walton said.
Symptoms of depression vary but can include fatigue, crying, body aches, weight loss and trouble sleeping. Women experiencing any of those symptoms are encouraged to contact their doctor, who can ask a series of questions to determine if the ailments are caused by depression.
“We are not all going to feel exactly the same way,” said Sullivan.
Walton said she is glad to be able to share her own story about depression with the hopes she will be able to help other women.
“The easiest thing is to be yourself,” she said. “This is what I am supposed to do.”
For more information about PHMA, visit www.pmhamaine.org and for more information about Walton, visit her Web site, www.mrsmaineus.com/aboutkristin.htm.
Contact Stephanie Grinnell by calling 282-4337 ext. 213 or email news@inthecourier.com.
|
From the desk of Audrey Findlen
I apologize for not getting your posts up sooner
Good Afternoon Stewart
What do you think of that comment about you on the blue board?
Miss Maine International 2007 Amanda Wykes shout out
