The Tragedy of Depression

I have been reading about the suicide death of Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert Kennedy, Jr.  It is a very sad story.

There are, of course stories about him and stories about her use of alcohol and drugs.  She had difficulties and a couple of arrests.  She also had lost every day custody of the children, from what I have read.  But underlying everything there seems to be another story, an explanation if you will, that is driving everything.  Mary Kennedy seems to have been suffering from severe and long term depression.

Several things about this whole story disturb me.

For one, there seems to be an almost fervent desire to make this story into a scandal.  There are stories of the Kennedy family tragedies, possible infidelity, as well as the stories of the drug use and alcohol usage.  Often lost in this, however, is the very sad reality that Mary Kennedy appears to have been suffering from depression for many years.  It is that illness that may have been behind marital problems, drug and alcohol issues, as well as her death.

Depression is a serious illness in our culture and it’s often an illness that people do not want to discuss.  People often perceive being depressed as a sign of personal weakness, or weakness of will, or a failure to be spiritual.  It is none of these things any more than any other disease comes from personal weakness or, poor will, or even spirituality.  Depression is a disease that afflicts many people and, unlike so many other diseases, people often choose not to be treated for depression.

People who get infections are usually perfectly willing to receive antibiotic treatments.  People who are diabetic are willing to be medicated, and high blood pressure is readily treated with medication.  People do not see their illnesses as a perception they are bad people in any way.  Everyone gets sick from something at some point.

But depression is often different.  People often believe that antidepressants are ‘happy pills’ that mask problems.  They are not.  They are effective medication to make depressed people feel normal.  No more and no less.  There ought not be any stigma attached to folks who are depressed or on medication for depression.

People like Mary Kennedy are people who were or are ill in our midst.  Her death ought not be sensationalized into some sense of scandal, but mourned.  She left behind four beautiful children and her family grieves for her loss.  She was a good person who suffered at the hands of a sinister and even deadly disease.