Give me your input!

[Bailey_Kay]

So, this weekend I will be in a pageant to be Miss Utah International!! My platform is, Hope; speaking up about anxiety and depression! One of the questions I will be asked in my interview is why I believe my platform is important. Of course I know why I think it's important, but I want to know from an outside perspective, why do you guys think it's important for me to be able to share my platform?

[BonnieSue]

Can you mention what percent of the population will have a struggle with depression and anxiety at some time in their lives? And then mention how hopelessness is part of depression, even if the situation ISN'T hopeless? And how hopelessness leads to suicide attempts? Or people who simply check out of living and settle for just getting by without much involvement in the quality of their everyday life.

You could talk about how sad it is to lose a loved one to suicide due to postpartum depression instead of them getting treatment and being present for their newborn and you. Especially because this is passing depression and suicide is so final.

Raising awareness on this subject as an illness much like any other where there's a chemical imbalance may help people to better understand it and not think it's easily overcome by just changing your mind.

[sweetiepye]

Hi Bailey, I think this could be a tricky situation because.you want to be an advocate of anxiety and depression ,but you also need to find ways of not being depressive while you do it. I would give the numbers of people who suffer from it, but I would give details on how it affects daily living. These people live with a stigma, society still doesn't accept these illnesses as having a physical reason. It seems to be the last medical area to be researched in depth. These people lead very lonely lives , hopeless , they think, especially young people.,where suicide has reached epic proportions .Mention a few things that are caused by depression street people because they are unable to function in the work place, teenage suicide, families torn apart. People need to know there is a cause and effect dynamic going on here. Depression needs to be taken seriously. I hope this gives you some ideas and I wish you well. Pam