On the depression subject, I note that Ian Thorpe, Olympic world champion swimmer extraordinare, has written a new book about his experiences. In it he has included a chapter of his struggles with depression. Yes, depression. This guy was at the top of the Olympic world, medal after Olympic medal, hailed the conquering hero across Australia, and yet he struggled through all this with depression!
I actually don't find that surprising. Depression, or I guess clinical depression, is something that happens despite circumstances. This is what Simon doesn't seem capable of understanding. I could well imagine Simon in a conversion with Thorpe when Thorpe is almost being worshipped here for his amazing achievements, and coming out with that bloody line he's done with me many times; "You should be feeling happy now".
Thorpe is a perfect example of how clinical depression has nothing to do with possibly being in a wonderful life. Nothing to do with circumstances outside your own head. It's about you as a person, not about how good or bad life is going. I know Simon means well, and he is actually only trying to help in his own way. The thing is though that saying that line above is probably one of the most unhelpful things that could possibly be said.
The inference is that you should simply snap out of it. That WTF is wrong with you? That it's your fault because you're not trying hard enough to snap out of it. It's imposing guilt on you that you shouldn't have to deal with; incredibly unhealthy and destructive guilt about feeling depressed. Simon is trying to find some magic solution (fair enough I suppose, as blokes are problem solvers) when there isn't one. It would be better if he just accepted me for who I am rather than trying to get me to do the impossible.
A very good interview with Thorpe last night. It's so good to see such a high profile person as him being so honest. These are the sort of Olympians who actually are inspirational. Here's the interview on YouTube;
As a 14-year-old, Thorpe became the youngest male ever to represent Australia at the world championships in Perth in 1998, and he duly won the 400m freestyle title.
Despite his phenomenal early success that included three Olympic gold medals in his home town of Sydney in 2000, Thorpe was fighting demons.
"It was in my mid-teens when I realised something wasn't quite right," said Thorpe.
"And at the time I didn't know it was depression.
"And it wasn't until a little bit later that I went to seek some help."
But after confronting his illness that included turning to alcohol to numb the pain, Thorpe said it was cathartic to pen a chapter on his depression battle and hoped his experience will help others in their fight.
"When I wrote this book, I wrote the chapter on depression for myself," he said.
"I never thought I'd include it in the book.
"But then I said `no, it's staying in'. more
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