LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: COPING WITH DEPRESSION

To the Editor:

On behalf of our Depressive and Manic/Depressive Executive Board of Directors, I wish to express our appreciation for the viable, accurate informative article concerning clinical depression printed in the Tuesday, Sept. 14 edition.

I would like to share with you and the public two events our association and the Community Counseling Center are sponsoring for the public, one Sept. 27 and the other Oct. 7. Our purpose is to educate the public and help prevent major episodes of depression which can evolve in the aftermath of a catastrophic crisis. Our dedicated volunteers have been providing information and support about depression for seven years. This illness affects one out of every five families in the United States.

The Sept. 27 program will be held at 7 p.m., St. Francis Medical Center Conference Room A & B. It is directed to victims of the flood and their families. The aftermath of recovery is a tremendous burden physically and emotionally. Our goal for this program is to prepare those who may be emotionally vulnerable in the difficult task of recovering their losses. Vulnerability to clinical depression has an inherited factor.

This program consists of:

-- A 30-minute film "Taking Control of Clinical Depression." It is a factual overview in language a lay person can understand.

-- A five-minute dialogue from each of five panel members made up of two depressive Clients, two manic-depressive clients, and one family member.

-- Questions from the audience. (Two clients are a mother and daughter from a family who lost everything but the clothes they were wearing when their home burned because of a flood in 1964.) The meeting is also open to the public.

If anyone reading this letter knows of flood victims hopeless or in despair at times, it is our hope that you will bring or encourage them to come to this meeting.

On Oct. 7, we are again taking part in the National Depression Screening Day at two locations -- The Community Counseling Center, Harris Room from 2-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. The second site will be Southeast Missouri State University, University Center, Missouriana Room from 2-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.

The screening program consists of answering questions on a one-page form, an educational film and a five-minute consultation with a legally certified counselor regarding the results of your test.

If anyone should have any questions regarding these two programs call (314) 334-1100.

JANET KNODERER

Outreach Chairperson

Depressive and Manic-Depressive

Association of Southeast Missouri