Yesterday (10/18/12) an article was published in Medical News Today online about discrimination towards those struggling with depression.  Briefly summarized, a survey of 1082 people in 35 different countries yielded the following results.  They should be a concern for all of us.

•  34% of volunteers had been avoided by other people because of their mental health issues

•  37% expected discrimination, which stopped them from forming a close relationship with another person

•  25% did not apply for work at one point because they were anticipating discrimination

 The link to the entire article is below.  Within that article is a link to another on the depressive effects of discrimination toward minority children.

Here on this blog there is another question. How many religiously-minded people, Catholics included, participate in this discrimination?

Religious discrimination comes in the form of moralizing depression.  Insisting that prayer, sacraments, and spiritual direction are all that is needed to cure depression is not only incorrect; it presumes that those who suffer are not up-to-snuff in terms of faith.  In truth, there are genetic, biological, psychological, and sociological factors (discrimination being one of them) at play also.  There is nothing moral about genes.  Biology is not a measure of faith.

One out of eight to twelve men (clergy included), one out of four women (religious included), one out of eight teens, and one out of thirty-three children (yes, children) experience depression.  Are they all of little faith or morally not up-to-snuff? 

Take a look around you when at mass this Sunday and remember those statistics.  And the next time you hear this hymn at mass remember this post.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMBywWSpUeU&feature=related

Medical News Today article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/251703.php

Pictures are mine.