Bid to beat the blues

By Rebecca Fraser
CASEY blokes have come together to discuss how to beat the blues.
On Monday former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett and founder and chairperson of the national depression initiative beyondblue addressed a seminar to help local men recognise and overcome depression.
The City of Casey and CaseyCardinia Men’s Health organised the Beating the Blues Forum, which saw a predominantly male crowd turn out to learn more about depression.
Held at the Berwick Church of Christ, the forum took a practical and entertaining look at a problem now experienced by one in six Australian men.
Comedian Rod Quantock also spoke at the event, along with general practitioner Andrew Beveridge, who gave an open medical perspective on the issue.
He also fielded many questions from the 200strong crowd.
Mr Kennett said he became an advocate for depression in 1997 after two young men his daughter knew committed suicide.
He then began lobbying for a national body to deal with depression and, in 2000, beyondblue was formed.
On Monday Mr Kennett was quick to say that there was no single cause of depression and anyone could experience this illness.
“The World Health Organisation predicts that it (depression) will be the second biggest ‘debilitator’ by the year 2020 in the western world,” he said.
“Life is changing very dramatically and I would just like to drill the point home that depression does not just strike one type of person.
“It strikes rich and poor, young and old, men and women, leading politicians and businessmen to elite sports people.
“No one is immune.”
Mr Kennett said a key issue people with depression faced was the stigma attached to mental health.
He also said that depression was not an illness that could be tackled on its own.
“Team building is everything and you can’t do anything on your own, including beating depression,” Mr Kennett said.
“You have to reach out.
“We also need to reduce the stigma associated with depression.
“When AIDS came to this country it suffered a huge stigma, but now due to this public awareness there are less deaths, safer sex and less illness.
“Also look at breast cancer among women.
“Because of a new awareness people are checking themselves and getting to things earlier and going on to lead normal lives.”