Expert: Stigma Often Keeps Depression ‘Hidden’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The stigma attached to depression can lead many people to stay quiet, and many times the symptoms of depression aren’t immediately apparent – which can keep people from seeking the help they need.

Professional counselor Yvonne Thibault, who is helping FOX 4 staff cope with the suicide of meteorologist Don Harman, says that many times people hide their symptoms from others, and often time the stigma of treatment can keep others from getting help.

“To some degree we all hide, when we go into work, what we choose to share with the people we work with is not necessarily our private life,” said Thibault.

While some people at FOX 4 knew about Harman’s battle with depression, many viewers never knew it because of his ability to make people laugh. Harman’s family has given FOX 4 the go-ahead to discuss his battle with depression in hopes that it helps someone else who is struggling with the disease.

“We don’t always see it, and that’s on of the hard parts. (What) people tend to say is they should have known,” said Thibault.

Harman tried a number of treatments for his depression, hoping to get better. Thibault admits that finding the right treatment is not always easy, but she suggests that the family doctor is a good place to start if you are feeling depressed.

She says that medicine alone won’t fix the problem, but it helps you to be emotionally stable enough to go to counseling and address the problem.

“If someone said to you, ‘You have diabetes and you need insulin to stay alive,’ you would go tot he doctor get that medication and take it everyday, the way the doctor tells you. This is the same thing,” said Thibault.