‘To This Day’ – Shane Koyczan
“As if depression is something that can be remedied by any of the contents found in a first aid kit.”

Of the thousands that suffer from depression around the world, many believe that the only treatment to deal with this crippling mental illness is found in a pill. And understandably so. We turn to medication for a variety of coughs and colds, so why should we treat depression any different? Only, we rely on prescriptions to fight off unwanted infections, harmful bacteria. So depression should not be treated the same way as the flu. It should not be treated as an illness you can find a release for in the bottom of a pill bottle. A capsule should not be seen as a quick-fix for the overwhelming feeling of sadness.

Depression isn’t something you just catch – you can’t blame the dirty hand rail you held when you walked up the stairs. It’s gradual and its sneaky. “Day after wretched day”, it’s there. You look back and can’t quite determine when it all started. But your past can hold more answers than a pill ever can. For something so complex, how can we believe that the brain can be “fixed” with a couple of chemical-ridden tablets? That’s simply mental.

Yes, for some - medication is the only answer. For some, it does ignite that spark of hope, that they can finally be happy. And I say congratulations. Because they are capable enough to make the decision to have something affect their body in