Men Get Depression—A Reality for Men of All Ages
“Depression is treatable,” said John F. Greden, M.D, Executive Director of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center, at a panel discussion of men and depression and sneak preview of the documentary called, Men Get Depression. However, for many men, admitting you have depression and seeking help are the greatest hindrances to overcoming the illness.
The University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center held a preview event surrounding the release of the documentary and encouraged audience participation in a lively discussion about depression and how it affects men at all stages of life. Audience members asked questions of the panelists that included Eric Hipple, former Detroit Lions quarterback and Outreach Coordinator for the U-M Depression Center; Tom Schwenk, Associate Director of the Depression Center and the George A. Dean, MD Chair of Family Medicine at the U-M Medical School; and Greden.
Men Get Depression is not only a one-hour documentary but an overall campaign dedicated to raising awareness of male depression, and helping men and their families get on the path to recovery. The documentary uses the real-life accounts of men who have experienced depression as a means of educating the public and trying to reverse the stigma associated with the illness. The documentary is a tool for those trying to reach men and their loved ones who might otherwise feel they are suffering in silence.
“Men often feel weak or ashamed, that it’s not manly to feel sad,” said Producer and Director, Grady Watts, State of the Art Productions. “We hope that this program will show men that they are not alone and that treatment can make a big difference in their lives and in the lives of the people that love them.”
Men Get Depression is a joint effort between the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center and State of the Art Productions, Inc., an Academy-Award winning production company dedicated to creating media programming and documentaries that help organizations like the University of Michigan communicate their mission via media tools. State of the Art received a National Institute of Mental Health grant in order to produce the documentary and received guidance from the Depression Center.
If you would like to learn more about the Men Get Depression program or to purchase the video for viewing, please visit www.mengetdepression.com If you are local to the Ann Arbor area, please visit the U-M Depression Center Resource Library to check-out the video for free.
