New Zealand went into recession early 2008. Headline;
Recession depression on the rise
Then;
Canterbury is the most depressed region in the country, with 191,000 people prescribed medication for depression in 2007, the latest year for which a breakdown by district health board is available.
We weren't in recession in 2007. Canterbury has been the most depressed region for some time. I have blogged before about the disproportionate numbers of people on sickness and invalid benefits with the primary incapacity of depression. There is also a lot of substance abuse going on in Christchurch.
When I went back to locate my earlier posts I came across this comment;
I'm 20 years old and suffer from depression. If it wasn't for the sickness benefit I would probably be dead now.
I just got back from a holiday in Darwin which I really enjoyed. As soon as I got back to Christchurch I felt like crap, I hate this place.
So does Christchurch make people depressed or is it just coincidental that a lot of depressed people congregate there? Or is the medical fraternity too quick to write prescriptions and sign people off for benefits?
There are some serious questions to be asked about this region. A once-over-lightly, talk-to-a-few-local-celebs and list what's cool in Canterbury fluff piece is silly.
Labour’s split personality on the Ports
1 hour ago
7 comments:
I love Christchurch and I lived there for a year about 5 years ago.
But I have a friend there who hates it there and is undergoing some kind of mental breakdown at this very moment.
I grew up in Christchurch, it is a beautiful, relaxed place to live, but it is also full of some of the most conservative, conformist, repressed people known to man. There is a lot of social pressure there, and people who don't quite fit are not encouraged in their diversity. The high use of antidepressants is an indication the whole culture of the place needs to change.
ChCh isn't known as the 'Village of the Damned' for no reason!
I had to move away before I realised that.
Nice place to visit, but live there...
Well they certainly seem to have issues with sexuality,from the Ellis debacle to prostitutes being murdered regularly by the Avon the nice young ladies being raped and murdered, bloody queer politicians(both sorts of queer). Sounds a lot like Britain and look at the mess there.
The fact the outfit needs a wizard must tell us something. Its had it share of the female mad equivalents as well.
I have a couple of good friends who work in the mental health industry.
While both are highly qualified, they also consume large amounts of anti depressants to help them make it throught their day.
Dirk
Dirk I am a pharmacist and dish out shit loads of anti depressants every day. To get over the bulshit that goes with the job I prefer to drink myself insenseless every night.
Christchurch is just the greatest city in the world. It must be cos it's so great, all these depressed people migrate there in an attempt to solve their problems. Despite being awesome christchurch can not solve all problems of all people.
Also rates of medication/diagnosis do not necissarily relate to incidence. Their may just be higher rates of diagnosis and or docotors more inclined to proscribe antidepressents.
Post a Comment