Unless one suffers from depression it is difficult for the rest of us to understand the constant problems they battle day to day.
When the beloved Robin Williams who has a history of depression and drug/alcohol problems committee suicide the world was shocked. Yet when we look back we can recall many of our friends and people we know who suffered through depression and ended their life. Their are almost 40,000 suicides a year almost 800 a day in this country.
An addict is at risk 3 times more to commit suicide than a person who just has depression. Many times those with the most out going personalities are the ones fighting depression.
Some have said it is selfish for one to take their life but when they are in that state their minds are not function normally.
The medical field has come a long way in the treatment of depression. Normally all long as people stay on their meds they can live a pretty normal life. Unfortunately for some when they are feeling better they think they are cured and the come off their meds and their problems.
My sympathies go out to all of those who suffer with this disorder.
Frank Calio's Blog (www.frankcalio.com) 
Frank, don’t disagree with you but check your multiplication. 800 x 365 = 292,000 (not 40000)
The 800 was correct, but I can’t recall how that was broken down; noted that when I wrote it, but forgot to check it; sorry.
Actually it is the 40,000 that is correct. The cdc web page shows 39,518 suicides for the last year that they have full records. As a great man once said “Trust, but verify”.
We average 22 veteran suicides a day in this country. Roughly 20% of the total.
and these boys and men, i’m sure, along with physical training, are engulfed with a mental training to prepare them for what they are sent to do. then they r returned to the people whom they fought for and neglected, ignored, given p.poor medical treatment (or placed on a ‘waiting’ list), and, in too many cases, left to sink in drugs, alcohol, and homelessness. but, always, money is found for aid outside of this country. we don’t begin to know the funding that winds up in the hands of our enemies. it’s a moral disgrace that these vets aren’t receiving the best of the best. how does anybody go thru what they have to do and go back to a ‘normal’ life?