When I wrote the blog about Major Hasan, the soldier who went on a rampage at Fort Hood I received a tremendous amount of response decrying my belief that the man might have a mental illness.  Most responders believed he was a “Muslim terrorist” and that mental illness had nothing to do with his act.

With yesterday’s accused “Pentagon Attacker,” Joseph Bedell, the link seems more clear cut. His family had struggled for years to get him into treatment.  But, as so often is the case unless he displayed an obvious threat to himself or others, they were limited in what they could do to help.  Even the law officer that stopped him for a moving violation in Texas could tell he needed to be in a hospital, but he wasn’t able to get him admitted. Mr Bedell was a threat to himself and others and no one paid attention.

There were so many red flags.  Like so many people in our country he was agitated with our government.  Like so many of us that are tired of the activities or in-activities of our legislature, he was frustrated and angry.  But, unlike most of us, he wasn’t able to contain his anger and acted out in the most savage way he could. 

As an advocate for people with mental illness, his tragic story reminds me once again how far we need to go when it comes to treating our fellow human beings that are suffering from brain disorders.  Inflammatory rhetoric and inexcusable callousness does not further growth as a species and can have a devastating effect on some of our most vulnerable.   Compassion and understanding have positive effects. Pushing those living with mental illness aside and pretending they don’t exist, that they are “terrorists,”   or that they are someone else’s problem has consquences.

If you’re like me, you’re really anxious to get some rain here in the Old Pueblo. I was so excited when I saw that huge hurricane south of the Baja last week. I thought “this time we’ll definitely get some good rain.” Well, as of 4:30 pm Saturday the clouds have come and gone, come and gone, and now the skies are partly cloudy and I feel like they (the clouds) are just teasing me! What I want is a big, bank to bank, Rillito River filler! I want the news feeds on the bottom of the television screen to say, “Stay Home……heavy rain advisory, rivers and streams are overflowing, hundreds of lighting strikes, avoid downed power lines, etc.”

I don’t suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression that occurs in relation to the seasons, most commonly in winter. Light therapy, one of the hallmark treatments of S.A.D. certainly isn’t needed in this case…..with almost 365 days of yearly sunshine in Tucson, we definitely don’t have the cloudy days that Seattle has! But, what I wonder is…….Is there such a thing as ” too much sunshine and not enought rain” depresssion? One of the symptoms of depression can be irritability…….hummm, I may be on to something. I JUST WISH IT WOULD RAIN!!!!

Below is the list of Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms:
•Afternoon slumps with decreased energy and concentration
•Carbohydrate cravings
•Decreased interest in work or other activities
•Depression that starts in fall or winter
•Increased appetite with weight gain
•Increased sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness
•Lack of energy
•Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
•Social withdrawal

Except for the depression that starts in fall or winter, seems like many of us can feel this way at the end of a long hot summer.  But, unlike people that do have this diagnosis, I think I’ll be able to get through it. Seasonal Affective Disorder is nothing to make fun of and is very serious for those living with it, but it responds well to treatment.  As for me…….I can’t wait for November!!