To be frank, with all the bad news going around at the moment I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these mornings just about anyone I know chose to pull a blanket over their heads and refused to leave the comfort and security of their beds for the day.
Of course, in the so-called enlightened 21st century, this type of behaviour would be deemed outrageous and seriously at odds with how we expect normal people to behave and most GPs would promptly prescribe a mood enhancer such as Zoloft or Prozac. And if conditions persist, as the say in the advertisements, suggest an early trip to a friendly local therapist.
It is interesting to note that as recently as half a century ago regular periods ‘away from it all’ was apparently not uncommon and the ‘patient’ was referred to, usually in hushed tones, as suffering from melancholia (depression).
I must say, at least from what I can recall being told as a child told anyway, it was not a condition one was particularly proud of, in fact quite the reverse, and I suspect the real facts were usually concealed by family members on the basis it might inadvertently reveal some inner weakness of mind or flawed genetic inheritance.
Apparently my maternal grandmother used to regularly spend four days a week under the covers – usually mid-week when her husband was on the road as a commercial traveller. Whether Pop in fact knew anything about it I’m not aware but must hasten to add that any similar behaviour I might inadvertently display from time to time is purely coincidental since my mother was adopted.
After a career in sales spanning two decades I think I can say with some authority that I believe it is a major unrecognised accomplishment for staff members in customer relations roles to maintain a positive mental attitude at all times; what’s more, modern day business coaches have an important role counselling and imparting suitable advice to business owners/managers which has previously been confined to the likes of Dale Carnegie’s seminal book How to Win Friends & Influence People – still in print after 70 years.
Also I have never personally had a ‘doona day’ or suffered from the other modern malaise of Monday-itis either, which is more usually, and I would suggest correctly, attributed to a simple over-indulgence of the alcoholic type over the weekend.
Fortunately, removing the stigma attached to all forms of mental disorders has been one of the more civilising aspects of modern life, in most developed countries, yet ignorance and misplaced sympathy still persists and can often conceal this major but largely hidden medical condition.
Hopefully, in these unprecedented days of turmoil, community members can make a point of consciously being on the look out for neighbours and friends who are either behaving out of character or not feeling themselves and intervene in a helpful and positive fashion.
For detailed information goto: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/176_10_200502/ell10082_fm.html | 
