Holiday Blues
By Gene Aronowitz
I was on many local radio shows when I was Commissioner of Community Mental Health. Once, in December of one of those years, I was invited to be the guest on a talk show about holiday blues. I opened by saying something like this: “This is a time of the year when everybody is supposed to be having a great time. But these expectations are rarely met since holiday celebrations can be a burden. Old sibling rivalries and animosities can get in the way, as can political differences. For many, New Year's Eve can be the loneliest night of the year. Be on guard for the warning signs of suicide.” I enumerated the warning signs, and after about 45-minutes of discussion between us, the host said, "The phone lines are now open. Do you have any questions for Commissioner Aronowitz?" She gave the phone number, after which there was dead silence. She repeated the number, followed by more silence. To fill the disconcerting space, she asked me how listeners could help if they knew of someone who might be contemplating suicide. The gist of what I replied was this: "They should be sure to take them seriously, let them talk, never argue with them or say that it's all going to be alright, and possibly help them access a hotline or a mental health clinic in their area." I had brought along the county's directory of mental health services and anticipated that someone might ask for some details. But nobody did. The host repeated the telephone numbers but still no one called in. She filled the rest of the hour talking about an unnamed friend who suffered silently for years before killing himself. That distressing story ended the program. When I returned to my office, Steve Friedman, the Deputy Commissioner, looked at me and said, "Boy, if they weren't depressed before you got on, they surely were by the time you got off."
