BY MARC LALONDE



When alleged killer Dragolub Tzokovitch shot his family and then himself last week, police say the man was in the throes of depression, and reports of his erratic behaviour in the hours before the killings, along with medication and sleeping pills found at the home are a good indication he was depressed but couldn’t do much about it.

Depression can hit anyone at any time, and despite Tzokovitch’s medication, he was apparently unable to deal with the depression that hit him and spiralled out of control — leading to the macabre scene inside the family’s Woodside Crescent home 10 days ago.

Friends for Mental Health executive director Lucie Discepola said up to 20 per cent of the population could be going through one level or another of depression at a given time.

“It’s very rampant,� she said. “Twenty per cent of the population will suffer from depression in their lifetime. There are warning signs, though.�

Warning signs include a change in usual behaviour, a change in sleeping patterns, a change in eating patterns and physical symptoms like headaches, pain, a lack of motivation, lethargy and the physical symptoms are sometimes spurred by a traumatic event or experience, such as marital problems, financial difficulties or death of a loved one.

In 2001, Kirkland resident John Bauer killed his wife, three sons, father-in-law, business partner and then himself in a fit of depression brought on by financial woes.

“People who are depressed need help, as soon as possible,� Discepola said, adding men and women deal differently with depression. While men are less likely to show outward signs of depression such as crying, sitting around all day or feeling helpless, they are more likely to exhibit more disturbing habits, such as working excessively, excessive anger or alcohol or substance abuse, she said. Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men are.

“For men, it’s a double stigma of the symptoms of depression, while they’re not supposed to be depressed because it’s not ‘masculine.’ Depression is a disease; you can’t just tell a person who’s depressed ‘hey, snap out of it,’ because that will not work,� she said.

In fact, violent incidents involving depression sufferers are rare; “isolated incidences,� Discepola said.

That’s where Friends for Mental Health come in. The non-profit support centre provides psychological support for family members and referrals for counselling.

“There are problems that can arise when a family member is battling depression. The emphasis is on what friends and family can do to help the person get help, because the person in the throes of a mental illness can sometimes lack the judgement to get themselves help because the taboo of having a mental illness is so great,� she said.

The right answer for most depressives is a combination of medication and psychotherapy, Discepola added.

Lakeshore General Hospital psychiatric department chief and West Island Health and Social Services Network mental-health director Dr. Fiore Lalla agreed, saying the psychotherapy doesn’t even have to be invasive or long-term; “just someone to talk to. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed,� he said.

Lalla said depression also affects people of different ages differently as well.

“Most people who get depressed at a young age get more angry or irritable, whereas a middle-aged person who becomes depressed will experience a loss of will, an increase in anxiety, and a lack of motivation. It’s not all that likely that a depressed person will become violent. When you’re older still, you become preoccupied with your health and pain you’re experiencing; it’s a form of hypochondria,� he said. “The first place a person who is depressed might look is to West Island CLSCs, where there is always a nurse on hand to talk to people, or the Crisis Centre. You can call Friends for Mental Health or see your family doctor for a referral. Just talk to someone,� he said.

If you are depressed and want to talk to someone, call the Mental Health Crisis Centre at 514-684-6160, or call Friends for Mental Health at 514-636-6885.