I hope you all allow me to take a small space here to dedicate to a friend, Dave Bauer. Nearly two weeks ago, Team Alton (my running group) lost one of our favorite members. Dave was in his 50s, and he was a really great guy. I can't stress how completely, unbelievably, unexpected this was! You really couldn't have asked to meet a nicer person than Dave. We are still in shock. Apparently he was taking anti-depressants, and they made him sleepy. He feel asleep while he was at work, and got caught sleeping on the job. He lost his job, blamed his meds, and abruptly quit taking them. The imbalance sent him into a spiraling depression, and he shot himself.
We miss him with every running step. All I can say is folks, be CAREFUL about taking these kinds of drugs! The commercials for them even warn about this kind of stuff. Anyone who knew Dave would have NEVER EVER thought he would do something like this. It is so tragic! It truly scares me how ready doctors are to write prescriptions for these kinds of medicines, and how ready people are to just take them. I'm sure there are cases where they are really needed, but I wish that it could be given more CAREFUL consideration, before the doctors even pick up that pen.
For Team Alton, we love and miss you Dave!
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I am so sorry Renae! Losing a job is one of the most stressful things that can happen to a man, whether he is on medication or not. If he was already suffering from major depression, that might have just started him on a downward spiral that led to him taking his own life.
My cousin went through something similar, and ended up taking his own life as well. It is truly heartbreaking and no words can console those that are left behind to wonder if they could have somehow prevented the tragedy.
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