“In Aotearoa, most people with depression either soldiered on — often denying their pain, perhaps diverting it through hard work, care for others, their faith or substance abuse — or had the support of whānau, family and friends” - Jacqueline Leckie in Old Black Clouds.
Depression affects people in all cultures but for centuries it has “hidden under the long black cloud of Kiwi denial”, health historian Jacqueline Leckie says.
In her new book Old Black Clouds, Leckie explores how depression has been regarded and disregarded in a country that idealises “being pragmatic and getting on with things”.
Old Black Cloud, by researcher and historian Jacqueline Leckie, is published through Massey University Press. Photo: Supplied
The early Māori understanding of depression, the loneliness of Aotearoa's colonial settlers and New Zealand's mental health institutions are all covered in Old Black Clouds - a play on the saying, ‘land of the long white cloud’.
In the 21st century, the backlash to the medicalisation of depression and the promotion of the idea that it's “just part of life’s woes”, Leckie says.
Although some mental health campaigns try to destigmatise depression as “just like any other illness” this isn’t quite the case, Leckie explains.
Partly due to its invisibility, depression wasn't really taken seriously in the past, just as it can be misunderstood now.
“If you broke your arm or your leg, even in the 19th century, there were ways of treating it, and you could see it. People could see that you couldn't work.”
For many, depression is a crippling condition, Leckie says, but many who suffered from it then, as now, somehow found a way to “press on”.
“Most people who had depression, or what we probably would call depression, they went on with their lives, they worked, they had families, they fell in love, they fell out of love. They went to the pub or the church or whatever. “
Before “depression” became a diagnostic category in the twentieth century, people were commonly diagnosed with ‘melancholia’ - a term that covered mania, psychosis, anxiety and depression.
In the 19th century, alcohol, which can be a depressant, was often cited as a cause of melancholia amongst immigrants faced with overwhelming loneliness.
Despite this, many documented cases were either teetotallers or people from cultures - such as China - who didn’t drink alcohol, Leckie points out.
For vulnerable people in search of DIY depression treatment, “quack cures” were offered by charlatans even back in the 1800s, she says.
Those in serious distress spent time in the infamous mental health institutions, initially called asylums, where from the 1940s treatments included lobotomies, electroconvulsive therapy, insulin shock therapy and deep sleep therapy - sedation with drugs for most of the day.
While some of these places were “pretty horrendous”, they sometimes provided true ‘asylum’ to those in need, Leckie says.
Nowadays, many people still find it difficult to seek help for their mental health so while the word 'depressed' can be overused colloquially, she believes that's better than having a taboo around it.
“I wouldn't like to see the pendulum swing back the other way, where people won't talk about their feelings.”
Related:
'It was an evil, evil place' - how a refuge for the mentally ill became a nightmare
Where to get help for mental health:
Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.
Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
Healthline: 0800 611 116
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
Where to get help for sexual violence:
Victim Support 0800 842 846
Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menu
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496
