This sounds serious, and it is...but bear with me...
Depression affects an estimated 5% of all the people in the United States at any one time. About 20% of all people will be clinically depressed at some time in their lives.
People affected see therapists (check), take pills (check) and journal their thoughts (check) to try to deal with it. People also talk to friends (check) who can sympathize and encourage them. The friends can relate their own experiences to the one in need at the time. It helps to know that you aren’t alone.
And you’re not alone until your "friends" start screening their calls. So when the voice mail seems to be the only voice on the other end of the line, don’t despair, Country Music is your never-too-busy-to-talk-to-therapist.
First, the men. We have different problems than women (notably, women) and need to know we’re not alone in our troubles.
Wife left you?
My yellow rose of Texas packed up and left this morning
I don’t know where she’s gone and most of all I don’t know why
I'm so lonesome I could lay down and die
Wish your wife would leave you?
Oh, I got a woman
Mean as she can be
But that isn’t the whole story, is it?
Sometimes I think
She's almost mean as me
I think you see where I’m going with this (and if you aren’t, come back tomorrow…I’ll try to make more sense). It’s just that instead of talking, we can just listen to a sympathetic voice on the radio. And since the democrats haven’t yet gotten their way, you can still listen for free.
Now I’m not ignoring anyone. The ladies have problems too.
Overall bad feeling?
Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman
Wondering what it all means?
Giving all your love to just one man
Confused?
You'll have bad times
And he'll have good times
Doing things that you don't understand
Need help in deciding what to do?
If you love him
Oh be proud of him
'Cause after all he's just a man
It's just that they've been there too, and they'll be there for you.
Coming Soon (not tomorrow): How Country Music Can Help You Install Your Satellite Dish
