Case of the blues

On National Depression Day know if you or a friend should seek help.

Depression is an illness that can affect every student on this campus. Whether you or a friend or family member is diagnosed with this disease, the stress and challenge this condition brings can push a person to the limit.

With suicide being the second leading cause of death among college students, depression awareness and treatment is something that needs to be at the forefront of issues for University students. The University addresses the needs of the students by offering tools to combat depression, specifically its Counseling and Psychiatric Services at the Health Center.

If you think you, a friend or a family member might have depression, the National Institute for Mental Health Web site lists these symptoms:

1. Loss of interest of hobbies or interests they once enjoyed, including sex.

2. Sudden shifts in weight loss/gain.

3. Insomnia, oversleeping, or early morning awakening.

4. Restlessness or irritability.

5. Persistent physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain.

If these symptoms apply, recognize the facts and talk about it with someone you trust. It’s not something to be embarrassed about, as 25 percent of people will have experienced depression before they turn 24 years old, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Depression can hurt, but remember to take one day at a time. For more information, check out www.nimh.nih.gov or call 1-800-SUICIDE.

- Jay Butler for the editorial board.

Athens on the A-list

With the Dixie Film Fest, will the Classic City become the next ‘it’ town?

With the Dixie Film Festival this weekend, Athens is making a name for itself on the film festival scene. There will be 50 movies shown on big screens and a fair amount of celebrities in attendance, including James Best from “Dukes of Hazzard.”

We are glad to see such a star-studded event coming to Athens. Perhaps the Dixie Film Festival will establish itself like Tribeca, Sundance or even Cannes. We envision a day when it will be nothing to see Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro sharing a drink at the Globe next to a group of our professors.

When Dixie is well-established and world-renowned, Athens as we know it will be transformed. We’ll see celebrities driving their hybrid cars all over town, on their way from yoga class to the Darfur rally. The most rich and famous, of course, will ride in rickshaws.

It’s sure to be a boon to our economy, bringing in droves of out-of-towners, and plenty of new business. Alongside our Bulldog gameday clothing shops will stand tai chi studios, herbal markets and more talent agencies than you can shake a stick at.

Of course, this “element” is known to bring some problems with it, too. It’s just a matter of time before we’d be hearing about “J.Lo” and “JT” “DT’ing” it up, “Li-Lo’s” DUI outside the “SLC,” or “K-Fed” (a.k.a. “Fed-Ex”) “MC’ing” at the “ECV” for free.

On second thought, maybe we should hope Dixie stays local.

- Matt Brandenburgh for the editorial board.