CAC Member Spotlight: Meet Darien
Darien Landreth is a member of the CAN-BIND Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Read below to learn a bit about Darien’s story and why depression research is important to her.
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a 55 year old woman and I like to read a lot. As part of my routine, I go for walks every morning, and sometimes I bake. I also love dogs because they are good friends and they help to calm me down. Something people may not know about me is that I have treatment-resistant depression, and I have actually been a patient of Dr. Sidney Kennedy’s for over 20 years.
How did you learn about the CAN-BIND CAC? When did you join?
I learned about the CAC from Dr. Kennedy, who thought I would be a good fit for the committee. I joined about 9 months ago and find the CAC meetings very interesting. I especially enjoy when CAN-BIND researchers join our meetings to give a ‘science talk’. The latest one was about how neuroimaging is used to study depression.
How would you describe your experience being on the CAC so far?
I’ve enjoyed the experience so far. I feel good about using my experiences to contribute to depression research.
Committees such as this one are a great way to facilitate two-way learning between scientists and the community.
Committees such as this one are a great way to facilitate two-way learning between scientists and the community.
What is something about depression that you want people to know?
Something I want people to know is that depression can be debilitating and that it is not just a matter of being sad. I think the word depression is used too much when referring to feeling sad, which can trivialize its effects. From my experience, I have treatment-resistant depression which has robbed me of my house, my livelihood, my car, and I would say many of my dreams. I live with my sister because I am on disability and cannot work. I have tried over 50 drug medications, deep brain stimulation (DBS), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).It is a much deeper experience than just feeling sad.
The side effects of different medications can also be challenging. Something that has helped me has been to keep a log of all the treatments I have taken and how they each affect me differently, to learn what works for me.
The side effects of different medications can also be challenging. Something that has helped me has been to keep a log of all the treatments I have taken and how they each affect me differently, to learn what works for me. I also have a therapist and sometimes do cognitive behavioural therapy, either on my own or with my therapist. Something else people should know is that it can be difficult to access psychotherapy. It’s covered by some private health insurance plans, but it’s not covered by all provincial healthcare plans. Paying out of pocket can be expensive.
Why is depression research important to you? What area of depression research are you most interested in?
My hope is that scientists will find treatments that can help many people with depression and really benefit the community at large. I also hope that they will find treatments for treatment-resistant depression specifically—for my own sake and for others who have similar experiences to my own. It is also important to me that research continues to look at the brain and that treatments are developed based on individual differences in the brain.