Word: turpin
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...death late one February night on a conservative radio talk show. I’ll never forget what one of the commentators said. He kept repeating, “Aren’t boxers supposed to be tough?” Callers then chimed in, calling Turpin weak and unmanly. These people don’t know what tough...
...Turpin was a man of incredible inner strength. Despite facing the adversity of Philadelphia’s inner-city and, at the age of 18, assuming responsibility for his younger brother, sister, niece and nephew when his mother passed away, Turpin trained tirelessly as a boxer. Between his 10 to 12 hour workdays, Turpin managed to squeeze in training, achieving a record of 13-1-0. Clearly, Turpin was tough...
...course, the radio show commentator and callers weren’t calling Turpin weak because of his background. They were calling him weak because he killed himself. To them, suicide was a sign of fragility. It is not, and I know because I have battled depression myself...
...really describe to you how difficult it is to overcome these feelings. It is not just a matter of getting tougher. People with depression aren’t wusses or crybabies, as the people ripping Turpin would say. Mental health problems are unique in that there is a psychological and physical part to the illnesses. If there were not some underlying biological elements, then antidepressants and other medications would be useless. To the contrary, pharmaceuticals are often critical in stabilizing the mood of someone who suffers from depression so that that person can then begin therapy and work to eliminate...
...didn’t know Turpin personally, although I wish there was some way I could have. Turpin was described by friends as a strong man with a heart of gold, a man who came alive when he was with his two-year-old daughter. Nor can I claim to speak for Turpin, or any other person suffering from depression. But what I will say is that I, and many of the other people I’ve spoken with who deal with depression, do not want sympathy; we want understanding. When someone is depressed, he or she tends...