A
Art Mann
Guest
New head of Ontario Bar Association
opens up about depression
KITCHENER — Six years ago, with his marriage falling apart and about two months after being defeated in the 2008 federal election, Kitchener-Conestoga Liberal candidate Orlando Da Silva went home, drank wine and swallowed 180 sleeping pills.
"I remember thinking I didn't care if anything happened," Da Silva, a Kitchener native and top Toronto lawyer, recalled in an interview Wednesday.
"I remember before I lost consciousness that I was in trouble and I didn't want to die, so I called my ex-wife who called 911, and I then spent the Christmas holidays in the hospital and told no one about it. I told my family I was away on some trip."
He spent six weeks in Grand River Hospital and several months as an outpatient.
Da Silva, 46, kept his depression a secret from work and most of his family.
"I told people at work … that it was something physical, not a mental condition. I was scared to death of people finding out because you're a litigator — you're supposed to be strong and tough and fearless — and you know depression for a lot of people cries out weakness and frailty and vulnerability."
Today, as newly installed president of the Toronto-based Ontario Bar Association, Da Silva is opening up about depression with the hope that other people — not only lawyers — will talk about mental illness.
"I am hoping that just by talking about this stuff we can reduce the stigma and get someone to pick up the phone and ask for help that they might not otherwise do," he said.
READ FULL STORY HERE, including how his Grade 4 teacher was the first person to recognize his struggle and help him deal with it.
opens up about depression
KITCHENER — Six years ago, with his marriage falling apart and about two months after being defeated in the 2008 federal election, Kitchener-Conestoga Liberal candidate Orlando Da Silva went home, drank wine and swallowed 180 sleeping pills.
"I remember thinking I didn't care if anything happened," Da Silva, a Kitchener native and top Toronto lawyer, recalled in an interview Wednesday.
"I remember before I lost consciousness that I was in trouble and I didn't want to die, so I called my ex-wife who called 911, and I then spent the Christmas holidays in the hospital and told no one about it. I told my family I was away on some trip."
He spent six weeks in Grand River Hospital and several months as an outpatient.
Da Silva, 46, kept his depression a secret from work and most of his family.
"I told people at work … that it was something physical, not a mental condition. I was scared to death of people finding out because you're a litigator — you're supposed to be strong and tough and fearless — and you know depression for a lot of people cries out weakness and frailty and vulnerability."
Today, as newly installed president of the Toronto-based Ontario Bar Association, Da Silva is opening up about depression with the hope that other people — not only lawyers — will talk about mental illness.
"I am hoping that just by talking about this stuff we can reduce the stigma and get someone to pick up the phone and ask for help that they might not otherwise do," he said.
READ FULL STORY HERE, including how his Grade 4 teacher was the first person to recognize his struggle and help him deal with it.
