A Look at the Many Faces of Depression

Filmmaker Larkin McPhee, struck by the different forms that depression takes, said she set out to show TV viewers the many ways the disorder can affect lives.

Her new documentary, "Depression: Out of the Shadows," tracks a diverse group of people coping with the disease.

"Depressed" is overused, she said. "English is one of the richest languages and yet we use this word very liberally, often to mean something other than this serious, complicated disease."

To illustrate the reach of the illness, she shows viewers the personal stories of depression sufferers, including a teenager, a new mother, a gang member and an author.

McPhee said that adolescent depression differs from the late onset of the disorder because "the body and brain age and behave differently as you get older."

Following the broadcast, journalist Jane Pauley anchors a panel of mental health experts for a 30-minute discussion of the film. Pauley was diagnosed in 2001 with bipolar disorder, which she chronicles in her book "Skywriting: Out of the Blue."

And a locally produced broadcast, "Men Get Depression," looks at the illness and its impact on men, their families and careers. It airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. on PBS 32 and 11 p.m. on PBS 22

Among those profiled are Eric Hipple, the former quarterback for the NFL's Detroit Lions, and Tom Johnson, who worked as publisher of the Los Angeles Times and CEO of CNN.

"Men Get Depression" also includes a segment about a suicide survivors group that meets at Howard University in the District.

-- Kathy Blumenstock