Jean's son was 15 years old when depression hit him. "He had been doing great up to that point," she says. "He was an excellent student and musician. He played percussion in a number of youth orchestras. But then, at the end of June, all that changed."
By August of that year, Jean's son had lost his ability to concentrate. His eyes would move over words, but he could not comprehend what he was reading. He even stopped playing percussion. He was tired and emotional and he couldn't get any work done.
"People who had previously flocked to him after concerts to tell him how talented he was were avoiding him because his playing was so completely off," Jean explains. "He couldn't do anything."
Jean's son began avoiding schoolwork and exams, and ended up failing his Leaving Certificate. His problems were also beginning to take a toll on his family.
"His brother and sister were very helpful to begin with," she adds. "But after a while, they felt that he was just being selfish. And frankly, all my energy was going towards him, trying to make him better. It was a terrible time."
Today, Jean's son is working his way out of his depression, but he still has a long way to go. "It's like you've lost someone you knew really well, someone who was on your wavelength, and he has been replaced by this shell."