Drastic Changes - Where To Look Next

When a person is made to face their own mortality, a lot of other things can happen for the person. This type of experience can result in spiritual yearning and discernment. This type of experience can lead some people to be more engaged in life trying to get as much as they can out of life while other people can be overcome by fear in the realization that their life could have been over. In either case, and in your case your dad seems to have been more in the latter category, there is hope and with appropriate support and guidance a person can come back to a new sense of health and wholeness.

Having considered the fact that the depression could be coming from your dad's response to the critical event he went through, there are other possibilities as well. Alcohol withdrawal (the acute stage of which he could be past) can include depressive symptoms and these can also occur when a person is facing the consequences of their former life with alcohol. It is also possible that new medications (or combinations of medications) could have depression as a side effect. The fact that you (and possibly he) are concerned is a good indicator that you should raise these questions with his physician. I f he is not seeing a counselor, this would also be a good idea as that source of support would be helpful in this situation. Also a local counselor who can assess him in person will be better equipped to determine how concerning his situation is and what might actually be contributing to his depressive symptoms.