You know, the power of suggestion can be pretty potent.

Try this sometime. Find a co-worker and compliment their appearance. It might just brighten their day. Then find another co-worker, give them an odd look and ask if something happened to their hair. Chances are they’ll run to the nearest mirror and fuss endlessly with their appearance.

Remember, this is just an experiment. Doing this to several people or to the same person over and over again is just plain cruel and really doesn’t yield much scientific knowledge.

But suggestions can be powerful.

Last week, News-Press reporter Alonzo Weston wrote a news story about a recent mental health survey that rated Missouri as one of the most depressed states in America. The story was headlined “Misery in Missouri?”

The study, by Mental Health America and Thomson Healthcare, ranked our state eighth in the number of people who were treated for some form of depression.

South Dakota was the least depressed state in the study. Utah was the most depressed state. Read Alonzo’s story on the Web at http://www.sjnp.net/news/2008/feb/21/misery-missouri/?local.

I do find it a bit strange that Utah had the highest per capita rate of people who sought treatment for depression. Those Mormons seem to be such a family-oriented, well-adjusted, happy-go-lucky people.

Hmmmm. Interesting.

Anyway, this survey dealt with clinically depressed people who should seek treatment. Chronic and severe depression is an illness not to be taken lightly.

But I worry more about the rest of us, the common mugs who read a story like this, fall under the spell of suggestion, and think, “You know, I live in Missouri, and I don’t feel depressed. I wonder what’s wrong with me.”

The story drew some interesting reactions as Web readers replied back and callers burned up the phone lines to “It’s Your Call.”

One call we published was particularly venomous: “Well, I just have to agree with the newspaper article that the correct name of Missouri is actually misery. And not only is this a very depressing state — and I have lived in several others — I have to admit that St. Joseph is the sorriest excuse for a city that I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Ouch.

I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those Missourians who sought treatment for depression lived in this guy’s neighborhood or worked with him. He doesn’t sound like a ray of sunshine to hang out with.

And, of course, the study didn’t say that. In fact, it never even implied Missouri was a depressing state. It just said more people had sought treatment for depression than most other states.

But, see how people jump to that conclusion?

Based on that story, some folks here will start feeling bad about living in St. Joe and assume that our city and state are really depressing places to live.

Sure, we have our problems.

In the past few years, we’ve fought over libraries and museums — two areas where you’d think most people would agree.

Sewer rates are expected to triple in the next few years because our system is outdated and substandard and could cost more than $400 million to fix.

The St. Joe Blacksnakes slithered out of town a few months ago after a depressing season.

After a harsh winter, we have potholes that could swallow a subcompact car.

Actor Brad Pitt snubbed our city’s heritage when he made a movie about the murder of Jesse James, but didn’t shoot any scenes here and didn’t even bring a premiere to a local theater.

And finally, many folks here think the best thing to come to town in the recent years is Olive Garden.

Yes, we have warts.

But basically, St. Joseph is a nice, safe community filled with good folks who take pride in their hometown. Just two months ago, we helped one another survive one of the worst ice storms in the city’s history.

In the last two elections, we overwhelmingly renewed a municipal capital improvements tax and actually increased our transit tax to keep our buses running.

For every blemish we have, we can find a beauty mark.

And, contrary to suggestions of pessimistic people who want the rest of us to feel bad simply to share their misery, living in Missouri with a St. Joseph address is far from depressing.

If you run into one of these pessimists, don’t get sucked into their negativity. Feel free to point out the good things about our town, our accomplishments and the things about St. Joseph we should take pride in.

And if that doesn’t work, you can always say, “Did something happen to your hair? Dude, you should find a mirror and check it out.”

Steve Booher’s column runs on Mondays.