Imagine waking
up in the morning and feeling paralyzed with sadness. You feel so empty it
hurts to move or even exist. At school
you push away your friends and keep quiet.
The irritability takes over and influences your choices and
actions. How can you go on feeling like
this? You may be thinking, what is
wrong with me? Altogether, these
symptoms can be diagnosed as depression.
Over 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression and this number
keeps growing (“Depression: Facts, Statistics and You”). Depression is problematic and can be
classified as a mental illness. Your
brain has trouble regulating moods and chemical levels. This sadness can be caused by a variety of
factors such as peer pressure, genetics, and substance abuse. This mental illness can cause eating
disorders, suicidal thoughts, and even suicide.
A depression epidemic is sweeping across the globe and its victims and
the medical community are not prepared to take it on.
Before the
1950’s, depression was not a well-known mental illness. Some even failed to recognize its
existence. The theory of depression can
be dated all the way back to ancient Greece.
A well known ancient philosopher, Hippocrates, created the idea that an
imbalance in the four humours, with an excess of black bile put people at risk
of developing melancholy. He thought the
imbalance was caused by trauma or other stressful events. In the beginning of the Dark Ages, doctors
began to develop ways to reduce the feelings of melancholy that some people
might experience For example, they
believed that walking and vacationing would prevent such illness. As Hippocrates’ influence began to fade,
Christianity shaped the peoples’ views on depression. They thought demons,
devils, or witches caused depression (Springer). Treatments were demonic and humiliating. In
the early seventeenth century, it was common for humans with depression to be
executed for “being a witch”. On the
other hand, some select physicians reverted back to Hippocrates’ ways of thinking. In 1621, Robert Burton published his book,
“The Anatomy of Melancholy” in which he discusses the causes and the prevention
of depression. In the late 18th and the
early 19th centuries, doctors had the common belief that depression was
inherited from family members. They
thought that depression was an unchangeable state. This led certain people to think that people
suffering from depression should be locked up or institutionalized. In the 20th century, psychoanalysis became a
common treatment for depression. A
popular psychiatrist named Sigmund Freud created the idea that depression was
caused by a loss or symbolic loss like that of a failure to reach a goal or a
certain state. During the 1900’s,
physicians came up with many new and some effective treatments. Medicines such as isoniazid were found to
help reduce the symptoms of depression.
Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy were thought to
be the most helpful (Nemade).
In the United
States, the number of people affected by depression is growing. How does this affect our society? Sixteen point one million Americans deal with
this illness on a daily basis (ADAA.org).
Many people that suffer from melancholy find comfort in staying at home
alone or retreating to their bedroom. This anti-social behavior affects society
as a whole. Because of this, there will
be a decrease of people out and about and fewer social interactions would be
observed. This behavior could also later
on cause social anxiety because a person would have less experience with social
situations. For example, “If you're
someone that never really interacted much with others growing up, then you're
also going to be someone that feels very uncomfortable in social situations,
which over time can lead to anxiety”(“Social Anxiety”). Humans are meant to
participate socially and learn from interactions. Psychological and emotional isolation affects
one’s brain chemistry that leads to depression.
Many social
situations feed into the creation of depression. The environment in which a person lives in
everyday life can include specific triggers that cause melancholy. According to personality research, “Socialization is key to
maintaining healthy relationships and feeling well deserved and part of
someone's life. Depression can have an
adverse effect on the social capacity of depressed persons, affecting their
social functioning and ability to react and deal with stressful situations”
(Beattie). Someone who is depressed has low self-esteem and because of this, a
person can become more sensitized to people’s opinions and views. As the
depression epidemic becomes a bigger problem, an increased number of people are
staying inside and are not socializing with others. This provides a sense of
isolation across the world. The more
that people feel isolated, the more likely their depression will worsen.
Social pressures have caused humans to
feel more alone and melancholy. The most
common form of modern day social pressure occurs on social media. Many accounts show how life is “supposed” to
be lived. In reality a person cannot
always have the perfect body, travel the world, nor have a perfect lifestyle.
These types of posts set the bar high for teenagers and makes them ponder what
they are doing wrong. Another common
type of social pressure is peer pressure.
Many people want to fit in so they pretend to be someone they are
not. According to Yale’s article
entitled Peer Pressure and Depression in Teenagers “Peer
pressure demands that they (teenagers) act in ways with which they are not
comfortable, it can cause teens to suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, and
depression”(Yael). Especially in the teenage years, peer pressure is prevalent.
There is pressure to fit in and have a group of friends. When a person seems
like an outcast, it is important to try to include them so that they do not
feel isolated or lonely.
Depression alters
one’s thinking and view on everyday life.
A person like me, who suffers from depression, finds it hard to maintain
stable relationships throughout long periods of time. This is due to the
drastic mood swings and irritability that comes along with it. Sometimes it is hard to get out of bed in the
morning because you know you are going to have to talk to other people. It gets to the point where you start pushing
all close friends and family members away because the sadness just takes over
your thinking ability. Being isolated
like this gives you a sense of comfort and the want to be alone becomes a
repeated behavior. When at school, you
withdraw from all social activities and schoolwork, which affects your
grades. Keeping up with everything and
everyone seems almost impossible.
A risk factor of depression in obesity. If a
person does not get the right amount of brain nutrients, they will not feel
energetic or focused. Along with the depression epidemic, obesity plagues over
36.5% of people across America (“Overweight & Obesity”). Obesity includes not taking care of oneself nor
getting the right type of nutrients in your diet. Most Americans struggle with getting the
nutrients needed for keeping a healthy mind.
According to Mayo Clinic, omega 3s, magnesium, folate, B vitamins, and
low glycemic foods have a link to a healthy mental state. The micronutrients listed play an important
role in planning a diet and meals. In
order to maintain a healthy brain, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet
filled with whole grains, protein, vegetables, and fresh fruit (Nelson). Vitamins and proper nutrition have powerful
effects on the body and could work better than antidepressants. In recent
research, Francis found that “the inventor of the antianxiety drug Valium later
discovered that B vitamins could produce exactly the same benefits as Valium,
without side effects or addiction” (Francis).
In conclusion, Americans with the assistance of nutritionists and health
care professionals must make a change in their diet and lifestyles to help stop
the depression epidemic and promote a stable mind.
Depression can be treated in a variety of
ways. It is up to the patient to seek out help and take care of his or herself.
Antidepressants are among the most popular treatments. SSRIs, or selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is the most common antidepressant drug.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain, which control moods. In the parts
of the brain that regulate moods or emotions, serotonin levels might be off. By
blocking the reuptake of this neurotransmitter, it allows serotonin to build up
between neurons so that messages can be sent correctly between the cells. Some
of the SSRI medications include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Lexapro.
Along with SSRIs, other medications can be taken to reduce the symptoms of
depression such as atypical antidepressants, Tricyclic antidepressants, and
SNRIs. It is necessary to get the right diagnosis so that you can directly
start treating that problem (“Depression MDD”). Depression can be caused by other illnesses
such as bipolar disorder, Cyclothymic disorder, and Borderline Personality
disorder. If you do not treat the underlying cause, the depression will make
its way back into a person's life. For an example, I suffer from Bipolar I disorder.
Before I was diagnosed, my depression kept on coming back and I did not know
why. After I found out I had this illness, it seemed to make sense because of
bipolar’s mood cycles. After I directly treated the Bipolar illness, my
depression stopped coming back. Since depression is prevalent, it is important
to recognize the symptoms so you can get the help you need.
Along with medications, Psychotherapy has shown to help people suffering
from depression. During psychotherapy, a patient learns how to recognize their
moods, feelings, thoughts and behaviors (“Psychotherapy”). According to a study
done by Seth Gillihan and other doctoral students, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
is effective. They conducted a trial to
determine what type of treatment was most effective between antidepressants and
behavioral therapy. “After 16 weeks of (behavioral therapy) treatment, 58% in
each group had experienced significant improvement (and both groups beat placebo). Recent reviews confirm what this
study found, including a showing that medication and CBT work equally well in
relieving depression.” To determine a
effective treatment plan, it is important to see a professional. Typically,
they will provide patients with medication and a reference for behavioral
therapy.
Unconditional self-acceptance
mediates the effect of socially prescribed perfectionism on depression, and for
a more generic model, in which the core construct of perfectionism can have
negative consequences, which lead to low levels of unconditional
self-acceptance, and thence to depression. Finally, a distinction was drawn
between developmental and operational models of perfectionism (Scott).
It is crucial to realize that not everything is perfect and
that people should accept themselves for who you they are without being too
critical. If one does not have love for his or herself, it will soon be linked
with low self-esteem and then depression.
Albert Camus was
an author and a philosopher. Although Camus did not have a lot of training as a
writer, he made important contributions and asked the right questions. Most
importantly, he questioned life. Many people describe Camus as an
existentialist author. “To Camus it was absurd that we are all separated,
our lives are meaningless, we are powerless to influence our fate, and we are
all going to die and face nothingness” (Naylor). Albert Camus would believe
that this depression epidemic is absurd because he thinks that life is already
meaningless and repetitive. When someone is depressed, life seems even more meaningless.
He would think, how could a mental illness make life seem even more pointless
than it already is? In the Myth of Sisyphus, Camus stated that, “I continue to
believe that this world has no ultimate meaning.” Camus would think that people
with depression fell victim to the absurdity of life. He would be pleased to
see that depressed people are asking the same questions he did. Why is life so
repetitive? What is the overall meaning and purpose of life?
People
suffering from this mental illness have similar views on life that Albert Camus
did. He believed and promoted the estrangement of an individual from his or
herself. In his story “The Myth of Sisyphus”, Camus tells a story of man doomed
by Hades. Every day he had to roll an
immense round stone up a hill only for it to roll back down. This story makes
life seem unvaried and absurd. In the story, Camus quotes, “At this point of his effort man stands face to face with the
irrational. He feels within him his longing for happiness and for reason. The
absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the
unreasonable silence of the world.” Everyday Sisyphus searched for a meaning in
this world but never found one. The Gods thought he was too curious and they
just wanted Sisyphus to keep busy. We can relate this to humans. Everyone has
goals and ambitions, but we have to complete various meaningless tasks before
we get there. When a patient is depressed, it seems to them that all tasks in
life have no meaning or purpose. They are just something to keep them busy.
Camus had this mindset when it came to life itself. The idea that there is no
purpose in life appears in many of his writings and he believed that life is
just a series of illogical and incoherent events.
In conclusion, depression has become an
alarming problem. This mental illness can be caused by a variety of factors and
can be treated through medications or behavioral therapy. It is important for
parents and teachers to create a friendly and non-pressured environment for
students and adults. The American society can be harsh at times, which can
encourage unhealthy habits such as isolation and low self-esteem. To stop this epidemic, our
community, as a whole needs to promote acceptance, encouraging words, and
healthy habits. By doing this, the rapidly increasing depression rates would
slow to a stop. It is up to individuals
to make these changes. In the long run, America will be a happier and healthier
country.
Works Cited
Beattie, Gregory S. “Social Causes of
Depression.” Personality Research, Nov. 2005, www.personalityresearch.org/papers/beattie.html.
Camus,
Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus. London: H. Hamilton, 1965. Print.
“Depression: Facts, Statistics &
You.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/depression/facts-statistics-infographic.
“Depression
(Major Depressive Disorder).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for
Medical Education and Research, 3 Feb. 2018,
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356013.
“Facts and Statistics.” ADAA,
adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics#.
Francis, Raymond. “The Depression
Epidemic.” OAW Health, oawhealth.com/article/the-depression-epidemic/.
Gillihan,
Seth J. “What Is the Best Way to Treat Depression?” Psychology Today,
Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/201705/what-is-the-best-way-treat-depression.
Nelson, Jennifer K. “Nutrition and
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Nelson, Jennifer K. R.D. “The Food and Mood Connection.” Mayo
Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 May 2009, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/food-and-mood/bgp-20056183.
Naylor,
Thomas H. “Albert Camus: Life Is Absurd, Rebél, Live, and Try To Die
Happy.” Second Vermont Republic, 17 Apr. 2012,
vermontrepublic.org/albert-camus-life-is-absurd-rebel-live-and-try-to-die-happy/.
Nemade, Rashmi. “Historical
Understandings Of Depression.” Mental Help Historical Understandings of
Depression Comments, www.mentalhelp.net/articles/historical-understandings-of-depression/.
“Overweight & Obesity.” Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5
Mar. 2018, www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html.
“Psychotherapy.” Mayo
Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 17 Mar. 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psychotherapy/about/pac-20384616.
Scott,
Joe. “The Effect of Perfectionism and Unconditional Self-Acceptance on
Depression.”SpringerLink, Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers,
9 Mar. 2007, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10942-006-0032-3.
“Social Anxiety.” What Causes
Social Anxiety and Can It Be Cured?, www.calmclinic.com/social-anxiety/causes.
“The Stigma of Depression: History and
Context.” SpringerLink, Springer, New York, NY, 1 Jan. 1970,
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-0-387-72713-4_2.
Yael. “Peer Pressure and Depression in
Teenagers.” Sage Day, 22 Nov. 2016, www.sageday.com/blog/peer-pressure-and-depression-in-teenagers.
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