Depression by Mallory Moore

Mallory Moore

Professor Hammett

ENGL 1302

May 6, 2019

Depression

You wake up dreading to get out of bed, anticipating the hopeless struggle in the day to come. Last night you slept so long that you wasted half of the day and you have barely eaten in days. Getting out of bed seems impossible to overcome because you feel that nothing is waiting for you when you do it. You think about how your friends kept mentioning that “you’d changed” and asking if you were all right, and how you pushed them away because there was no way they could actually know what you are going through. This is a common morning for someone with depression; “depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). Despite a common misconception, “depression isn't a weakness and you can't simply "snap out" of it” (1). Depression is a real illness, not only a passing mood.

            Depression has always been a health problem for humans, however it used to be known as melancholia; and “the earliest accounts of melancholia appeared in ancient Mesopotamian texts in the second millennium B.C. At this time, all mental illnesses were attributed to demonic possession, and were attended to by priests” (Nemade 1). These very early times saw it as a spiritual disorder, whereas it soon became viewed as a physical or mental disorder. Hippocrates, a Greek physician, “thought that melancholia was caused by too much black bile in the spleen” and treated it using bloodletting, bathing, exercise, and dieting (1). However, Cicero, a Roman philosopher, that “argued that melancholia was caused by violent rage, fear and grief” (1). Cicero’s argument led into people thinking it was caused by the anger of the gods, which led “Cornelius Celsus [to recommend] starvation, shackles (leg irons), and beating as ‘treatments,’” (1) whereas Persian treatments involved hydrotherapy and early forms of behavior therapy (1). In 1621, Robert Burton described scientific psychological and social causes as well as treatments such as diet, exercise, distraction, bloodletting, herbal remedies, and much more (1). In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries depression was thought to be inherited and untreatable, which instigated that these people should be shunned or locked up: 

In the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, melancholy was slowly replaced by the modern concept of depression, which became less a disorder of the intellect and more of a mood or affective disorder. Knowledge about brain and nerve anatomy and the emergence of psychiatry and psychology played critical roles. (Grob 1)

Due to increased scientific research and the emergence of new theories, the traditional distinction between normal and pathological sadness was blurred, and “it set the stage for an enormous expansion of the population requiring treatment, largely by antidepressant drugs” (1). Today the causes are determined to be biological differences, brain chemistry, hormones, or inherited traits, and many risk factors and treatments have been identified (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). A lot of research has been done to result in a greater understanding of this disorder so that we can move forward.

            Depression does not only affect the individual, but the people around them also. Someone with depression’s “social information-processing biases appear to make it less likely that they will perceive cues of acceptance and belonging in social interactions” (Steger and Kashdan 1). This can affect their inner circles such as family and friends by making the person feel detached from the people they care about the most. “Depressed people also appear to induce negative affect in others,” which is a projection of how they are feeling of themselves. Pushing these closest people away is the first step in avoidance of social interaction (1).

            Not only does it affect the people closest, depression also affects their school and work community. For students, “less than half of U.S. schools provide on-site counseling services, even though the majority of youths who use mental health services receive those services at school” (McLaughlin 1). Teachers are not trained to identify someone with depression, nor are they trained in how to help; so, they just see a student struggling and keep pushing them to do better when they do not know what is going on. A depressed child’s “performance may not slip to failure, but it will slip” (Bolyn 1). Depression causes both children and adults “who suffer from it to have a decline in their work and school performances” (1). Similarly, in the workplace, “individuals with depression lose 5.6 hours of productive time at work per week compared to 1.6 hours in non-depressed workers” (McLaughlin 1).

            Overall, depression affects the world. “Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study indicate that depression is one of the leading causes of disability in the world” (McLaughlin 1). Contrary to popular belief, “depression isn't a weakness and you can't simply ‘snap out’ of it” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). Depression is a disorder that affects daily life of an abundance of people around the world and hindering them in daily activities.

            Numerous people around the world suffer from depression and want to fix it but do not know how. It can occur with anyone no matter ethnicity, social class, gender, or age. Some people recounted examples of what it was like for them:

"My daily routine was shot. I didn't have the energy to do anything. I got up because the dog had to be walked and my wife needed to go to work. The day would go by and I didn't know where it went. I wanted to get back to normal. I just wanted to be myself again." – Jimmy, Firefighter (“Men and Depression” 1)

"I lost interest in the kids and doing things that we used to do…they'd ask their mother, ‘Why is Daddy not getting up and not wanting to do anything with us? Did we do something wrong?’ They didn't do anything to me. I just didn't want to do anything." – Rene, Police Officer (“Men and Depression” 1)

"It starts slowly and the only person you're talking to is yourself. You're lost. It's dark, the pain is 24/7... you just want it to end... I'd drink and... I tried to numb my head... but you have to deal with it. It doesn't just go away." – Patrick, Retired Sergeant (“Men and Depression” 1)

"It affects the way you think. It affects the way you feel. It affects the way you love... It's just a blanket that covers everything... and it's one that's just so asphyxiating. And at times you just say it's enough already. It just feels like enough." – Steve, Writer (“Men and Depression” 1)

There are methods to help escape depression, but it is not an easy process. People do not want depression, but in the midst of it, it is hard to find a way out.

In early times, there was no agreed upon solution for depression, which at the time was called melancholia. A variety of techniques were proposed and performed by different people in different parts of the world. Similar ideas were projected in early, but there were many differences. Now, modern science and medicine has proved that some of their solutions were valid as treatment.

During the fifth century B.C., the Chinese and Egyptians believed that exorcism techniques such as beating, restraint, and starvation were the cure to depression while the Greeks and Romans used gymnastics, massage, diets, music, and baths as a solution to depression (Nemade 1). Hippocrates, in fourth century B.C., believed bloodletting, bathing, exercising, and dieting was the solution to depression (1). In the last century B.C., the idea went back to starvation, shackles, and beating as treatments (1). The ideas for solutions in early times went back and forth between these treatments (1).

In the 1600’s, the solutions remained diet, exercise, distraction, travel, purgatives, bloodletting, herbal remedies, marriage, and music therapy (Grob 1). However, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, depression was seen as uncurable and those with it were locked up or shunned (Nemade 1). In the 1900’s antidepressant drugs came into play as a solution to this illness (Grob 1). Many of these solutions did not work because at the time they did not have an accurate understanding of the illness, which led to numerous different theories with treatments based on opinions.

            Some of these past solutions have been validified through the medicinal advancements and scientific discoveries of today’s culture. Possible self-treatments include get in a routine, set goals, exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep, take on responsibilities, challenge negative thoughts, check with a doctor before using supplements, do something new, and try to have fun. These steps are recommended because depression takes away your structure and confidence, exercise and healthy eating boosts endorphins, and all of them promote good mental health which is needed to fight depression (Griffin 1). A “recent [Institute of Medicine] report on depression prevention also highlights the importance of universal public health approaches to promoting positive mental health, including efforts to improve diet, exercise, sleep quality, and social support” (McLaughlin 1). Self-treatments are temporary, but they do help and can lead to recovery.

Today, “national surveys estimate that approximately one-third of depressed persons receive appropriate care” (McLaughlin 1). Appropriate care includes medications called antidepressants. It is common with medication, for “symptoms such as sleep, appetite, and concentration problems improve before mood lifts” (Men and Depression 1). Antidepressants can be associated with side effects such as headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping, nervousness, restlessness, or sexual problems, but most effects disappear over time. Antidepressants effect different people in different ways, so when taking them, the doctor’s instructions need to be followed (1). This a common go-to solution because people think that it will work quickly, but often do not fully understand how it works.

Another valid solution to help with depression is psychotherapy or talk therapy. It can help by “teaching new ways of thinking and behaving as well as changing habits that may be contributing to the depression” (Men and Depression 1). This works because the treatment should be personalized to each individual to discover what their specific source of the illness is.

            Albert Camus questioned the meaning of existence, which is similar to what people with depression do. Often, they wonder what the point of living is because they have this view that nothing can go right anymore; and Camus wondered the same thing because he believed that life is absurd. Camus insinuated that “we need to have an honest confrontation with the grim truth and, at the same time, be defiant in refusing to let that truth destroy life” (Maguire 1). Camus believed that “where there is no hope, it is incumbent on us to invent it,” (Archon 1) so it is assumed that he would disagree that this epidemic is not a choice, but an involuntary illness. He said that “you will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life” (1). Despite Camus believing that life is absurd, he also believed that “in the end one needs more courage to live than to kill himself,” (1) and that there would be a choice involved in one’s outlook on life. Camus also expressed that “there is not love of life without despair about life” (1), which would further prove that despite his beliefs relating to the topic of depression, Albert Camus would disagree that medication would help a person with depression. After investigating his beliefs, it can be assumed that Albert Camus would think that the idea of medication dictating someone’s happiness is absurd and that the epidemic is due to a weak mind, unable to resist the truth ruining their life.

            Depression is not a passing feeling, but “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). This disorder has been around for all of time but has not always been recognized to its full severity. Depression is an epidemic that often goes unseen or may be diminished by society, but it is quite the opposite. A greater understanding of the importance of mental health is being developed and appropriate treatments are being introduced. As awareness is increased, depression will no more be something to be embarrassed of or to hide, and people will feel validated in getting the help that they need.

Works Cited

Archon, Sofo. “91 Albert Camus Quotes on Death, Suicide, God, Truth, Philosophy, Fear, Rebellion, Freedom, and More.” The Unbounded Spirit, 27 Mar. 2018, theunboundedspirit.com/albert-camus-quotes/.

Bolyn, Michelle. “Examples of Depression.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, www.livestrong.com/article/102797-examples-depression/.

Griffin, R. Morgan. “10 Natural Depression Treatments.” WebMD, WebMD, 17 May 2015, www.webmd.com/depression/features/natural-treatments#2.

Grob, Gerald N, and Gerald N. “From Melancholia to Prozac: A History of Depression.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 18 Oct. 2012, academic.oup.com/jhmas/article/68/2/305/752709.

Maguire, Laura. “Camus and Absurdity.” Philosophy Talk, 27 Feb. 2015, www.philosophytalk.org/blog/camus-and-absurdity.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Depression (Major Depressive Disorder).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 3 Feb. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007.

McLaughlin, Katie A. “The Public Health Impact of Major Depression: a Call for Interdisciplinary Prevention Efforts.” Prevention Science : the Official Journal of the Society for Prevention Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3219837/.

“Men and Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/men-and-depression/index.shtml.

Nemade, Rashmi, et al. “Historical Understandings Of Depression.” Mental Help Historical Understandings of Depression Comments, American Addiction Centers, www.mentalhelp.net/articles/historical-understandings-of-depression/.

Steger, Michael F, and Todd B Kashdan. “Depression and Everyday Social Activity, Belonging, and Well-Being.” Journal of Counseling Psychology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860146/.