Can someone help proof read my essay for an assignment due tomorrow :)
The Depression Epidemic
In today's world, the impact of mental health has become ever more prevalent. Speaking more specifically of depression and how it targets all people at some point within their lives. It is a growing concern of our era not only affecting our emotions but our daily functions, our capabilities as individuals and impeding on our overall quality of life. Among the multitude of mental health conditions that plague humanity, depression seems to put up quite the fight. It's presence poses a grows concern that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries impeding on the growth and emotional strenth as a nation. By discussing these very real concerns I hope to help enlighten my readers of the potential consequences of unmanaged and untreated depression and urge them to act quickly if this is of concern to them or anyone they might know. Being able to recognize what depression means and what it looks like can be the key to saving a person's happiness or in some cases their life.
In knowing this, we should first understand what depression means. The definition of depression stated by the American Psychiatric Association is defined as the following; "Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home" (What is depression). With this definition, we now have a baseline understanding of the subject at hand. Now our job is to assemble the information to come to a solution for our dilemma. I believe the first step to creating a solution is by first understanding the progression of how it came to be. To find this we must go back in time to sixteenth century Europe, places such as Greece, Rome and Germany. Depression at the time back then was known as madness or melancholia, the word depression had not yet graced the pages of human language. To some places in Europe madness was seen to be the action of someone rejecting humanity and normal living to instead behave like an animal. Some put their efforts into silencing the ones affected while others tried unorthodox treatments such as bloodletting, purging, exercise and concoctions of different substances in an attempt to help in any way.
Others believed madness was something a bit more erratic such as being the effect of demonic possession or marvelous spirits taking over. The treatment to this hypothesis usually led to some type of exorcism or religious practice of prayer or sacrifice and in some cases torture was conducted to rid the carrier of the unwanted spirit. Due to their limited knowledge at the time, madness was never something that was fully understood, with no logical reasons or causes, it was found to be a mystery with no avail. The comparison of medicine back then to now is beyond comprehensible, the improvements and invasion to treatments have extended human life significantly. But the start of medicine must be recognized as it has set the foundation of medicine today.
Now that we have a general idea of what depression is and the history behind it, we will move forward to the signs and symptoms to look out for. There are hundreds of different types of mental illnesses and each with unique qualities that make them different. The differences are what's important to select the correct treatment plans based upon the circumstance and concerns the person may present. The first thing to know is that depression is not caused by just one thing, in the majority of cases it's a combination of factors and each factor is analyzed in connection to their symptoms to form the type of depression they might be suffering (What Causes Depression). Here are the general symptoms you want to look for, "sadness, feeling of emptiness, or irritability, and often interfere with at least one area of life (like work, relationships, or other areas" (Braun). These general signs are just the surface of a rather complex diagnosis for each type depending on the symptom duration, the severity of the symptoms and the social and environmental circumstances surrounding them.
Depression can happen to people of all ages based on circumstances, demographics, and many other factors in their lives. In this paragraph we will discuss the concerns of depression in young adults. Undoubtedly, depression does not discriminate based upon age; it is an omnipresent specter that haunts people of all ages and stages of life. Young people are at risk for depression due to their stage in life, hormones, and limited experience in the real world can make their problems larger than they are or harder to manage overall. Different factors play a role in the difference in depression with young adults over older adults. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world and a recent survey by the National Institute of Mental Health shows that nearly 7 percent of American adults alone have had an episode of depression in the previous year. But the age range with the highest prevalence of depression was young adults at nearly 11 percent making that out to be one out of every 10 young adults (Quin). The naive nature of young individuals becomes a serious problem when it comes to depression because there isn't as much grounding a teen has compared to an adult. Adults have responsibilities that tether them to reality, people that rely upon them to survive. Spouses, children, family, coworkers all connected and reliant on one another where a child doesn't see it as their duty to protect just yet at least not in the way an adult does. They are very observant of their feelings and difficulties and focus more on that than other factors in their development. Those young adults will be adults sooner than we might think and if the depression isn't managed it may continue on and potentially lead to more severe things such as suicide. "Depression is one of the major risk factors for suicide and self-harm. If a young person is self-harming or talking about suicide, it is important that they talk with close and trusted people in their lives, such as family or friends" (Department of Health & Human Services).
Now that the youth has been addressed, the elderly are the next area of concern. Some older adults think that they are at risk of developing depression due to getting older, where it is stated by the National Institute of Aging that it is not a part of aging and can be treated. Everyone can have sad moments, everyone experiences a depressive episode at least once in their lives but staying stuck in that state of mind, being down and sad all the time can be changed. It is known that about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 50% have two or more chronic health conditions. Older adults are often misdiagnosed and undertreated, healthcare workers may mistake an older adult's symptoms of depression as just a natural reaction to illness or the life changes that occur with age, and therefore not see the depression as something to be managed and treated. Older adults themselves often share this belief and don't seek help because they can't understand that they could feel better with appropriate treatment and guidance (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Anything can be changed, anything can be overcome with the proper treatment and support. There is such a concern for the growth of danger individuals put themselves in when it revolves around depression. Support, love and comfort is needed to ease the transition into happiness.
Depression is a growing concern that needs to be contained before it gets much worse. Here I provide statistical projections of depression from 2005 to 2050. "Based on US Census Bureau Population Projections, the US population aged 18 or older will increase from 216.2 million in year 2005 to 307.9 million in year 2050, a 42.4% increase. During the same period, the population with depressive disorder will increase by 35.1% from 33.9 to 45.8 million. Among adults aged 18-64 years depressive disorder will increase by 25.3% from 30.1 to 37.7 million whereas among adults aged 65 years and over depressive disorder will increase by 116.8% from 3.8 to 8.2 million" (Moonseong). This projection can be changed, nothing is set in stone until that date comes so now's our chance to correct. Even though depression is a common mental health condition, nearly 60% of people with depression avoid seeking medical help (Braun). We need to ensure all the resources are available for anyone who wants help. Some people don't want to acknowledge their depression due to embarrassment but this needs to become an approachable topic so we can help one another. If we approach this as a growing epidemic it should push us to create a solution and stop addressing it as something shameful but just a part of life that everyone goes through.
Depression is a threat to anyone and no one if safe unfortunately. But even when afflicted there are many treatment options available such as medication, psychotherapy. The most important treatment is someone to talk to about what you're dealing with. Having that person to rely on and work through things is vital in getting better. Even if you think you know all the right answers, hearing the perspective of other individuals stating your right or even if your wrong helps immensely and can change how you go about a problem. I've known in my personal experience that keeping feelings and thoughts does good to no one. All it causes is pain and suffering to yourself especially because no one even knows you're hurting. The best solution I've found is finding someone you're comfortable with, this can be your spouse, a friend, a councilor, anyone that you feel comfortable enough to express your deep emotions. If you're someone who has trouble opening up like me there are options, groups and treatments that help ease the transition of sharing and connecting on a deeper level. All I can say is that just by doing this, so much has changed in my life not only for my mental health but also how I approach problems of conflicts I may be dealing with. Knowing I have the support no matter what happens gives me all the confidence and security I need to make anything happen. In saying this I restate the enormity of depression and its hold it has on struggling individuals. There are simple solutions and all it takes is making that first step in the right direction. Empowering individuals to find comfort in confiding in someone they care for and trust can serve as a beacon of peace and hope in their journey toward recovery and happiness.
In conclusion, the issue of mental health, more specifically depression, looms large in modern society, demands our collective attention and empathy in today's world. As we've dissected each crucial aspect of depression, from its definition to its historical roots and its impact on different age groups, it has become abundantly clear that this is a concern that touches the lives of everyone, regardless of age, background, or circumstance. By teaching ourselves all we need to ensure the recognition of depression when it's presented, we now hold all the key to safeguarding the happiness and well-being of not only ourselves but everyone that surrounds and supports us. Let us embark on this journey of love, vulnerability and compassion so we may break the barriers put up to prevent us from moving forward and create a world where seeking help for mental health is something we understand and support. Together, we can make a difference, we can ignite the society we know we have in us. And embraces mental health and depression as an important part of our well-being. And we can hope to take meaningful steps in the right direction and build resilience and healing for all who are suffering. In our collective effort we will make the change the world needs and move forward as a better nation from now forward.
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