Do We Have an Epidemic of Depression?
It seems that many people today are depressed. Friends talk about feeling “blue” or are on medications for depression. Commercials abound with medications to treat depression.
We have all seen them: advertisements for Celexa, Zoloft, and many others. However, if we think about our parents and grandparents of the post-WWII years…
Do we really remember that they talked about being depressed? Probably not in most cases.
What is it that is making so many people depressed?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the depression epidemic, reporting that by the year 2020, at least 30% of adults will suffer from major depression at some time in their lives.
More frightening is the fact that WHO believes depression will be the second leading cause of death. It is thought that insecurity in relationships and work are major causes of depression. (Source BBC News (1999).
It is clear by reading reports that we do, in fact, have a depression epidemic, but many times depression is missed by many doctors, and, as a result, depressed people do not receive the appropriate treatment. However, it is important that physicians begin recognizing that some of the symptoms they are treating are, in fact, due to depression.
Things like aches and pains, headaches, and other non-descript ailments may be caused by depression.
The fact that WHO recognizes that some of the major causes of depression include insecurity in relationships and jobs seem to point the way to prevent depression by understanding how it comes about. However, it is not all that clear-cut.
Many types of depression are known to come from a chemical imbalance in the brain. Some people have this unbalance and some don’t. Those that have this imbalance might go along fine for years, but then some life trigger – loss of a job, loss of a relationship – or other significant negative event, will trigger the depression.
The issue then is complicated on how to prevent depression. Some holistic approaches to prevention and treatment of depression discuss the importance of nutrition and vitamins to ensure a healthy body and a healthy brain.
Other reports focus on today’s lifestyle – the incessant drive to work long hours to make more money, at the expense of family time, and the breakdown of key relationships in the family – as causes of depression. The prevention and cure in these situations would be stable family relationships and a more settled lifestyle.
Obviously, depression, like many other illnesses, can come about in different ways and has different sources. The important thing is to recognize it when it occurs in a person, treat it appropriately, and hopefully prevent those at high risk from becoming depressed.
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Filed under Depression, News by on Apr 24th, 2008. Comment. 
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Comments on Do We Have an Epidemic of Depression?
Hi Kaled,
I think depression can also be a result of having a poor understanding of our purpose in life. We all need to know that we are making a difference.
When our purpose is not clear we can begin a downward spiral into depression. We begin to feel worthless and think that we have nothing to contribute to society. These thoughts undermine our self-worth which further erodes our sense of purpose.
Recovering from depression means re-discovering our purpose at this point in our lives. What are we living for? How can we make a difference? Even if it is only in the life of a single person, it does make a difference.
Geoff
I would agree with you Geoff that no life purpose could make someone depressed. But having life purpose itself doesn't save you from depression. Keep note if we vision everything about our life purpose, when something go wrong with it, we could caught into depression.
I believe, instead having purpose, we need to have enthusiasm. So, whenever bad things happen, we would still have positive mind..
I think I have brain chemical imbalance because sometimes my mood swings without reasons or I get depressed because simple things (like, I ever get depressed just because I make wrong move in a game).
That's valuable note…
The WHO forecast seems to be realistic considering the upheavals happening worldwide. Poverty, greed, corruption, injustice, etc abounds. These are factors which lead to failed relationships and job lost or dissatisfaction which could trigger depression. Positive thinking and awareness of our very purpose in life could somehow prevent triggering depression.
I'm surprise the number is not higher given how many people report how unhappy they are with money (never enough), relationships, and work. Divorce in US is at 50%, 80% report they hate their jobs, 3% of the population is in prison mostly for drug-related abuse… what's up with that. Why do so many people turn to drugs in a country that affords so much opportunity.
Not to get everyone depress… it just suggests that their something fundamentally wrong with our culture that depression HAS become an epidemic. BUT I do believe it doesn't have to be that way.
An related article written by a psychotherapist, interesting take.
http://www.melschwartz.com/AnEpidemicofDepression.html