Depression

Depression

By: Kyle Ledesma

Definition

• Depression is a mental disorder characterized by low mood, self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities.

• Major depression is a disabling condition which adversely affects a person’s life, health, and habits.

Facts

• In the United States, around 3.4% who have major depression commit suicide.

• 2/3 of people suffering from depression do not seek treatment.

• 80% of people who have received treatment significantly improve their lives.

• Women are two times more likely to experience depression then men.

Facts Cont.

• Suicide was the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S. in 1996

• It’s estimated that depression will be the #2 cause of “lost years of healthy life” by 2020.

• About 17.5 million Americans are affected by some form of depression.

Acquisition

• Depression is often caused after an intense incident, such as a death of a loved one, stress, violence, divorce, or being fired from a job.

• Other times, depression can just befall an unlucky individual.

Reaction

• People, often teenagers, react to depression by doing alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. They tend to focus less on school and their grades suffer.

• People try to escape reality and turn to alcohol.

• Thoughts of suicide are common, but actually committing suicide is rare.

Effects

• Depression tends to lower someone’s energy. Even after resting, they often feel tired and unwilling to do anything. They acquire a sense of hopelessness, and no longer give a full effort on tasks. Depressed people are afraid to seek treatment for fear of ridicule.

Treatment

• Over the years, there has been medicine created to alleviate and cure depression. This includes tranquilizers, sleeping tablets, and anti-depressants. However, there are more natural forms of curing depression.

Treatment Cont.

• The more natural ways are: exercise, social support, talking about it with a fellow peer, doing nice things for yourself, going on a diet, learning to relax or meditate.

• Often times, a depressed person bottles up their pain. Releasing it, whether it be by meditating or talking to someone about it, can help calm their feelings.