According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 300 million people around the world struggle with depression. Those who are most affected are teens and youth, but depression does not discriminate by age.
In order to understand the global increase in depression, we must understand depression itself. It is complex and multifaceted and isn’t just a state of sadness or discontent. Its perception in the social sphere as well as the fact that it can be connected to other illnesses is important to consider.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) defines depression as a complex mood disorder that can be caused by various factors such as: genetic predisposition, personality, stress, and brain chemistry. While it can suddenly diminish, depression is not something that people can “get over” using their own will and effort.
Depression can take on many forms including seasonal affective disorder (SAD), postpartum depression, and Dysthymia, which is a mild form of the illness. Depression also tends to affect women more than men, and although more women attempt suicide, the rate of completed suicide is four times higher in men.
But why is depression rapidly increasing in youth specifically? Dr. Laurel Williams, chief of psychiatry at Texas Children’s Hospital attributes the rise of depression amongst this age group to the lack of community and the feeling of being rushed and pressured into adulthood. Furthermore, the excessive use of electronics and the toxic culture of social media have impaired human connections and encouraged social isolation in already vulnerable people.
It is important to keep in mind that while depression is directly linked to social isolation, especially in young adults, the disorder also often presents itself in individuals with health issues or financial stress. These people vary widely in age and cultural background. Health issues like lupus, hypothyroidism, cancer, heart attacks, and strokes can trigger depressive symptoms.
Because America is the most depressed country in the world, many assume that depression is a first-world illness, and that people in other parts of the world cannot afford to suffer from the illness – that they are simply too busy trying to survive, and do not have the time or capacity to be mentally affected by issues like financial stress. This thought process is very simplistic and is a misconception, however, because it does not consider the fact that many countries do not even have an adequate system in place to collect statistics on diagnosed depression.
Moreover, social stigma surrounding depression is widespread and prevents many people from openly admitting their struggle with mental health issues or seeking help. It is also important to consider that sometimes individuals are not even aware that what they are experiencing is depression. In these cases, depressed people such as teens convince themselves that what they are going through is normal and is a part of growing up. This delays diagnosis of the illness and many spend years questioning themselves and living unhappy lives.
When depression is not addressed or treated appropriately, it can have drastic consequences. The link between depression and suicide is very clear, with more than 800,000 people committing suicide every year. The WHO’s mental health and substance abuse department found that 70 to 80 percent of those who commit suicide in high income countries and 50% of those who commit suicide in low income countries suffer from mental disorders, the most common of which is depression.
Ultimately, whether suicide is attempted or not, clinical depression affects not only the individual’s quality of life, but also society at large. An independent survey conducted by Leger Marketing in December 2002 and January 2003 found that 86% of Canadians believe that depression has a strong impact on a person’s relationships, and 78% believe that the illness bears a negative influence on a person’s success at their job. Depression also affects teens in school, who begin to avoid social situations and lose interest in activities that they once enjoyed. These statistics and studies prove that depression is not a private, individual matter; it is an illness that can affect the social sphere at a large-scale.
What can be done to tackle depression and help those who suffer from it? It’s not easy but our priority should be to reduce the social stigma associated with depression. The best thing we could do is to educate the public on how common depression is, so that we can spot and understand the disorder and, in turn, offer adequate support to friends and family who may suffer from it. For example, in Canada, we have #BellLetsTalk day, where everyone is encouraged to speak up about mental illnesses or to reach out a hand to those suffering from them. WHO’s mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) also assists countries in increasing services for people with mental, neurological, and substance use disorders.
Depression is an illness that shows no signs of diminishing as time passes. In order to fight it head on, we must first focus on how it affects the youth, since early intervention can help with the management of the illness throughout life. Establishing programs in schools and community centers to educate teens and young adults is a start. Spreading awareness about depression and its widespread nature will also shift the stigma around mental illness, and hopefully create an open dialogue about the disorder and its place in our lives and societies.
If you need to seek help:
Kids Help Phone – 1-800-668-6868 (Phone), Live Chat (online chat counselling) – visit www.kidshelpphone.ca
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre
By Zainab Mirza
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