Depression: How It's Changed

It may seem like depression and mental health are spoken about more than ever these days. They probably are, as awareness is at an all-time high. We have awareness campaigns like R U OK? Day, an initiative to encourage people to check in on the wellbeing of friends and family on a regular basis, and organisations like Beyond Blue who support those suffering from anxiety and depression. Beyond Blue claim that in Australia roughly 45 percent​ of the population will suffer from one of these two illnesses in their lifetime.

Uncommon Knowledge LLP, the UK version of Beyond Blue, reports that depression affects ten times more people than it did sixty years ago and that it will become the second most disabling condition, after heart disease, in two years’ time. The World Health Organization claims that 5percent​t of the world’s population suffers from depression alone.

Depression was first identified in 1895 by the German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin who separated the disease from schizophrenia. In the late 19th and 20th century the only treatment for severe depression was in the form of a lobotomy, which was largely unsuccessful with dangerous side effects including reduced brain functionality and even death. It wasn’t until the 1950s, after significant studies around brain chemistry, that depression began to be treated with medication in place of surgery. The discovery that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain meant that it could be corrected.

According to the World Health Organization, mental health is “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” It would seem that people understand the importance of good mental health these days. A poll released in 2004 Psychology Today magazine and PacifiCare Behavioral Health, found that roughly 59 million people received mental health treatment in America and that 80 per cent of them found it beneficial.

An interesting, and necessary change in how we approach depression is how we report it. The media has been a big factor in the negative stigma surrounding depression. Stephen Hinshaw, a professor of psychology at the University of California speaks about the portrayal of depression in the news, “The worst stereotypes come out in such depictions: mentally ill individuals as incompetent, dangerous, slovenly, undeserving.” Social media has become a new contributor as well, a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study determined that the more time spent on social media, the more likely you are to be depressed. A further study titled Computers in Human Behavior performed last year, found that the use of multiple social media platforms can exaggerate the negative effects of the experience.

These advancements, be it medical or social, have changed the face of depression and how we interact with it. Awareness and the reduction of stigma surrounding the disease lead to better forms of treatment and prevention. If you suffer from symptoms of depression or anxiety the first step is to talk to someone, be it friend, family member or professional. The following is a list of some organizations that can offer support:

Australia: Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline 13 11 14
Europe: Uncommon Knowledge LLP Telephone: +44 (0)1273 776770, International: +44 (0)1273 776770
USA: 24hr Crisis Center 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Global Mental Health Resource Guide: http://www.centreforglobalmentalhealth.org/global-mental-health-websites