"Depression a 21st century plague"

The statistics show the depression in the United States continues to surpass its all-time highs, we have had increases in diagnosed depression nearly every year for two decades in a row now and there is no end in site. In fact one study showed a 12% of the American population is taking Prozac. (Ezine)

Similarly I am told there were 31 million prescriptions for depression last year in the UK, compared to:-
1971: 7 million
1981: 8 million
1991: 9 million
2001: 27 million

Have we forgotten the old remedies?
In the 1970s you may have been told "your father fought in the war or worked down the coalmine so snap out of it".
Did people just turn to alcohol more ?
Do doctore more readily prescribe the pills now whereas in "the good old days" it would just be "join a rambling club" ?
Or, has society changed so that there is actually more depression ?

Or a combination of all ??

I suspect the latter - there is certainly more information flow and the more you hear about depression, the more you might tell yourself you have it, and then self-induce it to some extent.

Reply 1

moh_of_sssmallnessss

No, in the oldern days families were much closer, and their was more of a "community" feel to society, everyone knew each other etc, plus it wasnt uncommon for guys to stay with their parents all there lives, life in general was more sociable and companionable.

But now we've got stuff like Playstation, PCs, laptops and in general a life style that emphasises the importance of the individual, people are spending more and more time alone.

public awareness

Growing realisation that depression is a medicial condition that can be treated?

Reply 4

ss7

I think its just a case of people making a mountain out of a mole hill. I know people who get depressed over:

1.

Bad grades

2.

Being dumped by a girlfriend/Boyfriend after going out for 4 weeks

3.

Being called a name once or twice

4.

Not getting a girlfriend or boyfriend

5.

Feeling unwell that day

6.

Pulling someone when they were drunk

7.

Having a friend that did 1 bitchy thing to them

8.

Not having the balls/ovaries to ask someone out

9.

etc

Most of these are trivial and quite frankly i think nearly all of them hardly qualify for a problem at all let alone a source of depression. Fact is, life isn't fair and we go through harsh things now so we don't go through em later.

Reply 5

Custer

1

Bad parenting (materialistic asspiration) + People have it so good, they've grown complaicent.

Reply 6

AverageGuyOnTheStreet

9

I think it is because people are more aware that depression is an illness and therefore more willing to get help.

Unfortunately we do get the people who say they are depressed over comparatively trivial things such as bad grades or a relationship breakup who aren't truly depressed. I don't know what to say to them but I think the increase in the number of cases of clinical depression is because we are more aware that it is an illness.

Reply 7

NJA

OP

20

There's big money to be made by selling the drugs.

Reply 8

cutcopy

It's the emo's. They've bumped the stats up :wink:

Reply 9

poppy22

This is probably going to wind people up, but I think it needs to be said...

I recon that a lot of people use the term "depression" as an excuse for the fact that they are not mentally strong. -And because it's been labeled as an illness then they get some sort of pity as it is not their fault. It really winds me up when people get depressed about stupid things such as;

ss7

1.

Bad grades

2.

Being dumped by a girlfriend/Boyfriend after going out for 4 weeks

3.

Being called a name once or twice

4.

Not getting a girlfriend or boyfriend

5.

Feeling unwell that day

6.

Pulling someone when they were drunk

7.

Having a friend that did 1 bitchy thing to them

8.

Not having the balls/ovaries to ask someone out

9.

etc

when there are so many people out there who have lost everything but are mentally strong enough not to bring everyone else down with them.

And before everyone gets really cross, I do recognise that some people genuinely have depression but I think that the majority of people who say they do or are diagnosed with it are looking for excuses to feel sorry for themselves.

Reply 10

hannah_dru

2

No offence, but why are we bringing this up again? It's likely to turn into a stupid debate like the last depression thread.

Reply 11

Llamaaa

15

I don't know much about depression at all, but I do know some people seem to take it too far. It's all very well being depressed, but to be constantly drumming it into people is a bit much. I know some depressed people who for example, have a picture of a sad face on their msn, others that wear t shirts with that on.. It's a bit ridiculous. OK, you're depressed, we know, no need to express it everywhere in everything. I have a life-threatening illness but I don't let it define who I am. I don't wear t-shirts with "mosquitos are evil" written on it, or have a picture of a blood-sucking insect on my msn. It's just too much.

I think the reason the statistics have gone up is that people are too eager to diagnose and label things. The number of people who have "dyslexia" is ridiculous- it's just a middle-class way to say my child isn't dumb, he has an illness. A lot of depression cases seem to be the same. People seem to want it as an excuse for their shortcomings. Having said that, not all depressed people are like that. A big chunk are genuinely ill, but their credibility is diminished thanks to the people who use it as an excuse. Sorry if that offends anyone, but that is my opinion, and I am entitled to have it.

Reply 12

wirbelsturm

2

Just a small suggestion, if you are depressed and spend your hours trawling internet forums you are likely to get much much worse. I tend to think such places allow for an unhealthy level of introspection. This is a completely off subject ramble, but instead of reading all of these threds go for a walk, go to the gym. This is difficult as I know that brushing your teeth can take a monumental effort when "depressed" but everyone has the tools to pull themselves out of it. I am not asking anyone to snap out of it, that would be a stupid thing to say. Just keep bloody going, turn off the computer, go outside (even if you havnt washed for a week) and start to do things. End rant.

Reply 13

Ywiss

15

helenkr

I think the reason the statistics have gone up is that people are too eager to diagnose and label things. The number of people who have "dyslexia" is ridiculous- it's just a middle-class way to say my child isn't dumb, he has an illness. A lot of depression cases seem to be the same. People seem to want it as an excuse for their shortcomings. Having said that, not all depressed people are like that. A big chunk are genuinely ill, but their credibility is diminished thanks to the people who use it as an excuse. Sorry if that offends anyone, but that is my opinion, and I am entitled to have it.

I agree with this in principle - I don't like it when people who are feeling slightly down and say "I'm depressed", because it's using the word too lightly. You don't hear people who are feeling paranoid say "I'm schizophrenic" so lightly. However, I think that such a view is likely to isolate those who really are depressed even more - it appears that people who are depressed are already unwilling to either confront themselves, or reach for help from others, and knowing that some people will say "oh, it's just your obsession with labelling everything" is likely to make them worse because they'll believe the world is even more hostile than they first thought.

Reply 14

Ginger_Rogers

7

Journalistix

It's the emo's. They've bumped the stats up :wink:

lol

Reply 15

AverageGuyOnTheStreet

9

Journalistix

It's the emo's. They've bumped the stats up :wink:

But the emos aren't truly depressed, they just make it up to look cool. Really they should choose to get an illness that doesn't drain all your motivation and even will to live.

Reply 16

ForumFreak

9

I completely agree that we label and diagnose things too much. I dont doubt that depression exists but I get so sick of people diagnosing themselves with it.

Reply 17

Hev456

11

But are those stats for those who have been diagnosed with depression? There's a big difference between having stress in your life that's making you 'a bit down' and real depression, to be diagnosed you have to have felt like it for more than 2 weeks (i think) and have moodswings, loss of appetite, etc. I accept people can lie just to be put on happy pills, but if it's properly diagnosed then all thsoe that say they're depressed after a bad exam are irrelevant aren't they?

Personally i'm not surprised theres an increase, there's a lot more pressure on people today to look a certain way, act a certain way, and if you don't you're put down by others. You have to succeed in life, but it's also the norm today to have a dysfunctional family, think of what that's doing to everyone affected.

Reply 18

OnlyMe!

16

helenkr

I don't know much about depression at all, but I do know some people seem to take it too far. It's all very well being depressed, but to be constantly drumming it into people is a bit much. I know some depressed people who for example, have a picture of a sad face on their msn, others that wear t shirts with that on.. It's a bit ridiculous. OK, you're depressed, we know, no need to express it everywhere in everything. I have a life-threatening illness but I don't let it define who I am. I don't wear t-shirts with "mosquitos are evil" written on it, or have a picture of a blood-sucking insect on my msn. It's just too much.

I agree!

Too many times, I've heard people say they're depressed, when in fact, they're feeling a little down about something. For example, I recall my mate's screenname on MSN being 'I hate myself, I hate my life, etc' and it was about a slight argument with her best mate! And only yesterday, I had listen to a mate of mine complain about how much he hates life - simply because he doesn't 'have anything going' for himself. Some repeatedly listen to depressing songs (and ensure everyone can see on MSN.) And there's stupid bulletins on MySpace and stuff about being depressed! Things like that annoy me. Countless times I've been tempted to tell these people to get a grip. They're not depressed - many of them just convince themselves that they are.

Pppft, rant over :p:

Sorry if that sounds insensitive, as I am not. I have a lot of time for those who are genuinely depressed, or even those who are down...

Reply 19

ForumFreak

9

The problem when you tell these people to get a grip is that they get really offended. I think they're best left alone.

"Depression a 21st century plague"

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