Depression Diagnosis

           Most people react in two ways to a diagnosis of clinical depression.  Some are completely relieved that they aren't crazy and they don't have something more serious, such as schitzophrenia.  Others deny it, seeing it as a weakness in their personality rather than an illness they need to pay attention to.  Some people also see it as being "special", but not in a good way.  If you have the flu, you go to a normal doctor, but if you have depression, you go to a completely different special doctor, so you feel like an outsider from those who have "normal" sicknesses.  These people are more at risk, however, since they are more likely to ignore the diagnosis than the other type of person who was relieved by it. 

Pictures from http://www.deviantart.com/.
"How You Might React to a Depression Diagnosis - Depression - Health.com." Health.com: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20188030,00.html.

College Depression

          

           College students are likely to get depression if they're close with their family and have been away from home for quite some time.  Being on their own and not having parents or siblings to help them through the day is tough, especially if they're in another state or country.  Stress from the loads of assignments they have builds up and makes it easy for them to feel helpless and depressed.  Being more social with people they've never met before is also difficult; they are most likely content with the friends they already have back home and may isolate themselves within their studies and not talk to barely anyone.  It's difficult to transition from having everything provided for you by your parents to providing for yourself, taking yourself where you need to go, and being completely in charge of your life.  Sometimes the teen will have difficulty facing this reality and become depressed.

Pictures from http://www.deviantart.com/.

"Social Causes of Depression." Great Ideas in Personality--Theory and Research.  Web. 21 Nov. 2010.  <http://www.md-phc.com/puntil/secausesof.htm>.

Overprotective Parents

           Parents who are overprotective of their children keep kids away from things that could potentially hurt them.  But sometimes children need to get hurt so they can learn from their mistakes.  If they don't develop this skill, they'll have less patience when trying to do things on their own.  Something that seems easy to someone else might seem a little more difficult for those who grew up in a protected environment.  Since they're used to having everything done for them by their parents, they tend to give up easily when they're put in certain situations.  This impatience and frustration could lead to thoughts like, "Why am I the only one struggling with this?" and this could cause depression to occur.  It's also more difficult for them to build healthy relationships.  Since they're used to getting their way and having everything done for them, it's tough for them to build lasting friendships.  People tend to not want to deal with others that are impatient and bossy, so this person is unlikely to have very many friends.  The combination of these things could cause this person to become depressed and hopeless that they'll ever be able to have a lasting relationship.

 Pictures from www.deviantart.com. 
"General Semantics Formulations in David Burns' Feeling Good. - Free Online Library." Free News, Magazines, Newspapers, Journals, Reference Articles and Classic Books - Free Online Library.  Web. 21 Nov. 2010. <http://www.thefreelibrary.com/General semantics formulations in David Burns' Feeling Good-a020379930>.  

A Marriage in Turmoil

           Sometimes stress within marriages can lead to depression in one or both partners.  If one partner is depressed, it's very likely that they'll take out their frustration on the other partner and cause them to become depressed, as well.  Depression in husbands can sometimes occur because of the inability to provide; if he loses his job, he'll feel useless that his wife has to provide for him and their children.  Divorce can also lead to depression in both sexes.  They can cause stress for the parents; paying child support and preparing divorce papers and living arrangements can be very overwhelming.  Poverty can also be a cause for marital depression.  The father especially is put into a whirl of depression because of the inability to find a well-paying job.  The parents may become hopeless and constantly wish they could provide a better life for their children.

Pictures from http://www.deviantart.com/.

"Causes of Depression." Preventive Health Center. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. http://www.md-phc.com/puntil/secausesof.htm.

The Art of Depression

           Artists in history are often linked with depression, such as Frederic Chopin, the pianist.  He was well known for his melancholy pieces, which were inspired by his recurring depression.  He missed his homeland of Poland and was very ill around the age of 35.  By 39, Chopin had died of his sickness and depression.  So what is the link between creativity and depression?  Some people think art is a relieving hobby in which people with depression can channel their negative thoughts through.  Others think people with depression have seen the world at its highest and lowest points and are therefore able to paint things that nondepressed people couldn't even imagine.  The main theory, however, is that "it isn't depression itself but recovery from depression that inspires creative work."  Any of these could be a reason for why someone with depression is also artistically gifted.

Schneider, Elaine. "Frederic Chopin Biography." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. 2002. Web. 05 Jan. 2011. http://www.essortment.com/all/fredericchopin_reze.htm.

Video clip from http://www.youtube.com/.

Picture from http://www.deviantart.com/.

Quote from "Depression, Creativity, and a New Pair of Shoes | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness Find a Therapist. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-art/200807/depression-creativity-and-new-pair-shoes.

Social Interaction: What's the problem?



      

When the basic human trait of interaction is tampered with by a child's parent, the result can be fatal for the child's future.  Negativity and pessimism will cloud the child's thoughts and feelings toward other people.  There might be minimal damage; the occasional "school is pointless" or "this is impossible" mindset.  But sometimes the child might see literally everything as a bad thing.  Everything that happens to them is escalated in their mind as the worst possible thing that could have happened and they sometimes don't see a point in living anymore.  This also affects the people around this person.  Other people might take this developed pessimism as an insult and the child could get in trouble for being rude.  Friends might become hurt by how isolated this person has become from everyone and turn their back on that friend, leaving this depressed child completely alone.  This would escalate their depression even further and highten their chance at committing suicide.



















"Social Causes of Depression." Great Ideas In Personality--Theory and Research. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/beattie.html.
Pictures from http://www.deviantart.com/. 

Depression: A Social Issue

            Most people only know depression as a psychological issue, but it is a prominent social issue, as well.  It has been referred to as the world's number one public health problem.  A lot of people don't see depression as a real disease, but it is just as serious as cancer and diabetes.  It affects more than just the person that has it, as well.  Depression is considered a highly contagious disease; when the person interacts with others, they can also easily become depressed.  For example, when moms have depression and don't talk to and play with their baby as much, that child growing up might not have learned how to play from their mother, and this could lead to difficulties interacting with others. If the child doesn't develop a basic interaction skill, they'll become frustrated and potentially depressed.

Yapko, Michael. "Secondhand Blues." Psychology Today Vol. 42, No. 5.  Sep/Oct 2009: 86-93.  SIRS Researcher.  Web. 18 Nov 2010.
First picture from Google images.
Second picture from http://www.deviantart.com/.



Take this quiz after reading the blog:

Answers:
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. a
6. a
7. b
8. c
9. b
10. a