After learning about the symptoms of major depression I began to wonder if depression has increased since the past. I haven't really heard of many people being diagnosed as depressed in the past even through events such as the Great depression and WWII.
There are studies that show a steady increase in depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders among children and adolescents over the past fifty to seventy years. There were tests giving to young adults that date back to 1938 and it seems that young college students are more depressed now than in the past.
It is suggested that the increase is due to the fact that today's society is more worried about extrinsic goals rather than finding our internal value. This means that we are more concerned with the judgment of other people and material objects rather than being content in trying to develop our own meaning of life. As a result of the increased importance of being rich, looking attractive, and having a good job; people feel that they have no control over their lives.
Furthermore, it is suggested that this lack of control is due to the fact that children and young adults do not have enough free time. The duration of school has increased and control over students by teachers, grades, and rules has diminished their sense of self control and abilities to explore their own opportunities. We are taught at an early age that whatever we do or say is wrong. As students we were constantly supervised and directed by adults. This sends a message of incompetence, which can make a child or teen very sad and disappointment.
It is sad to hear that students are lacking this sense of control because of the over guidance of instructors and that this is causing more anxiety and mental disorders.
This was interesting but I have to say on students lacking sense of control has its pro and cons. One, I do kind of agree that instructors today are strict and more aggressive and can put students in a stressful situation. Also, I think students are to blame why they act the way they do. Students have changed and you just cant trust the kids nowadays. Second, once we are adults we begin to take control of our own lives. So the cause of anxiety is caused by oneself then.
ReplyDeleteTimes have changed since then; marriage, technology, the environment. There are countless of psychological and mental diagnosis that they're already creating a DSM-5. Who knows how long we've had Depression. What we do know is that in our modern time, we're suddenly becoming so focused on education and work,that it's rare if anyone knows what FREE-TIME is anymore. Take the valley for example; high schools are becoming more known as "early college high schools." When our school turn into one, surprisingly, high school stressed me out more than college. While I had four advance high school classes, I also had four college credit classes ever since the beginning of my sophomore year till I graduated. Now I hear that they want to move it on to the elementary schools, who knows what kind of stress the school board will put these kids through if they decide to make that transition? There's even a possibility that that could lead them towards Depression.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the apparent increases in depression are likely to be due to increased diagnosis. Both because people are more willing to seek treatment and because drug companies advertise the apparent cause and treatment. Diagnosis is a necessary step...
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