Depression. Why on The Rise in a Modern Wealthy World??
74Depression. Clinical, Manic or otherwise
Stress, anxiety, depression. How often we hear those words today.. Too often.
Considering the Western World in particular now consists mostly of families who have more material things than ever before....... coloured t.v.s computers, video games and gadgets, beautiful cars and homes, great holidays., mobile phones that seem to do everything but sing and dance...
The majority of people in developed countries have at least some , if not all of the above...We could expect nations of happy grateful people... but is that the case??
Apparently not. Suicide rates are at their highest. Young people with their whole lives before them are all too often depressed.
Depression,. Clinical, Manic or otherwise
Different levels of Depression
Someone suffering from moderate ... to ... serious depression can own all the material things aforementioned, He or She could be looking at blue skies, a magnificent mountain range, or blue oceans whilst listening to the crashing of waves washing onto the shore. Beautiful to most of us , yet meaning nothing to the seriously depressed person.
Many people who have never suffered with depression can find it hard to understand. ¨What do you have to be depressed about?¨is often heard.
The short answer to that is of course that depression comes from deep inside a person. It doesn´t matter how beautiful the surroundings are, How big the bank balance is. Depression is an illness that prevents the the patient from appreciating any of these things.
The Blues and Mild Depression
Almost everyone has had mild depression at sometime in their life. Sadness, anxiety over an incident that will pass, or that they feel they have no control over.
The death of a loved one is one of the most distressing examples, the death of a child, the most horrendous to deal with. Your children should never go first. Our brains cannot make sense of it.
However, moderate to serious depression can last for years. Clinical or manic depression can stay with a person for life.
I am not a doctor. I am only speaking from my own life´s experience.I would always advise a person to see a doctor if a little depression lasts more than a few weeks or if it comes apparently out of nowhere., for no apparent reason.
Some poor young person with a great deal of intelligence and seemingly everything to live for wrote the following. It broke my heart.
I´m dead inside again.
My senses disappeared,
My heart has taken flight,
I´m dead inside again.
.........................................
I´ve lost my love again,
Wish I were made of stone,
No feelings for a rock
I´ve lost my love again.
................................................
My mind , it cannot cope
The final straw has landed
To break the camels´back,
My mind, it cannot cope.
.....................................................
No rhyme or reason left,
No promises to keep,
No point in having feelings,
No rhyme or reason left.
............................................
I hope the key to my heart
Has been lost or thrown away,
Never to open my heart again
I hope the key is lost.
....................................................
I´m dead inside again,
Hollow, empty, void.....
Maybe that´s how it´ll stay,
For I´m dead inside again.
....................................................
Help For Depression
Sometimes medication is the only answer, but simple things can go hand in hand with the doctors ´ help.
e.g. There is a time in the life of almost every person on earth where a happy memory is lying dormant.
Smells and music are known to bring back memories, good or bad,.
With help the depressed person can often begin to remember happier times when certain music is played. Even unconciously certain music or songs from happier times , played in the background will have an effect on the brain. It works. I´ve seen it work. I won´t pretend it is a cure , obviously, but sometimes it can be an opening to the depressed person. He or She may finally feel able to talk with either a therapist, doctor or friend. It´s a start..............
My heart goes out to anyone depressed or dealing with a depressed person. Get help, Please.
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True.. the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.
depression and anxiety are truly the root of all evil. you did a great job explaining depression and how serious it is. it destroys your life and seriously impacts those around you. I have been helped I realize now - by medication and recently came to realize just how much an inner depression is hurting me. it's important to make people aware because I believe undiagnosed depression is rampant and is the root of so much of the world's problems.
Thank you for the comment which is exactly on my wavelength. I agree that there may be thousands of people who don´t realise they have a form of depression.
There is no doubt that depression is on a rise like never before. For many reasons, lack of enough money to pay bills and living expenses, high debt, loss of employment, not able to find work, bankruptcies, abuse both physical and mental, loss of a loved one to death, medications, alcohol, drugs and pornography. These are just the tip of the iceberg there are so many more reasons.
I wouldn't say MONEY is the ROOT of all EVIL, it's not having enough of it or badly managing it. Two of the biggest reasons for DIVORCE is financial problems and lack of communication between two people, especially regarding finances and matters of the heart.
I have my moments with depression and I find most of the time it's financial related, once I sort that out I am fine again. Financial matters are up and down like a roller coaster for many of us and it gets dam depressing from time to time. Thanks for this great hub and making us aware. Peace
Thanks for a great comment. I agree the lack of money can cause allsorts of sadness and depression. Look back at my other comment. I was quoting from the bible where it says the LOVE of money is the root of evil. Nothing wrong with being rich, according to Jesus, only the striving after it , love of it above family etc., that´s where the problems come in. This year my husband and I have found ourselves in the horrible position of losing money (not gambling) and it does depress me , when I wonder how we´ll manage in old age.
Hi Dim, know that you are not alone in the wonderment department of how we will manage in old age. I have had a turbulent life with ups and downs in the financial markets. Have made money, lost it, saved it, spent and lost lots of it, over divorce and other sad and costly incidents.
There definitely will not be enough pension money's available to live the life style that most of us have been accustomed to. Without having savings in the banks or a decent company pension to supplement government pensions, we are dead in the water.
Many seniors are forced to continue working to help supplement their pensions, not worry about finances but look forward to pursuing their hobbies and relax in their homes without financial stress.
It's not easy now with so many people out of work and running out of government employment assistance, some are forced to go bankrupt and even worse. I pray that you both will find a way to keep your lifestyle in tact in your country. peace and hugs from an old hippy as well:0)
I´m really grateful you got back to me. Misunderstandings really bother me . They get in the way of friendships and give wrong impressions of people , and even though we may never meet, I just did not want that. Thank you again. Love and peace to you and yours x
Hello Dim, what a great article exposing some facts about depression; quite interesting. You have used some language that leapt out at me, for instance in spite of our abundance of material things (and I add infrastructure), our gratefulness is still questionable. How true, and how intriguing. You also mention that the beauty of nature around us can mean nothing to the seriously depressed person, while others may appreciate it as wonderful (and a blessing).
The crux of the poem you refer to has a couple of verses which picture the depressing thoughts of “I’ve lost my love again [and]; No promises to keep”. I believe it speaks of the acute grief associated with the unfortunate paradox of immature (or uncircumspect) “LOVE”, the difficulty to FORGIVE (on either side), and the apparent lack of TRUST in a relationship. You are right, he was a poor young fellow; his pain was real no doubt, even numbing, but I believe his HOPE was misdirected. This is because he suggests that the confines of his broken heart are now locked closed, with its singular key to be lost or discarded. I am certain that this does not have to be the case, for the world is full of splendour, and TRUE love has no bounds. Perhaps the exercise of his poetic expression was therapy. I wish him well in any case.
The demise of a cherished relationship or the death of a loved one are very painful events to experience, but as far as the SEEMED irreparable damage to our hearts caused by these experiences, I believe it can be overcome. We should never lose the hope of brighter days to come. We must NEVER allow ourselves to be overpowered by thoughts of worthlessness, and we must never forfeit the PROMISES of God – or of our loved ones! We can always however rely on God to COMFORT us in times of sorrow, and we can always rely on His forgiveness as necessary, when we have a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Oh what a blessing indeed!
Finally Dim, I endorse your advice for people who experience chronic or extreme depression to seek Medical Help right away, for a learned Doctor is wise in his sagacity, prognosis, and counsel. Do not be surprised if they may even suggest the pursuit of a faith in God.
Thank you Dim Flaxenwick for highlighting this important topic and also for teaching and reminding us that good music and/or GOOD friends can begin to help us get better. I suggest that this would NOT of course include alcohol, as it may exasperate any benefits.
Thank you for an amazing apraisal of my hub. (I quite agree alcohol OUT.. makes it worse)
The young man when writing the poem, I think just didn´t want his heart to be broken again so he thought he could live without ´feelings´. Obviously we are not made that way, but he has been helped, I´m glad to say.
Thank you again for your feedback,. God bless x
Dim Flaxenwick, what a timely article. It certainly is a mystery why so many are depressed in today's world. I can only wonder if some of it might stem from the leisure we are awarded by all the modern "improvements" to life. The physical work required from earlier generations possibly kept them so busy they simply had no time for the blues. Or when depression struck, they were forced to,(physically), work through it.
I can't begin to understand the chemical reactions inside the human body while say, working in the fields, as opposed to watching TV and munching potatoe chips, for example. But I'm sure there are vast differences. Children today have less chores than the children of a few generations ago. How many young-uns today have to get up at daybreak to milk the family cow?
Also, the family dynamics have changed so drastically! Many of today's families fail to have regular "sit down" meals together to talk about their day, share fears or joys. In our world of take out and fast food, the experiences of preparing, serving, and eating meals together has fallen by the wayside in many situations.
Again, I am no expert, but anyone suffering from depression surely needs a strong support system to overcome the emotional struggles they are facing. And I believe this should come from close loved ones, at least to start with. Then from professional help if they are still depressed. And sadly in our busy daily lives, family members and friends have so much going on, it may be hard to notice when a loved one has reached an overwhelming emotional low.
I believe there have always been challanges to individuals and families, but I think earlier generations knew a little more about how to face them, as they were not conditioned to expect instant gratifications.
Also the spiritual aspect of today's society compared to earlier times can't be overlooked.
This is a very touching, thought provoking piece. Well written, and important.
Thank you so much for your comment. I´m sure the breakdown of family life has something to do with it.I simply feel that whatever the reasons, it cannot be ignored because it is really happening to so many. There was a lovely line in the film ¨Crocodile Dundee¨His girlfriend mentions someone going to see their therapist, confused he asks Why? Hasn´t he got any mates?
Dim Flaxenwick, I remember that line! A classic question!
You are so right, depression can't be ignored. I think we all need to be aware of the emotional state of being of our loved ones, friends, co-workers, and so on, and practice kindness, and compassion towards those who are struggling with depression.
Yeh! What a line.. I remember thinking. Good grief, How obvious. Years ago only your friends would listen. Cheers.....
We are bombarded daily with expectations from others, we get ourselves in debt, house note, utilities, bills, bills, bills, traffic, not enough sleep, stressed out, this is just to name a few reasons why many are depressed in this fast paced world. Thanks for a great Hub! God bless!! xxxxxxx
Good to hear from you dear friend. Take care.
Sometimes being numb is a real pus. Depression is serious stuff. And there is not a "just snap out of it". Thank you Dim!
alwasy happy to see you ride by my page,. I´ve really enjoyed your recent hubs too. The pics are tremendous.
Yes I have been depressed in my life and even a change of scenery did not help. I just brought it with me. I wound up focusing my attention on the positive aspects of my life through meditation and prayer. The drugs that are prescribed certainly only mask the symptoms. Thanks for this one Dim
Thank you for the feedback. Meditation and prayer are definately the best for believers.
I meant exactly what you said about a change of scenery. Beautiful surroundings don´t ´get through´when someone is genuinelly depressed. Glad you are better.
...you know if I didn't suffer from some sort of depression - it may be situational depression - then I wouldn't be writing .....I think all writers feel compelled to write because of mixed emotions .......however happy or sad ...and for the record for all to see - it was a very good day when I met you my friend!
Thank you for the compliment. Touche or ditto.
Dim, this is a very well written post that shed some light on an issue that many people struggle with. My personal experience is seasonal affective disorder (SAD) where a lack of sunlight in the winter months seem to always throw me in a funk. I have difficulty waking and getting out of bed and just feel melancholy and low. It took me several years after I migrated to North America to realized what was happening to me. Now I take measures to lift myself whenever I feel this mood overtaking me. I make more effort to be with the people I love even if I don't feel like it. I try to exercise and like you suggested listen to my favourite music and watch my fav music. Mama Mia has got me through many a sad days. The other thing is th elove of my son. He just have to give me a hug and my world gets brighter.
So thank you my friend, Dim, for shedding some light on depression. I appreciate it.
Sorry to hear you suffer from SAD. You are one of the few people I´ve heard of that have this , yet make a real effort to overcome it. I know with all kinds of depression the thing you most want to do is curl up in a corner ,. Well done for trying to help yourself. I hope you get more and more sunny days.
Thank you very much for commenting .Take care., Dim.
Depression is very debilitating. I have struggled on and off with a thankfully relatively mild depression for some years now.
The most sense that was made of it for me was a therapist I saw a few years ago who said to me that "depression is a lack of expression." That made sense to me and I have battled rather less with depression since I took up writing more seriously. The "expression" has definitely reduced the "depression." Might not work for all as each person's depression is their own, but it certainly has helped me.
The one thing that I would emphasise from your excellent Hub is that people who feel depressed should seek help, preferably professional help. Medication can help and is usually more effective when used in conjunction with some sort of psychological therapy. For me the "talking cure" has been effective and I was only on medication for a very short while.
Support and help from loved ones is also very useful - though advice and admonitions to "cheer up" usually just aggravate the feelings. Unconditional love and acceptance are what helped me most.
Thanks for writing this Hub about a really serious issue which is seemingly increasing in this age.
Love and peace
Tony
Thank you Tony for such a great feedback. I agree´cheer up´can be the most obscene words in the English language to someone who is really depressed-.(I have a paranoic hatred of this expression since it was said to me 1 week after my mum died. I was 10 years old.) I´ve never forgotten it.
I´m happy to hear your depression was mild enough to be helped,. and writing I feel sure is wonderful therapy.
Thank you again for your comments.
love and peace as always
This is a very good article. I don't know the answer. Why are so many "depressed" today when this word was rarely used to describe people fifty, a hundred, a thousand years ago? I think we have become a nation hooked on pharmaceuticals. Can God cure depression?
I believe God can and will cure everything in His time.We are very small creatures in a vast universe. In the meantime all we can do is help our brothers . Do unto others....etc.,
Thank you for reading and commenting. I have the highest respect for your work.
Dim this is very good hub, very real stuff! People try to fill up the emptiness with material things and it is never lasting nor satisfying.
The new things get old and not shiny anymore. The love of the Father however is everlasting.
Thank you,
Sunnie
very true. Lovely comment. Thank you
Apostle Jack Level 3 Commenter 20 months ago
The lack of spiritual knowledge and the solutions to the matter apart from medication is another reason why depression are not control nor prevented.I gree that with so much money in the world where are the happiness that should flow from having it.Sometimes when people find out that money can not buy TRUE LOVE IT PUTS THEM IN A DEPRESS STATE OF SPIRIT.Sometimes money can be a curse rather than a reward if you let it rule in your life.