Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how people feel, the way they think, and how they act. Depression can express itself in the form of extreme sadness and despair that can last for days or months. Depression can interfere with one's daily activities and with the potential of causing severe physical pain. According to American Psychology Association, clinical depression is one of the most common mental disorder in the United States. According to 2014 estimates, close to 16 million adults had at least an experience with an episode of depression.
Depression presents with symptoms such as prolonged sadness, helplessness, lack of sleep, fatigue, alteration in the sleep patterns and sometimes suicidal thoughts. Depression is caused by multiple factors which include genetic factors, biological factors, social factors, among other factors (Neighbors & Fossoss, 2013). The paper seeks to analyze depression, its causes and how people can cope with depression.
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Biopsychosocial Factors
The biopsychosocial model of understanding depression is attributed to George Engel to explain the origin and development of depression among people. In this model, Engel explained the interrelatedness of biological, social, and psychological factors regarding disease etiology. The model proposed that the mind and body are never separate and independent. Instead, the mind and body are considered to be connected and interdependent (Sander, & McCarty, 2005). Based on the model, what affects one's mind affects the body and vice versa. From the tenets of the biopsychosocial model, scientists were able to understand that a person's wellness is the total of how the mind, body, and soul feel.
The biopsychosocial model can be used to explain depression from a broader perspective that includes biological, social and psychological factors. One of the factors that have been associated with the onset of depression is abuse, both physical and emotional abuse. According to Van (2015), most adults who experience depressive episodes later in their lives can trace it to their childhood abuse. To recover from depression, one needs to understand the underlying causes. Most of the time, according to Neighbors and Fossoss (2013), one needs only reconcile with his abusive past to overcome current challenges facing his or life.
According to estimates given by the National Institute of Mental Health, 15 million American adults have experienced significant depression while 3 million have experienced chronic and mild depressions (Sander, & McCarty, 2005). Even though the average age for the onset of depression is around 30 years, studies have shown that those with the history of physical and mental abuse, including sexual abuse tend to have a much earlier onset of depression.
There are different types of abuse that kids may be exposed to when growing up. The U.S Department of Human Health Services, kids get emotional abuse when they are exposed to situations such as close confinement, verbal attacks, rejection from loved ones and threats of terror, among others. Some people go through sexual abuse such as child pornography, genital molestation, and prostitution, and these may be the source of their depression as adults.
Identification of abuse is the key to helping people who have been through abuse spell. Among children, abuse can manifest in different forms. For instance, a child who presents with unexplained marks and bruises on his or her body should be investigated for possible exploitation. Other signs that can give a clue to potential abuse include difficulty walking, sudden expertise about sex and tendencies such as running away from home (Edlund, 2013) . According to Prevent Child Abuse America, such people could be suffering from sexual abuse, and hence should be investigated further.
Prescription drugs can also cause depression in some people. According to Neighbors and Fossoss (2013), depression is increasingly becoming a side effect of prescription drugs. For example, asthma medication such as Singulai r has documented side effects which include depression, suicidal tendencies, and anxiety. Another drug that has been associated with depression is the Accutane which is a retinoic acid acne treatment drug. According to FDA regulations, drugs with depression side effects should be properly labeled to help patients make an informed decision whether to use the drug or not.
Conflicts is one of the major causes of depression among adults in the United States. Conflicts can occur in any setup, including the family setup. When they take place, struggles can be a real source of worry and depression among those involved. According to Sander and McCarty (2005), conflicts that occur a home can affect both the adult members of the family and the children. Many kids have had depression episodes because of the constant quarrels between their parents. Sander and McCarty (2005) have argued that parents have the responsibility to shield their kids from their conflicts because of the negative impacts such conflicts may have on them. According to research, children who grow up in conflict homes are likely to experience early onset of depression as adults.
Losing a loved one is one of the hardest and most trying moments someone can go through. People tend to react to news of the death of loved ones differently, such as feeling sad, grieved, et cetera. However, according to Neighbors and Fossoss (2013), prolonged grieving following the death of a loved one can lead to depression. A depressed person can be spotted based on symptoms such as the tendencies to isolate themselves from the rest of the people. Through the process of over grieving, depressed people may be forced to avoid social setting, a pattern that may worsen the situation for the grieving people. According to Nemade, Reiss, and Dombeck, (2007), grief and moaning is a normal reaction to the loss of a loved one. However, prolonged moaning and despair, also described as complicated moaning, is a significant source of depression.
For a long time, it has been known depressive tendencies may run in families due to the possession of specific genetic factors. Even though depression has been associated with family lines for a long time, researchers were only recently able to find a proper connection between the two (Nemade, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2007). Scientists have demonstrated that depression tendencies are controlled by a group of genes inherited from one's parents.
Serious illness can also be a source of depression for individuals. People with terminal illnesses such as cancer may face depression because of the hopelessness of their lives. Similarly, people may get depressed when they experience personal problems such as loss of job, preparing for a test, or going through a rough phase in life such as divorce or pregnancy.
Drug and substance abuse is a significant problem facing the United States and around the world. According to Van (2015), people who engage in drug and substance abuse are at high risk of getting depressed. Similarly, those who get depressed may resort to drugs and substance abuse as a way of lifting their spirit and running away from the reality of their depressive conditions.
Behavioral Changes to deal with depressions
Behavioral changes can either make or break individual when he or she is dealing with depression. It is recommended that someone going through depression phase should undertake specific behavioral changes as a way of improving their chances of relieving their depressive symptoms.
One of the significant behavioral change that every depressed person should consider is to get enough sleep on a regular basis. According to Edlund (2013) , rest is required to regenerate the body and make someone fresh for the new day. Besides sleep, depressed people should be engaged in regular exercises. This is especially important in that it gives someone a new center of focus entirely away from the depressing thoughts. People who exercise regularly have better blood circulations which also helps to calm down. Most importantly, exercise leads to the release of dopamine, the feel-good hormone that can relieve one of his or her miseries that are often the source of depressions.
One's diet is another essential factor that must be considered by people who want to reduce their depressions. Certain foods have been known to decrease depression by either boosting the mood or minimizing damage to cells (Edlund, 2013) . For instance, foods rich in carbohydrates have been shown to increase mood while antioxidants help in preventing damage to cells. Studies have also linked vitamin deficiency with depressions. Depressed people are advised to eat foods rich in folates and vitamin B12.
Perhaps the most significant behavioral change that depressed people should work on is their social interaction with other people. Staying lonely has been shown to increase chances of depression, and hence people are advised to find purpose in life by interacting with people who can positively influence their lives. The idea, according to Edlund (2013), is to ensure that people with high depression tendencies break the hold of their depressing thoughts and experiences and engage in something that would give them a sense of purpose and bring happiness to their lives. For example, one can decide to join a dance class or enroll in a gym as a way of hiding from the depressing mundane tasks of the day.
Seeking medical treatment is a necessary behavioral change for people seeking to leave behind their depressive experiences (Van, 2015). Once someone recognizes some of the typical symptoms of depression, the first step should be to visit a doctor for diagnosis and prescription of the right medicine.
Behavior Change Model
The Theory of Planned Behavior can be used to influence the behavior of people suffering from depression as a way of helping them. According to the theory, the behavior is determined by attitudes, intentions and subjective norms (Nemade, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2007). Based on the assumption, interventions can be made to ensure that the people suffering from depression are helped and that their condition is ameliorated.
Therapy is one of the components of the planned behavior theory that can be used to help people suffering from depression. Depressed people should seek professional help from therapists would then help them to change behavior towards activities that would be more useful towards their healing processes (Sander, & McCarty, 2005). For instance, a therapist may suggest that a depressed person engages in social activities and events that would draw his or her attention from the depressing life faced on a daily basis. Such engagement would give a sense of purpose to the depressed person, hence reducing their depression.
Research has also been highlighted as part of the planned behavior therapy. Research helps in understanding more about depression, its causes and how to deal with it. Professional therapists must be willing to carry out research on a regular basis to understand the new dynamics of depression (Traister, 2017).
The last aspect of the planned behavior theory is the need for depressed individuals to make positive steps towards improvement. In other words, depressed people must be willing to engage in activities such as exercise, dieting, regular sleep, et cetera, as a way of reducing the impacts of depression (Nemade, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2007). Professional therapists must advise their clients on the importance of having behavioral change aimed at reducing depressive tendencies.
Conclusion
Depression is a common medical and mental condition that affects close to 15 million Americans. Symptoms of depression include lack of attention, poor sleeping patterns, poor eating habits, et cetera. Depression can be caused by a number of factors ranging from biopsychosocial and behavioral factors. Majority of the U.S adults who experience depression can trace their depressions to the experience they had during childhood.
The planned behavior theory model is a critical approach that can be used to help depressed people change their behaviors with the right purpose of relieving their depression symptoms. Among the behavioral changes include getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and enrolling to be part of a social group, among others.
References
Edlund, M. (2013). Want to Treat Depression Get People to Sleep . Psychology Today.
Neighbors, C, & Fossoss, N. (2013). Peer Influences on Addiction. Principles of Addiction.
Nemade, R., Reiss, N., & Dombeck, M. (2007). Current Understandings of Major Depression - Biopsychosocial Model. Mental Help. Net.
Sander, J., & McCarty, J. (2005). Youth Depression in the Family Context: Familial Risk Factors and Models of Treatment. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2005 Sep; 8(3): 203–219.
Traister, J. (2017). How Abuse Causes Depression. Livingstone.
Van, M. (2015). Prescription Drugs That Cause Depression. Everyday Health.
