It is safe to say almost every person will be affected by Depression during their lifetime one way or another, either having to go through this demoralizing disorder themselves or witnessing family and friends struggle to cope with it. Every human being is prone to depression, leaving individuals and those close to them in states of sorrow and helplessness. Depression not only affects the mind but targets the whole body, draining individuals of their energy and immobilizing them from doing normal day to day activities, especially those which are known to be essential for overall wellbeing such as Leisure activities (Pressman et al., 2009). Leisure participation encompasses a very broad spectrum of activities and past times unique for …show more content…
Techniques for living a healthy life have been taught to most of us since a very young age, particularly to always be active and play, ensuring good physical health. But most may overlook the enormous benefits involved in participation of various leisure activities when it comes to cognitive and mental wellbeing (Greer & Trivedi, 2009). Active participation in leisure activities has been shown to greatly minimize the risks of developing a whole multitude of mental disorders including depression from adolescents to the elderly (McPhie & Rawana, 2015). In one longitudinal study undertaken by researchers at the University of South Denmark over a period of 26 years and involving over 18,000 participants they set out to examine how leisure time physical activity plays a role on the risk of developing depression (Mikkelsen et al., 2010). Data collection for leisure time physical activity was done via a questionnaire while determination of depression was done by examining the Danish Psychiatric registry for any participants being admitted with a depression diagnoses in three separate time intervals over the 26 year period. Following analysis of this data, researchers were able to establish precise relationships for both men and women in regards to their level of leisure time physical activity and risk of developing depression. Women who had low levels of leisure time physical activity were on average 1.80 times more at risk for developing depression than those who engaged in high levels of leisure time physical activity (Mikkelsen et al., 2010). Similarly in males, those who had low participation were at a 1.39 times greater risk for depression than those with high LTPA levels.
Clinical depression, which affects about 10% of the adult population (Holtz, Stokes, 1138), is charact...
Depression is an equal opportunity disorder, it can affect any group of people with any background, race, gender, or age. Depression is a sneak thief that slips quietly and gradually into people’s lives - robbing them of their time, and their focus. At first, depression may be undetectable, but in the long run a person could become so weighed down that their life may feel empty and meaningless. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who commits suicide is depressed, but majority of people who commits suicide do so during a severe depressive episode. There are over 300 million people in the world today who suffer from depression. Depression has affected people for a long as records have been kept. It was first called out by the famous Greek philosopher Hippocrates over 2,400 years ago. Hippocrates called it “melancholia”. Many times we think of depression as one disorder alone, when in fact there are many different types of depression. The different types of depression are major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, atypical disorder, adjustment disorder, and depressive personality disorder. All types of depression share at least one common symptom. It is commons from the person who suffers from any form of depression to feel an unshakable sadness, anxious, or empty mood. Major depressive disorder also known as unipolar depression or recurrent depressive disorder is the most severe depressive disorder out of all of the depressive in my estimation. Major depressive disorder is a condition in which affects a person’s family, work or school life, sleeping, eating and general health. It is important to emphasize that we can understand the mechanics of this disorder and how it affects people with major depressive disorder.
Depression is a serious medical illness that negatively affects how a person conducts him/herself, and the way he/she think. Depression may include anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, manic depressions. People with a depressive illness cannot merely ‘pull themselves together’ and get better. About 5% of the population will have some form of a mental illness at some point in their lives. Half of these people will also have a substance abuse
Depression is an illness within itself that affects the “whole body”. (Staywell,1998) The body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior are all immensely altered when someone is depressed. It is not a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be wished or willed away. For some people depression is just temporary, but for others it can last for weeks, months and even years.
Depression is a serious mental health illness which affects an individuals’ mind, body and mood. It is a chronic and lifelong health condition (NICE, 2006) thought to be caused by a number of biological factors including neurotransmitter disturbances in the brain and an element of genetic vulnerability; these are often in addition to psychosocial factors such as the occurrence of undesirable life events, limited social network options, poor self esteem and the occurrence of any adverse life events during a persons’ lifetime (Bernstein, 2006). Depression can have an impact on a persons’ ability to do many things including working, engaging with others, participating fully in family life or maintaining relationships, and it can also impact on a person...
Blumenthal et al. (2007) and Diaz and Motta (2008) conducted empirical studies to prove their hypotheses about the relationship of exercise and mental health. Blumenthal et al. looked at a sample size of 202 adults over the age of 40 and randomly assigned them to one of four groups: (a) group exercise setting, (b) home based exercise group, (c) sertraline group, or (d) placebo group. The participants who were assigned to the exercise groups participated in a 16 week moderate exercise program. The other two groups either received sertraline or a placebo pill. All participants were assessed before, during, and after using the Becks Depression Inventory II [BDI] (Beck, Sheer, & Brown, 1996) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAM-D] (Williams, 19...
Depression is defined as "a state of despondency marked by feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness" (Coon, 2001). Some people can mix up depression with just having the blues because of a couple of bad days or even weeks. It is already said that depression affects about one sixth of the population or more (Doris, Ebmeier, Shajahan, 1999). Depression can happen in any age range from birth to death. The cause of depression is still obscure and becoming clear that a number of diverse factors are likely to be implicated, both genetic and environmental. Some causes are leading stressful lives, genetic factors, a previous depressive episode, and the personality trait neuroticism (Doris, et al., 1999).
In the article, “Athletes and Coaches Report Mental Health is Slightly More Important Than Physical Health in Overall Performance; Both Agree That More Communication is Needed to Address Mental Health Concerns.”, the Minds in Motion Depression Awarenes Campaign conducted a survey and found that the athletes and coaches believed that “mental health shares an equal, and/or slightly greater role than physical health, in defining peak athletic
Depression is defined as an illness; the feelings of depression persist and interfere with a child or adolescent’s ability to function. Depression can be a very difficult and painful experience that affects not only the individual suffering from it, but also the people around them. There comes a point in some peoples’ lives where social isolation, low energy, sadness, low self-esteem, and the feeling of hopelessness, cannot be taken anymore. The feelings are so strong and persistent, that the victim becomes severely unhappy, which can then result in depression. Clinical depression has many related symptoms trouble sleeping, eating disorders, withdrawal and inactivity, self-punishment, and loss of pleasure. People that are depressed do not like to do things they may usually like to. However, there are many differences between feeling depressed and actually suffering from depression, the disease. Any person feels depressed at some time or another in their life. They feel worthless, tired and tend to want to be alone without human interaction, this is normal. Depression brings on poor concentration or inability to think and make decisions (Kist 26). Surveys that have been taken that show approximately 20 in 100 people suffer from depression at any one time. About one if four Americans will suffer from a depression over the course of their lifetime. Depression strikes men and women of all ages, in all races, but most studies indicate that women are more often afflicted. Depression comes in many different types: major, manic and dysthymia are a few. A chronic, physical illness, drug habit, death of a loved one; or a problem in a marriage cause major depression. Even though most people with major depression will recover, half will suffer another episode (Hales 38). People with severe cases of major depression can’t work, study, or interact and eventually can’t feed, clothe or clean themselves (Hales 38).Manic depression is a type of depression that goes from a person being extremely happy and then becoming severely depressed (Kist 107). Being in a depressed state can be life threatening. People suffering from manic depression show many symptoms. A few major ones are hyperactivity; talking fast, inability, fear of dying, and jumping from one topic to another during a conversation (Kist 39). Another type is Psychoanalysis. Psychoanaly...
Depression is a murky pool of feelings and actions scientists have been trying to understand since the days of Hippocrates, who called it a "black bile." It has been called "the common cold of mental illness and, like the cold, it's difficult to quantify. If feelings of great sadness or agitation last for much more than two weeks, it may be depression. For a long time, people who were feeling depressed were told to "snap out of it." According to a study done by National Institute of Mental Health, half of all Americans still view depression as a personal weakness or character flaw. Depression, however, is considered a medical disorder and can affect thoughts, feelings, physical health, and behaviors. It interferes with daily life such as school, friends, and family. Clinical depression is the most incapacitating of all chronic c...
Cassano, P. Fava, M. (2002). Depression and public health: an overview. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53, 849–857. Retrieved from http://www.psychology.com/resources/depression.php
Exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. It gives you a chance to unwind, by just enjoying the outdoors or simply engaging in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting via a dance class or playing on a basketball team. This coming together could be a reason why exercise is known to fight depression. Physical activity fights depression by stimulating various brain chemicals that leave you feeling happier and more relaxed (Mayo Clinic Staff). You may also end up feeling better about your appearance and yourself in general when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. As stated in the last paragraph, regular exercise makes your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, as your heart and lungs improve you will have more energy to complete tasks which can also boost your confidence and self-esteem as well as leaving you more content with the amount of work you can get done without getting tired (Mayo Clinic Staff). Regular exercise also helps you burn the energy you do not need. Allowing you to fall asleep faster and deeper during your limited period of sleep. Feeling happy and relaxed along with being able to get sufficient sleep is crucial in maintaining mental health while facing the daily stresses in
Health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ and health promotion is understood as ‘actions that support people to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles and which create supportive living situations or environments for health’. In these definitions it is clearly standard that mental health promotion is an essential component of health promotion. Not only are there complex interconnections between physical and mental health, they share many
As adolescents, development of the brain is still an ongoing process, making it harder for mentality of a person to remain stable. Because of the unstable conditions that a teenager may be going through, depression may develop within the body. A life of sedentary can be a cause of depression, as a person is not in a state of motion throughout the day. “Bodies have functions, and if one of those functions stop moving, it slows down the processes of others” (Haines 1). If a person is not exercising, and keeping up with their physical health, a person may not be making progress with their mentality and mood stabilization. A person who regularly exercises tends to have a sharper mind, that can more easily help keep a person thinking, learning and will help in the process of sharper judgement skills. Exercising has the potential of reducing the risk of depression in a person and will help keep their sleep patterns normal. “Doing aerobic or a mix or aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening activities 3-5 times a week can give you these mental health benefits” (CDC 7). There is even evidence that a person who only exercises occasionally, or of lower level physical activities can be beneficial to the mind. As adolescent grow, their mentality is changing, If a person were to have some control over the way that their body and mentality changes, it would cause for a healthier
The study of leisure and recreation exist to improve the quality of people’s lives. Leisure is a key part of our lives. When we involve ourselves in leisure activities that satisfies us. We improve in creativity and self-control through these activities. We also get the sense of freedom, achievement and confidence. Leisure gives us the opportunity to enjoy new experiences and develop new skills. In the field of study of leisure and recreation, it focuses on the variety of recreational activities. Those activities that are involved in leisure tend to be rewarding to one’s health and the community. Leisure activities are chosen by every individual, the activities can be done where people feel more comfortable with people you enjoy surrounding