The Great Depression Research Paper

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Hundreds and thousands of people are affected by depression, a very severe mental illness, every single year. People think that depression is just someone being sad, and it isn’t very severe. However, it is much more complicated than that. Depression can alter one’s brain chemicals, causing it to be hard to treat and very severe. Depression was first recognized as a mental disorder in 1895, by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin. Since then, millions of people have been diagnosed with depression. Depression is very capable of ruining someone’s life if it is not closely monitored. Many people experience depression and have their lives ruined; although depression is very severe, it can be treated. Many people that have depression don’t recognize …show more content…

Research done in the USA and Sweden has shown that depression has a huge economic burden. Depression is associated with much higher costs in healthcare. (The Impact of Depression on Daily Life) A study by NICE in the UK that was done in 2000 shows that the cost of depression for that year was £9 billion ($12.2 billion in the US). The study shows that less than 5% of that actually went towards the treatment of depression, the rest was made up of mainly lost work days and deaths. A survey of 288 people with depression done by The Inside Story states that many people with depression feel that their long work hours and poor relationships with management make their depression worse, causing them to want to quit their jobs. Out of the 288 people that were surveyed, one third of them have actually quit their jobs. Research by The Inside Story also shows the many symptoms of depression. Depression causes an altered appetite, anxiety, loss of interests, low energy, poor concentration, low sex drive, and poor sleep. Poor sleep causes a severe or very severe impact on happiness. It also one’s ability to carry out daily tasks. The Impact of Depression on Daily Life also states that depression also affects those who are related. Depression causes severe stress and suffering to family, friends, and caregivers. Despite being seen as a mild illness, depression has many ways to …show more content…

Even with so many treatment options, depression takes time and commitment to treat. Before starting any kind of treatment, one should learn as much as they can about their depression. This helps find the “stem” of the depression, which will help doctors decide on which type of medication is best for you. According to Joanna Saisan, Melinda Smith, Jeanne Segal, author of Depression Treatment, there are many ways to treat depression without any sort of medical treatment. Stress should be minimized by not overworking and taking away unsupportive relationships. One should make sure to eat well balanced meals to keep energy up and minimize mood swings. To avoid isolation, keep in contact with friends and family, and talking to a therapist. People with depression should also exercise everyday as it boosts serotonin, endorphins, and other good-feeling brain chemicals. Exercise also causes the growth of new brain cells. However, the most important thing for people with depression is sleep. Sleep deprivation causes sadness and fatigue, which will worsen depression symptoms. 8 hours of sleep should be the minimum for people with depression. Also according to Saisan, Smith, and Segal, medical procedures could also be used to treat depression. If the depression is caused by an underlying illness medical condition or other methods have not worked out, then using

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