Project 1
Leah Greco
English 1302
Professor Hammett
Essay 1 Argument Proposal
07/12/2023
Word Count: 1,030
Fight Against the Depression Epidemic
It can be challenging to embrace living in the moment when a dark cloud hovers around, stealing the happiness and purpose of life. Depression is a common illness that knows no boundaries nor discriminates against who it consumes or when. It is also puzzling why America is ranked as one of the top countries leading in depression rates worldwide when it is a hot topic of conversation, considering the U.S. lacks in depression research (Smith). Imagine the mother tirelessly grieving the loss of a baby, a man working long hours to make ends meet, the friend who isolates herself away from everything, malnourished strangers questioning where their next meal is coming from, and clinics turning patients away due to not being able to afford proper care. What do all these individuals have in common? If not all, one could be enduring an invisible internal pain and suffering from what is known as depression without even knowing it. The World Health Organization has said, “Depression is widely undiagnosed and untreated because of stigma, lack of effective therapies, and inadequate mental-health resources (1).” Not every person is created equal, and neither is how a person experiences or shows signs of a mental illness. The depression epidemic impacts the entire world and has become a part of our modern-day lives; however, there are ways to combat this disease and promote real healing to lessen the severity of the suffering for future generations.
It is second nature for Americans to put their work lives ahead of their personal lives. People oversaturate themselves in work duties to help avoid or address abuse and trauma. Overworking stems from poorly structured work environments or toxic work cultures with unsustainable responsibilities and fear of unemployment, causing overwhelming distress. Increasing inflation and economic recessions are not making matters any better or easy to deal with. Unfortunately, this negative work-life balance approach impacts individuals, employers, and families. Healthy prioritization of personal life is equally, if not more important than the income brought into the household. Money is replaceable, but time with people is not. Consider a revised time-management schedule to signal when to unplug from work. Take advantage of personal time off to do something enjoyable. Have a conversation with a superior to discuss setting boundaries on workload and daily work time. Consider alternate employment opportunities or a career change if the present job is no longer satisfying. Making more time for self-care can aid in more self-awareness, increased mental sharpness, and learning coping mechanisms for stress. Burnout can lead to "broken relationships, risk of alcohol or drug abuse, and suicidal ideations," resulting in a diminishing quality of life (Shanafelt).
Living on the go can easily distract people from noticing depression symptoms or not taking the time to process the experience of the symptoms adequately. Frequently skipping or overindulging meals, sadness, mood swings, insomnia, hormonal imbalance, self-isolation, hopelessness, poor performance, trouble concentrating, and loss of interest in activities are classic red flags of depression. Environmental conditions, social relationships, physiological factors, and genetics are integral to lifestyles. Adopting health habits and improving overall wellness strategies can supplement and enhance the treatment of depression. Sleep, diet, and exercise are the most common areas to consider first when combatting depression. A healthy diet and exercise routine can nourish the body, prevent vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, enhance physical strength in the muscles, and aid in balancing hormones within the body. Utilizing a sleep hygiene schedule and reducing screen time exposure to technology can help the body prepare for routine rest and healing. Sunlight is the natural version of vitamin D and could aid in potential vitamin D deficiencies (Blake). Attending a community or private support group can lessen the need for isolation and feelings of loneliness while promoting a healthy and open social environment. University researchers have discovered psychological claims stating, "Dysregulation in the brain pathways can be influenced by environmental, social, psychological, lifestyle, genetic, and physiological factors,” depression symptoms can easily be disregarded as stress. Still, they are detrimental to health (Lopresti).
Change is a natural part of evolution, and people must adapt to new situations in modern times. There is a limited capacity for mental health care and a push for medicating instead of healing patients suffering from depression. Policymakers influence the cut or reduction of funding for mental health programs, causing workforce shortages in the specialty (Corrigan). It has been said that health system reform is required, and many adults cannot seek care due to the unaffordability of care (America). The American healthcare system is lacking and still has gaps in promoting mental health care for people who need it. A stronger voice for change and a culture of recovery is necessary to battle against mental health and the health care system. Research is routinely being conducted, and medical breakthroughs are common in modern times, but treatment for depression is in crisis, and advocacy for new paradigms for diagnosis and assessment is required (Stein). Regardless of whether it is admitted, there is a stigma regarding mental health. People who need or could benefit from mental health care are scared to seek it, misdiagnosed, or denied due to inadequate insurance coverage and the inflated cost of psychological providers. Insurance companies must advocate for mental health coverage and advertise an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) plan services to benefit policyholders and instill solutions for positive change. Community care and support centers could increase the presence of their services through health fairs events and health district bulletins. Psychology researchers have said, "To change the outcomes for people with mental illness, we need to measure how many people are recovering and what services helped them recover (Butler).” The promotion of identifying mental illness in younger people before they reach adulthood could improve their present and future lives as it could un early (Yung).
The depression epidemic negatively affects the quality of life and the mental healthcare system; “further research and outreach are necessary to promote effective solutions to this societal problem (Shanafelt).” Depression is an all-hands-on-deck approach that could genuinely help benefit those who have mental illness and teach them that life is worth living with the proper tools for success in the fight against depression.
Works Cited
America, Mental Health. "The State of Mental Health in America." (2021). <https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america.>.
Blake, Joan Salge. Nutrition & You. 6th . Pearson Education, Inc., 2022. <https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/nutrition--you/P200000006863/9780137652860?creative=&keyword=&matchtype=&network=x&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwt52mBhB5EiwA05YKoyhWHGqAN-1iutjw5oEeP0a0AN0uyHe9fNoca6hTSLGHEQkQaj9AuRoCtyAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds>.
Butler, Mark. "Mental health reform is making lives better: Opinion and Analysis." Newcastle Herald (2011). <https://www.proquest.com/publichealth/docview/900588647/3E74DF003D9F4842PQ/9?accountid=7022>.
Corrigan, Patrick W., and Watson, Amy C. "Factors that explain how policymakers distribute resources to mental health services." Psychiatric Services 54.4 (2003): 501-507.
Lopresti, Adrian L., Hood, Sean D. & Drummond, Peter D. "A review of lifestyle factors that contribute to important pathways associated with major depression: Diet, sleep, and exercise." Journal of affective disorders (2013): 12-27. <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032713000694>.
Shanafelt, Tait D., et al. "Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population." Archives of internal medicine 172.18 (2012): 1377-1385. <https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/1351351>.
Smith, Kerri. "Mental health: A world of depression." Nature 515.181 (2014). <https://www.nature.com/articles/515180a>.
Stein, Dan J. et al. "Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment in the 21st century: paradigm shifts versus incremental integration." World Psychiatry 21.3 (2022): 393-414. <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wps.20998>.
Yung, Alison R. "Youth Services: the need to integrate mental health, physical health, and social care." Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 51.3 (2016). <https://www.proquest.com/publichealth/docview/1776598420/fulltextPDF/3E74DF003D9F4842PQ/2?accountid=7022>.,"
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