Look Down, Look Away, Look Anywhere but Up

          Welcome back, readers and thinkers alike. As I continue with my theme of using creative art to illustrate points about certain diseases, I plan to present a serious mental disorder that will plague many of us at least once in our lifetimes: depression. Though there is a lack of social stigma in comparison to my earlier post concerning Schizophrenia, there still exists the belief that depression is a mild form of sadness resulting from the inability to recover from sorrowful situations. However, let's take a step back and discuss what depression is and why it's considered a serious mental health issue.

          The health website Mayoclinic describes depression as “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.” In addition to a waking reality of sadness, there are a myriad of other stressful and sometimes crippling symptoms that can accompany depression: difficulty concentrating or making decisions, irritability towards others, physiological problems, the loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities, and feelings of worthlessness and guilt that lead many people to attempt or ponder the benefits of committing suicide. Interestingly enough, there are many different types of depression ranging from those dealing with psychotic episodes to those dealing with anxiety. In addition – unbeknownst to me – chronic sources of stress can lead to trials of depression.                  There is an incredible difference when treating an individual in a constant state of depression in comparison to a temporary state of sadness; the sooner the reverse stigma (an imaginary term that describes the act of displaying almost no sign of empathy or sympathy towards a societal taboo) towards depression is withdrawn, the sooner those that are afflicted can recover and grow.

Studies illustrated by the Healthline website show that about 1 in every 10 Americans suffer from clinical depression; the number of individuals in the United States diagnosed with it increases by about 20% each year. However, nearly 80% of those that show signs of clinical depression are not receiving specific treatments to aid their struggle towards “normality”. According to the National Institute of Health, more than 21 million people in the United States alone suffer from a form of depression per year, while more than 121 million people globally suffer from current bouts of depression. What do all of these stats mean, exactly? The World Health Organization has recently proposed that depression is the leading cause of illness and disability in adolescents (10-19 year olds) and consequently – or correlative to that fact – suicides have become the 3^rd leading killer of teenagers and young adults – behind only HIV/AIDS and road traffic injuries. The act of taking one's life should never reside in a list illustrating the top causes of death – especially when those lists deal with children who have yet to experience the highs and lows that life could have offered them.

          Depression can be caused by one's genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors; there is no one situation or single cause that determines the growth of this disorder. However, situations of permanent stress – such as alcoholic/abusive relationships or positions where pressure is constantly thrust upon an individual – can explain the environmental aspects of the disease. Many stories describing the beginnings of one's depression are different, but they all include the same raw feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and utter sadness. If you are interested in reading some stories concerning pre-adolescent depression, I suggest visiting the website depressedchild.org.

          In keeping with this week's topic, I have written a song that describes feelings that I have personally felt in correlation to my past relationships. Though I believe that this does not scratch the surface of true depression, I think that the idea of failed relationships appeals to a much wider audience. In doing so, I hope to illustrate the worthlessness, guilt, and pain that many people will endure during their lifetimes. The most powerful asset that sufferers of depression have, in contrast to this song, is their relationships with family, friends, and lovers. Genuine emotional support being given to these individuals – along with certain types of medication that will help to balance the chemical inconsistencies within the brain – is the difference between saying “good-bye” to a person and saying “see you later”. In conclusion, the only thing that we can really alter to help those in need is ourselves; support and understanding are more powerful than any medicine that we administer them.

“Without You”

I'll never forgot how I said goodbye

The pain in my chest with tears in my eyes

A picturesque moment of sweet lullabies

Is all I have left of us.

We danced on the clouds in all of my dreams,

But our lives fell apart, there's no in between

I'm only awake when I'm falling asleep

Thoughts are never enough.

Cause you were my smile

And I was your pain.

You were my warmth when I was your rain.

You were my joy

When your heart ached

For you, I've just gotta walk away.

Please forgive me, but someday you'll see

That your smile's brighter without me.

In every moment and every chance,

I wonder who's out there stealing a glance

Who's holding you tight and making you laugh

Beyond our front door?

And every second I lie awake in my bed

I reminisce and just hope that instead

Of living life lonely, you'll love me again

But I can't hurt you anymore.

I wish we never had to meet

Cause now I can hardly breathe

When I wake up without your eyes

Meeting mine, it's a crime, won't lie.

Cause you were my smile

And I was your pain.

You were my warmth when I was your rain.

You were my joy

When your heart ached

For you, I've just gotta walk away.

Don't you dare look back on us

Cause memories are never enough.

Working Bibliography

The Depressed Child: Personal Stories of Depressed Children. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.depressedchild.org/Personal_Stories/Personal_Stories.htm>

"Depression Top Cause of Illness in World's Teens, World Health Organiszation Reports."The Sydney Morning Herald. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.smh.com.au/world/depression-top-cause-of- illness-in-worlds-teens-world-health-organisation-reports-20140515-zrd2i.html>.

"Unhappiness by the Numbers: 2012 Depression Statistics.". Healthline Networks Incorporated, 2012. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.healthline.com/health/depression/statistics-infographic>.