Depression

Depression:

A Global Concern

Dr. Campbell

Anatomy I

10 September 2014

Depression

Depression bridges the gap between a mental illness and a physical disease. Consequently, depression makes for an excellent subject for further examination as it requires delving briefly into multiple scientific disciplines. However, it is probably the combination of a wide breadth of knowledge into the disease and sciences’ ever tightening grasp on the elusive solution to the problem that make it a subject fraught with intrigue and ripe for examination. The Mayo Clinic describes depression as “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014). Depression is not described as brief sadness but an affliction that can be all consuming and difficult to predict. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1-10 adults report suffering from some degree of depression. The CDC’s research into depression also concludes that depression affects people from a wide variety of backgrounds (CDC, 2011). There is also a widely held conception that depression is a western world problem as a result of fewer distractions that come with combating for day to day survival. There is research that suggests this is not the case.

Individuals suffering from depression are subject to a wide range of symptoms. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America lists a number of these symptoms. Sufferers often lose interest in activities they once enjoyed including hobbies and sex (ADAA, 2010). Persistent feelings of loneliness or worthlessness often highlight the symptoms of someone suffering from depression (ADAA, 2010). An individual will notice a decrease in motivation and energy, often accompanied by a diminished sex drive (ADAA, 2010)....