essay on mental health and depression

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Mental Health Essay

Introduction

Mental health, often overshadowed by its physical counterpart, is an intricate and essential aspect of human existence. It envelops our emotions, psychological state, and social well-being, shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and interactions. With the complexities of modern life—constant connectivity, societal pressures, personal expectations, and the frenzied pace of technological advancements—mental well-being has become increasingly paramount. Historically, conversations around this topic have been hushed, shrouded in stigma and misunderstanding. However, as the curtains of misconception slowly lift, we find ourselves in an era where discussions about mental health are not only welcomed but are also seen as vital. Recognizing and addressing the nuances of our mental state is not merely about managing disorders; it's about understanding the essence of who we are, how we process the world around us, and how we navigate the myriad challenges thrown our way. This essay aims to delve deep into the realm of mental health, shedding light on its importance, the potential consequences of neglect, and the spectrum of mental disorders that many face in silence.

Importance of Mental Health

Mental health plays a pivotal role in determining how individuals think, feel, and act. It influences our decision-making processes, stress management techniques, interpersonal relationships, and even our physical health. A well-tuned mental state boosts productivity, creativity, and the intrinsic sense of self-worth, laying the groundwork for a fulfilling life.

Negative Impact of Mental Health

Neglecting mental health, on the other hand, can lead to severe consequences. Reduced productivity, strained relationships, substance abuse, physical health issues like heart diseases, and even reduced life expectancy are just some of the repercussions of poor mental health. It not only affects the individual in question but also has a ripple effect on their community, workplace, and family.

Mental Disorders: Types and Prevalence

Mental disorders are varied and can range from anxiety and mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder to more severe conditions such as schizophrenia.

• Depression: Characterized by persistent sadness, lack of interest in activities, and fatigue.
• Anxiety Disorders: Encompass conditions like generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and specific phobias.
• Schizophrenia: A complex disorder affecting a person's ability to think, feel, and behave clearly.

The prevalence of these disorders has been on the rise, underscoring the need for comprehensive mental health initiatives and awareness campaigns.

Understanding Mental Health and Its Importance

Mental health is not merely the absence of disorders but encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Recognizing the signs of deteriorating mental health, like prolonged sadness, extreme mood fluctuations, or social withdrawal, is crucial. Understanding stems from awareness and education. Societal stigmas surrounding mental health have often deterred individuals from seeking help. Breaking these barriers, fostering open conversations, and ensuring access to mental health care are imperative steps.

Conclusion: Mental Health

Mental health, undeniably, is as significant as physical health, if not more. In an era where the stressors are myriad, from societal pressures to personal challenges, mental resilience and well-being are essential. Investing time and resources into mental health initiatives, and more importantly, nurturing a society that understands, respects, and prioritizes mental health is the need of the hour.

• World Leaders: Several influential personalities, from celebrities to sports stars, have openly discussed their mental health challenges, shedding light on the universality of these issues and the importance of addressing them.
• Workplaces: Progressive organizations are now incorporating mental health programs, recognizing the tangible benefits of a mentally healthy workforce, from increased productivity to enhanced creativity.
• Educational Institutions: Schools and colleges, witnessing the effects of stress and other mental health issues on students, are increasingly integrating counseling services and mental health education in their curriculum.

In weaving through the intricate tapestry of mental health, it becomes evident that it's an area that requires collective attention, understanding, and action.

  Short Essay about Mental Health

Mental health, an integral facet of human well-being, shapes our emotions, decisions, and daily interactions. Just as one would care for a sprained ankle or a fever, our minds too require attention and nurture. In today's bustling world, mental well-being is often put on the back burner, overshadowed by the immediate demands of life. Yet, its impact is pervasive, influencing our productivity, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Sadly, mental health issues have long been stigmatized, seen as a sign of weakness or dismissed as mere mood swings. However, they are as real and significant as any physical ailment. From anxiety to depression, these disorders have touched countless lives, often in silence due to societal taboos.

But change is on the horizon. As awareness grows, conversations are shifting from hushed whispers to open discussions, fostering understanding and support. Institutions, workplaces, and communities are increasingly acknowledging the importance of mental health, implementing programs, and offering resources.

In conclusion, mental health is not a peripheral concern but a central one, crucial to our holistic well-being. It's high time we prioritize it, eliminating stigma and fostering an environment where everyone feels supported in their mental health journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the primary focus of a mental health essay?

Answer: The primary focus of a mental health essay is to delve into the intricacies of mental well-being, its significance in our daily lives, the various challenges people face, and the broader societal implications. It aims to shed light on both the psychological and emotional aspects of mental health, often emphasizing the importance of understanding, empathy, and proactive care.

• How can writing an essay on mental health help raise awareness about its importance?

Answer: Writing an essay on mental health can effectively articulate the nuances and complexities of the topic, making it more accessible to a wider audience. By presenting facts, personal anecdotes, and research, the essay can demystify misconceptions, highlight the prevalence of mental health issues, and underscore the need for destigmatizing discussions around it. An impactful essay can ignite conversations, inspire action, and contribute to a more informed and empathetic society.

• What are some common topics covered in a mental health essay?

Answer: Common topics in a mental health essay might include the definition and importance of mental health, the connection between mental and physical well-being, various mental disorders and their symptoms, societal stigmas and misconceptions, the impact of modern life on mental health, and the significance of therapy and counseling. It may also delve into personal experiences, case studies, and the broader societal implications of neglecting mental health.

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This is what depression feels like

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Everyone experiences sadness at times. But depression is something more. Depression is extreme sadness or despair that lasts more than days. It interferes with the activities of daily life and can cause physical symptoms such as pain, weight loss or gain, sleeping pattern disruptions, or lack of energy.

People with depression may also experience an inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Depression is the most common mental disorder. Fortunately, depression is treatable. A combination of therapy and antidepressant medication can help ensure recovery.

Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology

Resources from APA

Antidepressant use among teen girls and young women

No such rise among teen boys and young men during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Improving concussion care

Psychologists’ important role in treating anxiety and depression after concussions

Effective treatment for autistic adults

There are few, if any, support services for autistic people transitioning to adulthood.

Chronic pain is linked to depression and anxiety

Many also experience work limitations, difficulty completing errands alone, and trouble taking part in social activities

More resources about depression

What APA is doing

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression

Treatment of Late-Life Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, and Substance Abuse

Breastfeeding Doesn't Need to Suck

Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Treatment of Psychosocial Risk Factors in Depression

Complex Depression

Magination Press children’s books

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Danny and the Blue Cloud

Pockets Full of Rocks

Journal special issues

Exceptional Canadian Contributions to Research in Depression / Les contributions canadiennes exceptionnelles à la recherche sur la dépression

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Depression: A global public health concern

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327 Depression Essay Titles & Examples

When choosing a title about depression, you have to remain mindful since this is a sensitive subject. This is why our experts have listed 177 depression essay topics to help you get started.

🌧️ How to Write a Depression Essay: Do’s and Don’ts

🏆 unique titles about depression, 🥇 most interesting depression title ideas, 📌 good titles for depression essay, ✅ simple & easy depression essay titles, 🎓 interesting topics to write about depression, 📑 good research topics about depression.

• ❓ Research Questions for a Depression Essay

Depression is a disorder characterized by prolonged periods of sadness and loss of interest in life. The symptoms include irritability, insomnia, anxiety, and trouble concentrating. This disorder can produce physical problems, self-esteem issues, and general stress in a person’s life. Difficult life events and trauma are typical causes of depression. Want to find out more? Check out our compilation below.

A depression essay is an important assignment that will help you to explore the subject and its impact on people. Writing this type of paper may seem challenging at first, but there are some secrets that will make achieving a high grade much easier. Check below for a list of do’s and don’ts to get started!

DO select a narrow topic. Before starting writing, define the subject of the paper, and write down some possible titles. This will help you to focus your thoughts instead of offering generic information that can easily be found on Wikipedia. Consider writing about a particular population or about the consequences of depression. For example, a teenage depression essay could earn you excellent marks! If you find this step challenging, try searching for depression essay topics online. This will surely give you some inspiration.

DON’T copy from peers or other students. Today, tutors are usually aware of the power of the Internet and will check your paper for plagiarism. Hence, if you copy information from other depression essays, you could lose a lot of marks. You could search for depression essay titles or sample papers online, but avoid copying any details from these sources.

DO your research before starting. High-quality research is crucial when you write essays on mental health issues. There are plenty of online resources that could help you, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and others. To find relevant scientific articles, search for your primary and secondary topics of interest. Then filter results by relevance, publication date, and access type. This will help you to identify sources that you can view online and use to support your ideas.

DON’T rely on unverified sources. This is a crucial mistake many students make that usually results in failing the paper. Sources that are not academic, such as websites, blogs, and Wiki pages, may contain false or outdated information. Some exceptions are official publications and web pages of medical organizations, such as the CDC, APA, and the World Health Organization.

DO consider related health issues. Depression is often associated with other mental or physical health issues, so you should reflect on this in your paper. Some examples of problems related to depression are suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and panic attack disorder. To show your in-depth understanding of the issue, you could write a depression and anxiety essay that shows the relationship between the two. Alternatively, you can devote one or two paragraphs to examining the prevalence of other mental health problems in people with depression.

DON’T include personal opinions and experiences unless required. A good essay on the subject of depression should be focused and objective. Hence, you should rely on research rather than on your understanding of the theme. For example, if you have to answer the question “What is depression?” look for scientific articles or official publications that contain the definition rather than trying to explain it in your own words.

DON’T forget about structure. The structure of your essay helps to present arguments or points logically, thus assisting the reader in making sense of the information. A good thing to do is to write a depression essay outline before you start the paper. You should list your key points supported by relevant depression quotes from academic publications. Follow the outline carefully to avoid gaps and inconsistencies.

Use these do’s and don’ts, and you will be able to write an excellent paper on depression! If you want to see more tips and tricks that will help you elevate your writing, look around our website!

• Understanding Teen Depression Impacts of depression on teenagers Depression is characterized by several effects; however, most of them impact negatively to the teens. For instance, a considerable percentage of teens use extra-curriculum activities such as sports and games, […]
• Beck Depression Inventory, Its History and Benefits Therefore, the detection of depression at its early stage, the evaluation of the risks, and the definition of the level of depression are the main goals.
• Health Promotion: Depression Awareness in Teenagers In addition to community sensitization and promoting the expression of melancholic emotions by adolescents, the DAP program will include depression screening days in schools.
• Report Writing About Depression There is concrete evidence that many people in Australia tend to believe that depression is the cause of all suicide deaths in the world, but this not true.
• Effect of Social Media on Depression The number of friends that the participants of the mock study had in their social sites was also related to the degree of depression that they experienced.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treating Depression CBT works on the principle that positive thoughts and behaviour heralds positive moods and this is something that can be learned; therefore, by learning to think and behave positively, someone may substitute negative thoughts with […]
• Anxiety and Depression Among College Students The central hypothesis for this study is that college students have a higher rate of anxiety and depression. Some of the materials to be used in the study will include pencils, papers, and tests.
• Emotional Wellness: The Issue of Depression Through Different Lenses As for the humanities lens, the increasing prevalence of depression causes the institution of religion to incorporate the issue into major confessions’ mindsets and messages.
• Depression in the Lens of History and Humanities In terms of history, this paper analyzes the origin of depression and the progress made over the years in finding treatment and preventive mechanisms.
• Depression, Grief, Loss in “Ordinary People” Film The coach is curious to know Conrad’s experiences at the hospital and the use of ECT. Towards the end of the film, Conrad reveals to the therapist that he feels guilty about his brother’s death.
• Depression in Older Adults The understanding and modification of the contributions of these factors is the ultimate goal of the clinicians who engage in the treatment of depression.
• The Problem of Childhood Depression Thus, it is essential to explore the reasons for the disease and possible ways to treat depression in kids. In kids, the prevention of depression is fundamental to understanding the cause of the poor mood […]
• Depression and Melancholia Expressed by Hamlet The paper will not attempt and sketch the way the signs or symptoms of depression/melancholia play a part in the way Shakespeare’s period or culture concerning depression/melancholia, but in its place portrays the way particular […]
• Depression in Adolescence and Treatment Approaches The age of adolescence, commonly referred to as children aged 10-19, is characterized by a variety of changes to one’s physical and mental health, as the child undergoes several stages of adjustment to the environment […]
• Anxiety and Depression: The Case Study As he himself explained, he is not used to positive affirmation due to low self-esteem, and his family experiences also point to the fact that he was not comforted often as a child.
• Psychological Measures: The Beck Depression Inventory The BDI is used to evaluate levels of depression in patients and to observe the efficacy of other interventions such as antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy.
• Organizational Behaviour: Depression in the Workplace This paper will examine the impacts of depression on the employees’ work performance and attendance and look at how managers can deal with hidden depression in such employees. The particular factors that bring about such […]
• Depression in female adolescents This technique differentiates between those characteristics that are considered normal by the society in relation to female adolescent and those that are peculiar which are symptoms of depression. However, there are side effects related to […]
• Social Networking and Depression The findings of the study confirmed that once an individual engages in social networking, his or her feeling of safety goes down and depression mood emerges meaning that a correlation between depression and social networking […]
• The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) Measure The author of the article on “Depression in Children: Children’s Depression Inventory” has used both the classical test score and generalizability theories.
• Using the Neuman Model in the Early Diagnosis of Depression In the history of the academic development of nursing theories, there are a variety of iconic figures who have made significant contributions to the evolution of the discipline: one of them is Betty Neuman.
• The Beck Depression Contrast (BDI) The second difference between the two modes of the BDI is in the methodology of conducting the survey. This is where the interviewer first gets the history of the patient to try and get the […]
• Depression and Anxiety Due to School and Work-Related Stress Many young students are not aware of the roots of their psychological problems and continue suffering from depression or anxiety, which results in low productivity, poor achievements, and a decreased quality of life.
• Depression and Grief in the “Ordinary People” Film At the end of the film, he is healed and ready to forgive his mother and stop blaming himself. I believe that the relationship between Conrad and his therapist, Dr.
• Beck Depression Inventory: Evaluation Plan Reliability test Pretest and posttest scores from a nonclinical sample of respondents screened a week apart will be compared to determine the reliability of the tool for use in a longitudinal study.
• Beck Depression Inventory in Psychological Practice Beck in the 1990s, the theory disrupted the traditional flow of Freudian theories development and introduced the audience to the concept of cognitive development, therefore, inviting psychologists to interpret the changes in the patient’s emotional […]
• Depression Symptoms and Cognitive Behavior Therapy The tone of the article is informative and objective, throughout the text the authors maintain an academic and scientific mood. The structure of the article is well organized and easy to read.
• Proposal on Depression in Middle-Aged Women By understand the aspect of unhappiness among the young women; it will be easier for the healthcare institutions to formulate effective and appropriate approaches to reduce the menace in the society.
• Biological Psychology: Lesion Studies and Depression Detection The purpose of this article is to share the research findings and discussion on the new methodological developments of Lesion studies.
• Using AI to Diagnose and Treat Depression One of the main features of AI is the ability to machine learning, that is, to use data from past experiences to learn and modify algorithms in the future.
• Artificial Intelligence Bot for Depression By increasing the availability and accessibility of mental health services, these technologies may also contribute to the development of cognitive science practices in Malaysia.
• COVID-Related Depression: Lingering Signs of Depression The purpose of the article is to depict the research in a more approachable way, while the latter accentuates the importance of various factors and flaws of the results. While the former is more simplified, […]
• Depression and Anxiety Among African Americans Finally, it should be insightful to understand the attitudes of friends and family members, so 5 additional interviews will be conducted with Black and White persons not having the identified mental conditions. The selected mental […]
• Depression in Dialysis Patients: Treatment and Management If I were to conduct experimental research about the treatment and management of depression in dialysis patients, I would focus on finding the most effective and safe medication for the condition among adults.
• The Serotonin Theory of Depression by Moncrieff et al. The serotonin theory of depression is closely related to antidepressants since the advent of SSRIs played a significant role in the popularization of the theory.
• Avery’s Depression in “The Flick” Play by Baker The emotional and mental state of Avery, the only African-American character out of the three, is fairly obvious from the get-go when asked about why he is so depressed, the answer is: “Um.
• Depression: A Quantitative-Qualitative Analysis A decision tree can be used due to the nature of the research question or hypothesis in place, the measurement of the dependent or research variable, the number of groups or independent variable levels, and […]
• Depression Detection Tests Analysis The problem of the abundance of psychological tests leads to the need to compare multiple testing options for indicators of their purpose, features, and interpretations of the evaluation and validity.
• Nursing Care for Patients With COVID-19 & Depression The significance of the selected problem contributed to the emergence of numerous research works devoted to the issue. This approach to choosing individuals guaranteed the increased credibility of findings and provided the authors with the […]
• 16 Personality Factors Test for Depression Patient Pablos results, it is necessary to understand the interaction and pattern of the scores of the primary factors. A combination of high Apprehension and high Self-Reliance is a pattern describing a tendency to isolate oneself.
• Depression in a 30-Year-Old Female Client In the given case, it would be useful to identify the patterns in Alex’s relationships and reconsider her responses to her partner.
• Depression in Primary Care: Screening and Diagnosis The clinical topics for this research are the incidence of depression in young adults and how to diagnose this disorder early in the primary care setting using screening tools such as PHQ9.
• Major Depression and Cognitive Behavior Therapy Since the intervention had no significant effect on Lola, the paper will explore the physical health implication of anxiolytics and antidepressants in adolescents, including the teaching strategies that nurses can utilize on consumers to recognize […]
• Jungian Psychotherapy for Depression and Anxiety They work as a pizza delivery man in their spare time from scientific activities, and their parents also send them a small amount of money every month.S.migrated to New York not only to get an […]
• COVID-19 and Depression: The Impact of Nursing Care and Technology Nevertheless, combatting depression is a crucial step in posing positive achievements to recover from mental and physical wellness caused by COVID-19.
• Depression Disorder Intervention The researchers evaluated the socioemotional signs of mental illnesses in a sample of diagnostically referred adolescents with clinical depression required to undergo regular cognitive behavioral therapy in a medical setting.
• Financial Difficulties in Childhood and Adult Depression in Europe The authors found that the existence of closer ties between the catalyst of depression and the person suffering from depression leads to worse consequences.
• Activity During Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression Studies have shown that women’s mood and cardiorespiratory fitness improve when they engage in moderate-intensity physical activity in the weeks and months after giving birth to a child.
• Clinical Depression: Causes and Development Therefore, according to Aaron Beck, the causes and development of depression can be explained through the concepts of schema and negative cognitive triad.
• Aspects of Working With Depression It also contributes to the maintenance and rooting of a bad mood, as the patient has sad thoughts due to the fact that the usual does not cause satisfaction.
• Depression Among Nurses in COVID-19 Wards The findings are of great significance to researchers and governments and can indicate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among nurses working in COVID-19 wards in the North-East of England during the pandemic.
• Depression Associated With Sleep Disorders Y, Chang, C. Consequently, it directly affects the manifestation of obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder in people with depression.
• Depression in a 25-Year-Old Male Patient Moreover, a person in depression complains of the slowness in mental processes, notes the oppression of instincts, the loss of the instinct of self-preservation, and the lack of the ability to enjoy life.
• Aspects and Manifestation of Depression Although, symptoms of depression in young people, in contrast to older adults, are described by psychomotor agitation or lethargy, fatigue, and loss of energy.
• Complementary Therapy for Postpartum Depression in Primary Care Thus, the woman faced frustration and sadness, preventing her from taking good care of the child, and the lack of support led to the emergence of concerns similar to those in the past.
• Depression and Anxiety Clinical Case Many of the factors come from the background and life experiences of the patient. The client then had a chance to reflect on the results and think of the possible alternative thoughts.
• Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes and Depression Treatment The data synthesis demonstrates that carefully chosen depression and anxiety treatment is likely to result in better A1C outcomes for the patient on the condition that the treatment is regular and convenient for the patients.
• Technology to Fight Postpartum Depression in African American Women I would like to introduce the app “Peanut” the social network designed to help and unite women exclusively, as a technology aimed at fighting postpartum depression in African American Women.
• Complementary Therapy in Treatment of Depression Such practices lower the general level of anxiety and remove the high risks of manifestation of states of abulia, that is, clinical lack of will and acute depression.
• Social Determinants of Health and Depression Among African American Adults The article “Social Determinants of Health and Depression among African American Adults: A Scoping Review of Current Research” examines the current research on the relationship between social determinants of health and depression among African American […]
• Outcomes Exercise Has on Depression for People Between 45-55 Years According to the WHO, the rate of depression in the U.S.was 31. 5% as of October 2021, with the majority of the victims being adults aged between 45 and 55 years.
• The Postpartum Depression in Afro-Americans Policy The distribution of the funds is managed and administered on the state level. Minnesota and Maryland focused on passing the legislation regulating the adoption of Medicaid in 2013.
• Case Study of Depression and Mental Pressure Alison believes that her illness is severe and taking a toll all the time, and the environment is worsening the condition.
• Depression Among the Medicare Population in Maryland The statistics about the prevalence and comorbidity rates of depression are provided from the Medicare Chronic Conditions Dashboard and are portrayed in the table included in the paper.
• Depression as Public Health Population-Based Issue In regard to particular races and ethnicities, CDC provided the following breakdown of female breast cancer cases and deaths: White women: 128 new cases and 20 deaths per 100.
• Managing Mental Health Medications for Depression and its Ethical Contradiction The second objective is to discover ethical contradictions in such treatment for people of various cultures and how different people perceive the disorder and react to the medication.
• Aspects of Depression and Obesity In some cases, people with mild to severe depression choose not to seek professional care and instead try to overcome their depression with self-help or the support of family and friends.
• Antidepressant Treatment of Adolescent Depression At the same time, scientists evidenced that in the case of negative exposure to stress and depression, the human organism diminishes BDNF expression in the hippocampus.
• Online Peer Support Groups for Depression and Anxiety Disorder The main objective of peer support groups is connecting people with the same life experiences and challenges to share and support each other in healing and recovery.
• Emotional Encounter With a Patient With Major Depression Disorder I shared this idea with him and was trying to create the treatment plan, sharing some general thoughts on the issue.
• Childhood Depression in Sub-Saharan Africa According to Sterling et al, depression in early childhood places a significant load on individuals, relatives, and society by increasing hospitalization and fatality and negatively impacting the quality of life during periods of severe depression.
• Breastfeeding and Risk of Postpartum Depression The primary goal of the research conducted by Islam et al.was to analyze the correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and the risk of postpartum depression among new mothers.
• Nursing Intervention in Case of Severe Depression The patient was laid off from work and went through a divorce in the year. This led to a change in prescribed medications, and the patient was put on tricyclic anti-depressants.
• Screening for Depression in Acute Care The literature review provides EB analysis for the topic of depression to identify the need for an appropriate screening tool in addition to the PHQ-9 in the assessment evaluation process.
• Social Media Use and the Risk of Depression Thapa and Subedi explain that the reason for the development of depressive symptoms is the lack of face to face conversation and the development of perceived isolation. Is there a relationship between social media use […]
• Depression in the Field of a Healthcare Administrator According to Davey and Harrison, the most challenging part of healthcare administration in terms of depression is the presence of distorted views, shaped by patients’ thoughts.
• The Treatment of Adolescents With Depression While treating a teenager with depression, it is important to maintain the link between the cause of the mental illness’ progression and the treatment.
• Depression in the Black Community The speaker said that her counselor was culturally sensitive, which presumes that regardless of the race one belongs to, a specialist must value their background.
• Loneliness and Depression During COVID-19 While the article discusses the prevalence of loneliness and depression among young people, I agree that young people may be more subject to mental health problems than other population groups, but I do not agree […]
• Depression Screening in the Acute Setting Hence, it is possible to develop a policy recommending the use of the PHQ-9, such as the EBDST, in the acute setting.
• Ketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Neurobiology and Applications It is known that a violation of the functions of the serotonergic pathways leads to various mental deviations, the most typical of which is clinical depression.
• Treating Obesity Co-Occurring With Depression In most cases, the efficiency of obesity treatment is relatively low and commonly leads to the appearance of a comorbid mental health disorder depression.
• Treadmill Exercise Ameliorates Social Isolation-Induced Depression The groups included: the social isolation group, the control group, and the exercise and social isolation and exercise group. In the treadmill exercise protocol, the rat pups ran on the treadmill once a day for […]
• Depression and Anxiety Among Chronic Pain Patients The researchers used The Depression Module of the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale to interview participants, evaluate their answers, and conduct the study.
• The Difference Between Art Deco and Depression Modern Design By and whole, Art Deco and Depression differ in their characteristics and their meanings as they bring unlike messages to the viewers.
• Postpartum Depression in African American Women As far as African American women are concerned, the issue becomes even more complex due to several reasons: the stigma associated with the mental health of African American women and the mental health complications that […]
• The Depression Construct and Instrument Analysis For the therapist, this scaling allows to assess the general picture of the patient’s psychological state and obtain a result that is suitable for measurement.
• The Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on Depression in Adults Introduction It is hard to disagree that there is a vast number of mental disorders that prevent people from leading their normal lives and are quite challenging to treat. One such psychological condition is depression (Li et al., 2020). Since there is a social stigma of depression, and some of its symptoms are similar to […]
• Stress and Depression Among Nursing Students The study aims to determine how different the manifestations of stress and depression are among American nursing students compared to students of other disciplines and what supports nursing students in continuing their education.
• Depression in Diabetes Patients The presence of depression concomitant to diabetes mellitus prevents the adaptation of the patient and negatively affects the course of the underlying disease.
• Depression among Homosexual Males The literature used for the research on the paper aims to overview depression among homosexual males and describe the role of the nurse and practices based on the Recovery Model throughout the depression.
• “What the Depression Did to People” by Edward Robb Ellis Nevertheless, the way the facts are grouped and delivered could be conducive to students’ ability to develop a clearer picture of the catastrophic downturn’s influences on the nation’s and the poor population’s mentalities.
• Economic Inequality During COVID-19: Correlation With Depression and Addiction Thus, during the pandemic, people with lower incomes experienced depression and increased their addictive behaviors to cope with the stress of COVID-19.
• Obesity Co-Occurring With Depression The assessment will identify the patient with the two conditions, address the existing literature on the issue, examine how patients are affected by organizational and governmental policies, and propose strategies to improve the patient experience.
• Depression in the Black and Minority Ethnic Groups The third sector of the economy includes all non-governmental, non-profit, voluntary, philanthropic, and charitable organizations and social enterprises specializing in various types of activities, which did not find a place in either the public or […]
• Biological and Social-Cognitive Perspectives on Depression The social-cognitive perspective states that the disorder’s development is influenced by the events in the patient’s life and their way of thinking.
• A Description on the Topic Screening Depression If there is the implementation of evidence-based care, a reduction in the proportion of disability for patients with depression would be expected. A proposal was written describing the need for screening depression patients of nearly […]
• “Disclosure of Symptoms of Postnatal Depression, …” by Carolyn Chew-Graham Critique In light of hypothesizing the research question, the researchers suggest that health practitioners have the ability to create a conducive environment for the disclosure of information.
• Depression – Psychotherapeutic Treatment Taking into account the fact that the specialist is not able to prescribe the medicine or a sort of treatment if he/she is not sure in the positive effect it might have on the health […]
• Depression as a Major Health Issue The purpose of the study was to examine the implications of cognitive behavior approaches for depression in old women receiving health care in different facilities.
• Effective Ways to Address Anxiety and Depression Looking deep into the roots of the problem will provide a vast and detailed vision of it, and will help to develop ways to enhance the disorders.
• Einstepam: The Treatment of Depression The treatment of depression has greatly revolutionized since the development of tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors in the 1950s. In the brain, it inhibits the NMDA receptors and isoforms of NOS.
• The Potential of Psilocybin in Treating Depression First of all, it is essential to understand the general effects of psilocybin on the brain that are present in the current literature.
• Depression Among High School Students The major problem surrounding depression among adolescents is that they are rarely diagnosed in time and therefore do not receive treatment they need.
• NICE Guidelines for Depression Management: Project Proposal This topic is of importance for VEGA because the center does not employ any specific depression management guidelines.
• Depression: Diagnostics, Prevention and Treatment Constant communication with the patient and their relatives, purposeful questioning of the patient, special scales and tests, active observation of the patient’s appearance and behavior are the steps in the nursing diagnosis of depression.
• Depression and Anxiety Intervention Plan John’s Wort to intervene for her condition together with the prescribed anti-depressant drugs, I would advise and educate her on the drug-to-drug relations, and the various complications brought about by combining St. Conducting proper patient […]
• The Use of Psychedelic Drugs in Treating Depression This study aims to establish whether depressive patients can significantly benefit from psilocybin without substantial side effects like in the case of other psychedelic drugs.
• Postpartum Depression Among the Low-Income U.S. Mothers Mothers who take part in the programs develop skills and knowledge to use the existing social entities to ensure that they protect themselves from the undesirable consequences associated with the PPD and other related psychological […]
• Depression: Description, Symptoms and Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment A diagnosis is made in situations where the symptoms persist for at least two weeks and lead to a change in the individual’s level of functioning.
• Psychedelic Drugs and Their Effects on Anxiety and Depression The participants must also be willing to remain in the study for the duration of the experiments and consent to the drugs’ use.
• VEGA Medical Center: The Quality of Depression Management This presentation is going to provide an overview of a project dedicated to the implementation of NICE guidelines at the VEGA Medical Center.
• Anxiety and Depression in Hispanic Youth in Monmouth County Therefore, the Health Project in Monmouth County will help Hispanic children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 to cope with anxiety and depression through behavioral therapy.
• Anxiety Disorders and Depression In her case, anxiety made her feel that she needed to do more, and everything needed to be perfect. She noted that the background of her depression and anxiety disorders was her family.
• Clinical Case Report: Depression It is possible to assume that being in close contact with a person who has depression also increases the probability of experiencing its symptoms.
• PICO Analysis of Depression In other words, the causes of the given mental disorder can highly vary, and there is no sufficient evidence to point out a primary factor that triggers depression.
• Interventions for Treating Depression after Stroke Inherently, the link between depression and stroke can be analyzed on the basis of post-stroke depression that is identified as the major neuropsychiatric corollary of stroke.
• Depression: The Implications and Challenges in Managing the Illness At home, these people lack interest in their family and are not be able to enjoy the shared activities and company of the family.
• Expression Symptoms of Depression A major finding of the critique is that although the research method and design are appropriate to this type of study, the results may be speculative in their validity and reliability as the researchers used […]
• Researching Postnatal Depression Health professionals suggest that the fluctuations in the level of hormones cause changes in the chemical composition of the brain. The researcher has stated that the sample was selected from the general practitioners and health […]
• The Older Women With Depression Living in Long-Term Care The researchers used the probability-sampling method to select the institutions that were included in the study. The health care professionals working in the nursing homes were interviewed to ascertain the diagnosis of depression as well […]
• Medical Evaluation: 82-Year-Old Patient With Depression Her extreme level of weakness unfolded when the patient admitted that she lacked the strength to stand on her feet and to head back to her sleeping bed on a disastrous night.Mrs.
• Depression in Adults: Community Health Needs The challenge of depression in the elderly is the recognition of signs and symptoms or the frequent underreporting of the symptoms of depression in adults over the age of 65.
• The Discussion about Depression in Older Patients Depression is often identified as the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in the elderly and is usually determined by symptoms that belong to somatic, affective, and cognitive categories.
• Depression in Older People in Australia Although a good number of depressed elderly patients aspire to play an active role in the treatment decision-making process, some prefer to delegate this role to their doctors.
• In-Vitro Fertilization and Postpartum Depression The research was conducted through based on professional information sources and statistical data collected from the research study used to further validate the evidence and outcome of this study.
• Depression: Screening and Diagnosis What he tries to do is to live a day and observe the changes that occur around. What do you do to change your attitude to life?
• Depression in Australia. Evaluation of Different Factors In attempts to identify the biological causes of depression, the researchers focus on the analysis of brain functioning, chemical mediators, their correlations with the neurologic centers in the brain, and impact on the limbic system […]
• Mental Health Paper: Depression The prevalence of mental health conditions has been the subject of many studies, with most of these highlighting the increase in these illnesses.
• The Two Hit Model of Cytokine-Induced-Depression The association between IL-6 polymorphism and reduced risk of depressive symptoms confirms the role of the inflammatory response system in the pathophysiology of IFN-alpha-induced depression.
• Ante-Partum & Postpartum Exposure to Maternal Depression The researchers engaged in the research work on this particular study topic by approaching it on the basis of maternal behavior and circumstances, as they connect to depressive conditions in their own lives and the […]
• Depression in Australia, How Treat This Disorder According to The World Health Organization, depression is defined as a disorder in the mental health system that is presented with feelings of guiltiness, low concentration, and a decrease in the need for sleep.
• Steroid Use and Teen Depression In this manner, the researcher will be in a position to determine which of the two indicators is strongest, and then later, the indicators can be narrowed down to the most basic and relevant.
• Depression Among Minority Groups Mental disorders are among the major problems facing the health sector in America and across the world in the contemporary society.
• Aspects and Definition of Depression: Psychiatry This is the personal counseling of a patient with the doctor, and it is one of the very best processes. In the case of a physician dealing with a mental patient, the most preferable way […]
• Alcoholism and Depression: Intervention Strategies The intention of the research paper is to assess if indeed there is an association between alcoholism as manifested by Jackson, and a case of depression.
• Depression and Paranoid Personality Disorder Bainbridge include: The analysis of paranoia and anxiety caused by substance abuse reveals that the diagnosis can be correct based on the symptoms, but the long-lasting nature of the symptoms rejects this diagnosis in favor […]
• Antidepressant Drugs for Depression or Dysthymia These are the newer form of antidepressant that are based on both the principle of serotonin reuptake prevention and norepinephrine action.
• The Relationship of Type 2 Diabetes and Depression Type 2 diabetes is generally recognized as an imbalance between insulin sensitivity and beta cell function We have chosen a rural area in Wisconsin where we can focus our study and select a group of […]
• Teenage Depression and Alcoholism There also has been a demonstrated connection between alcoholism and depression in all ages; as such, people engage in alcoholism as a method of self medication to dull the feelings of depression, hopelessness and lack […]
• “Relationships of Problematic Internet Use With Depression”: Study Strengths and Weaknesses One of the study strengths is that the subject selection process is excellently and well-designed, where the subjects represent the study sample, in general.
• Depression Treatment: Biopsychosocial Theory More to the point, the roles of nurses, an interprofessional team, and the patient’s family will be examined regarding the improvement of Majorie’s health condition.
• Postpartum Depression and Its Impact on Infants The goal of this research was “to investigate the prevalence of maternal depressive symptoms at 5 and 9 months postpartum in a low-income and predominantly Hispanic sample, and evaluate the impact on infant weight gain, […]
• Postpartum Depression: Statistics and Methods of Diagnosis The incorporation of the screening tools into the existing electronic medical support system has proved to lead to positive outcomes for both mothers and children.
• Comorbidity of Depression and Pain It is also known that dysregulation of 5-HT receptors in the brain is directly related to the development of depression and the regulation of the effects of substance P, glutamate, GABA and other pain mediators. […]
• Depression Among University Students The greatest majority of the affected individuals in different universities will be unable to take good care of their bodies and living rooms.
• Hallucinations and Geriatric Depression Intervention Sandy has asserted further that the cleaners at the residence have been giving him the wrong medication since they are conspiring to end his life with the FBI.Mr.
• Changes in Approaches to the Treatment of Depression Over the Past Decade In spite of the fact that over the past decade many approaches to the treatment of depression remained the same, a lot of new methods appeared and replaced some old ones due to the development […]
• Management of Treatment-Resistant Depression The significance of the problem, the project’s aims, the impact that the project may have on the nursing practice, and the coverage of this condition are the primary focuses of this paper.
• Teenage Depression: Psychology-Based Treatment This finding underlines the need to interrogate the issue of depression’s ontology and epistemology. Hence, there is the need to have an elaborate and comprehensive policy for addressing teenage depression.
• Depression and Anxiety in Dialysis Patients However, the study indicates the lack of research behind the connection of depression and cognitive impairment, which is a significant limitation to the conclusive statement.
• Adolescent Grief and Depression In looking for an activity that may help him or her keep away from the pain he or she is experiencing, the victim may decide to engage in sexual activities. Later, the adolescent is also […]
• Depression Disorder: Key Factors Epidemiology refers to the study of the distribution and determinants of health related events in specific populations and its applications to health problems.
• Depression Effects of School Children However the present difficulties that he is going through being a 16 year old; may be associated to a possible cause of Down syndrome complications, or the feelings and behavioral deficiency he associates to the […]
• Depression, Hallucination, and Suicide: Mental Cases How they handle the process determines the kind of aftermath they will experience for instance it can take the route of hallucinations which is treatable or suicide which is irreversible thus how each case is […]
• Depression, Its Perspective and Management Therefore this paper seeks to point out that stress is a major ingredient of depression; show the causes, symptoms, highlight how stresses is manifested in different kinds of people, show how to manage stress that […]
• The Theory of Personality Psychology During Depression The study concerns personality pathology, and the results of the treatment given to patients who are under depression, and how personalities may have adverse effects on the consequences of the cure.
• Depression and the Media Other components of the cognitive triad of depression are the aspect of seeing the environment as overwhelming and that one is too small to make an impact and also seeing the future as bleak and […]
• Poor Body Image, Anxiety, and Depression: Women Who Undergo Breast Implants H02: There is no difference in overt attractiveness to, and frequency of intimacy initiated by, the husband or cohabitating partner of a breast implant patient both before and after the procedure.
• Depression: A Cognitive Perspective Therefore, the cause of depression on this line may be a real shortage of skills, accompanied by negative self-evaluation because the individual is more likely to see the negative aspects or the skills he lacks […]
• Stress, Depression and Psychoneuroimmunology
• Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom
• Family Therapy for Treating Major Depression
• Adverse Childhood Experiences Cause Depression
• Rumination, Perfectionism and Depression in Young People
• Beck’s Cognitive Therapy Approach to Depression Treatment
• Depression: Risk Factors, Incidence, Preventive Measures & Prognostic Factors
• Depression Diagnostics Methods
• Concept Analysis of Loneliness, Depression, Self-esteem
• Teen Suicide and Depression
• The Correlation Between Perfectionism and Depression
• Geriatric Dementia, Delirium, and Depression
• Dementia, Delirium, and Depression in Older Adults
• Depression in People With Alcohol Dependence
• Creating a Comprehensive Psychological Treatment Plan: Depression
• Experimental Psychology. Bouldering for Treating Depression
• Depression and Psychotherapy in Adolescence
• Postpartum Depression: Treatment and Therapy
• Atypical Depression Symptoms and Treatment
• Dementia, Delirium, and Depression in Frail Elders
• Depression & Patient Safety: Speak Up Program
• Mindfulness Meditation Therapy in Depression Cases
• A Review of Postpartum Depression and Continued Post Birth Support
• Psychodynamic Therapy for Depression
• Depression as a Psychological Disorder
• Great Depression in “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
• Depression in Adolescents and Interventions
• Bipolar Disorder: Reoccurring Hypomania & Depression
• Postpartum Depression: Understanding the Needs of Women
• Major Depression Treatment During Pregnancy
• Patients’ Depression and Practitioners’ Suggestions
• Traditional Symptoms of Depression
• Social Media Impact on Depression and Eating Disorder
• Anxiety and Depression in Children and Adolescents
• Depression Studies and Online Research Sources
• Depression Explanation in Psychological Theories
• Depression Assessment Using Intake Notes
• Depression in Adolescents and Cognitive Therapy
• Diagnosing Depression: Implementation and Evaluation Plan
• Depression in Iranian Women and Health Policies
• Depression Patients and Psychiatrist’s Work
• Depression Patients’ Needs and Treatment Issues
• Depression in Patients with Comorbidity
• Depression After Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment
• Depression and Psychosis: 32-Year-Old Female Patient
• Postpartum Depression and Acute Depressive Symptoms
• Postpartum Depression and Its Peculiarities
• Exercises as a Treatment for Depression
• Depression Treatment Changes in 2006-2017
• Depression in Elders: Social Factors
• Depression Among High School Students
• False Memories in Patients with Depression
• Postpartum Depression Analysis in “Yellow Wallpaper”
• The Canadian Depression Causes
• Teen Website: Fish Will Keep Depression Away
• Bipolar Expeditions: Mania and Depression
• Fast Food, Obesity, Depression, and Other Issues
• Depression in the Future Public Health
• Depression: Patients With a Difficult Psychological State
• Depression: Pathophysiology and Treatment
• Stress, Depression, and Responses to Them
• Problem of the Depression in Teenagers
• Supporting the Health Needs of Patients With Parkinson’s, Preeclampsia, and Postpartum Depression
• Depression and Its Causes in the Modern Society
• Hamilton Depression Rating Scale Application
• Yoga for Depression and Anxiety
• Sleep Disturbance, Depression, Anxiety Correlation
• Depression in Late Life: Interpersonal Psychotherapy
• Postpartum Depression and Comorbid Disorders
• Arab-Americans’ Acculturation and Depression
• Relationship Between Depression and Sleep Disturbance
• Child’s Mental Health and Depression in Adulthood
• Parents’ Depression and Toddler Behaviors
• Managing Stress and Depression at Work Places – Psychology
• Job’ Stress and Depression
• Depression Measurements – Psychology
• Methodological Bias Associated with Sex Depression
• Relationship Between Sleep and Depression in Adolescence
• The Effects of Depression on Physical Activity
• Psychological Disorder: Depression
• Depression and Workplace Violence
• The Effects of Forgiveness Therapy on Depression, Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress for Women After Spousal Emotional Abuse
• Depression Diagnosis and Theoretical Models
• The Impact of Exercise on Women Who Suffer From Depression
• Evolutionary Psychology: Depression
• Depression in the Elderly
• Poly-Substance Abuse in Adolescent Males With Depression
• How Does Peer Pressure Contribute to Adolescent Depression?
• How Do Genetic and Environmental Factors Contribute To The Expression of Depression?
• Depression and Cognitive Therapy
• Cognitive Treatment of Depression
• Book Review: “Breadwinning Daughters: Young Women Working in a Depression- Era City, 1929-1939” by Katrina Srigley
• Depression: A Critical Evaluation
• Psychopharmacological Treatment for Depression
• “Breadwinning Daughters: Young Working Women in a Depression-Era City” by Katrina Srigley
• Interpersonal Communication Strategies Regarding Depression
• Depression: Law Enforcement Officers and Stress
• Social Influences on Behavior: Towards Understanding Depression and Alcoholism Based on Social Situations
• Depression Experiences in Law Enforcement
• Childhood Depression & Bi-Polar Disorder
• Depression Psychological Evaluation
• Concept of Childhood Depression
• Correlation Between Multiple Pregnancies and Postpartum Depression or Psychosis
• Depression and Its Effects on Participants’ Performance in the Workplace
• Catatonic Depression: Etiology and Management
• Depression: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
• Depression Levels and Development
• Depression Treatment: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
• Concept of Depression Disorder
• Does Divorce Have a Greater Impact on Men than on Women in Terms of Depression?
• Oral versus Written Administration of the Geriatric Depression Scale

❓Research Questions for a Depression Essay

• Does Poverty Impact Depression in African American Adolescents and the Development of Suicidal Ideations?
• Does Neighborhood Violence Lead to Depression Among Caregivers of Children With Asthma?
• Does Parent Depression Correspond With Child Depression?
• How Depression Affects Our Lives?
• Does Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Have an Effect on Depression Levels in Elderly Women?
• How Can Overcome Depression Through 6 Lifestyle Changes?
• Does Maternal Depression Have a Negative Effect on Parent-Child Attachment?
• Can Providers’ Education About Postpartum Depression?
• Can Vacation Help With Depression?
• How Children Deal With Depression?
• Can Diet Help Stop Depression and Violence?
• Does Depression Assist Eating Disorders?
• Does Depression Lead to Suicide and Decreased Life Expectancy?
• Can Obesity Cause Depression?
• Can Exercise Increase Fitness and Reduce Weight in Patients With Depression?
• Does Fruit and Vegetable Consumption During Adolescence Predict Adult Depression?
• Does Depression Cause Cancer?
• Does Money Relieve Depression?
• Does the Average Person Experience Depression Throughout Their Life?
• Are Vaccines Cause Depression?
• Does Social Anxiety Lead to Depression?
• Does Stress Cause Depression?
• How Bipolar and Depression Are Linked?
• Does Postpartum Depression Affect Employment?
• Does Postpartum Depression Predict Emotional and Cognitive Difficulties in 11-Year-Olds?
• Does Regular Exercise Reduce Stress Levels, and Thus Reduce Symptoms of Depression?
• Does the Natural Light During Winters Really Create Depression?
• How Can Art Overcome Depression?
• How Anxiety and Depression Are Connected?
• Does Positive Psychology Ease Symptoms of Depression?
• Bullying Research Topics
• Conflict Research Topics
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Topics
• Disease Questions
• Burnout Questions
• Hyperactivity Disorder Research Ideas
• Insomnia Questions
• Eating Disorders Questions
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Essay on Mental Health Depression

Students are often asked to write an essay on Mental Health Depression in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Mental Health Depression

Understanding mental health depression.

Mental health depression is a common illness that affects how you feel and think. It can make you very sad for a long time, and you might lose interest in things you once liked. People of all ages can experience it, and it’s more than just feeling down for a short time.

Signs of Depression

If you’re depressed, you might feel tired all the time, have trouble sleeping, or not want to eat much. You may also feel hopeless or get upset easily. These signs can make everyday life hard to handle.

Getting Help

It’s important to talk to someone if you think you have depression. This could be a family member, teacher, or doctor. They can help you find a professional who knows a lot about mental health to give you the right support.

Treatment Options

Treatment can include talking to a therapist or taking medicine. These can help you feel better and manage your feelings. Sometimes, just being active or spending time with friends can improve your mood.

Support and Understanding

250 words essay on mental health depression.

Mental health depression, often just called depression, is a common illness that affects how we feel, think, and act. It’s not just being sad; it’s a serious condition that can make it hard for a person to handle daily life.

Depression can show up in different ways. A person might feel down most of the time, lose interest in activities they used to enjoy, or feel tired all the time. They might have trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, or feel like they can’t concentrate. It’s important to know these signs so we can help ourselves or others.

Why Do People Get Depressed?

Many things can lead to depression. Sometimes, it’s because of things that happen in our lives, like losing someone we love. Other times, it might be because of our body’s chemistry. It’s not anyone’s fault, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

The good news is that depression can be treated. Talking to a doctor or a counselor can be the first step. They might suggest talking therapies, where you speak about your feelings, or sometimes medicines that can help balance the chemicals in the brain.

It’s crucial to support friends or family who might be dealing with depression. Being kind and listening can make a big difference. Remember, depression is a real illness, and with the right help and understanding, people can start to feel better.

500 Words Essay on Mental Health Depression

Mental health is just as important as physical health. It includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Depression is a common but serious mood disorder that affects how we feel, think, and handle daily activities. Imagine feeling very sad, losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, and finding it hard to do even simple things like eating or sleeping. That’s what depression can feel like.

Depression can show itself in different ways. Some people might feel very sad or hopeless, while others might get very angry or irritable. It can make it hard to concentrate or make decisions. People with depression might eat too much or too little, sleep all the time or not at all, and they might think about death or suicide. It is important to know these signs so we can help ourselves or others who might be suffering.

What Causes Depression?

Who can get depression.

The good news is that depression can be treated. If you or someone you know is showing signs of depression, it’s important to talk to a trusted adult, like a parent, teacher, or school counselor. They can help you find a professional who can diagnose and treat depression. Sometimes, talking to a therapist or counselor can help. Other times, a doctor might suggest medicine or other treatments.

Supporting Each Other

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Financial stress and depression in adults: A systematic review

Naijie guan.

1 Institute of Applied Health Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Alessandra Guariglia

2 Department of Economics, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Patrick Moore

Fangzhou xu, hareth al-janabi, associated data.

All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.

Financial stress has been proposed as an economic determinant of depression. However, there is little systematic analysis of different dimensions of financial stress and their association with depression. This paper reports a systematic review of 40 observational studies quantifying the relationship between various measures of financial stress and depression outcomes in adults. Most of the reviewed studies show that financial stress is positively associated with depression. A positive association between financial stress and depression is found in both high-income and low-and middle-income countries, but is generally stronger among populations with low income or wealth. In addition to the “social causation” pathway, other pathways such as “psychological stress” and “social selection” can also explain the effects of financial stress on depression. More longitudinal research would be useful to investigate the causal relationship and mechanisms linking different dimensions of financial stress and depression. Furthermore, exploration of effects in subgroups could help target interventions to break the cycle of financial stress and depression.

Introduction

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems and is marked by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration [ 1 ]. Depression is a leading cause of disability and poor health worldwide [ 1 ] and is expected to rank first worldwide by 2030 [ 2 ]. According to a survey from the World Health Organization, more than 322 million people, which accounted for approximately 4.4% of the world population, suffered from depressive disorders in 2015 [ 3 ]. The lifetime risk of developing depression was estimated to be 15%-18% [ 4 ]. Mental health problems including depression have imposed a heavy economic burden on individuals and households who are suffering from mental disorders and even on society [ 5 – 7 ]. Specifically, the global costs of mental health problems are increasing each year in every country. Those costs are estimated to reach approximately 16 trillion dollars by 2030 [ 8 , 9 ]. There is a considerable need to explore the risk factors of mental disorders or the determinants of mental health, which will inform preventive strategies and actions aimed at reducing the risk of getting mental disorders and thereby promoting public mental health.

Many social and economic determinants of depression have been identified. These include proximal factors like unemployment, low socioeconomic status, low education, low income and not being in a relationship and distal factors such as income inequality, structural characteristics of the neighbourhood and so on [ 10 – 12 ]. Research has emerged in the past two decades focusing on the association between the individual or household financial stressors and common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. However, findings regarding the relationship between different indicators of financial stress and depression are inconclusive in the previous literature. Studies have shown positive associations between depression and various indicators of financial stress such as debt or debt stress, financial hardship, or difficulties [ 13 – 15 ]. Some other studies find no relationships when financial stress was indicated by low income. For example, Zimmerman and Katon [ 16 ] found that when other socioeconomic confounders were considered, no relationship between low income and depression was observed. Besides, there is evidence showing a negative association between low income and major depressive disorder in South Korea [ 17 ]. A 2010 review on poverty and mental disorders also finds that the association between income and mental disorders (including depression) was still unclear [ 18 ].

The social causation theory is one of the theories that has been proposed to explain possible mechanisms underlying the effect of poverty on mental disorders [ 18 , 19 ]. It states that stressful financial circumstances might lead to the occurrence of new depressive symptoms or maintain previous depression. This might be due to exposure to worse living conditions, malnutrition, unhealthy lifestyle, lower social capital, social isolation, or decreased coping ability with negative life events. Individuals or households with limited financial resources are more vulnerable to stressful life events (e.g., economic crises, public-health crises), which might increase the risk of mental health problems [ 18 – 20 ]. However, practically, social causation might not be applicable to situations where individuals are not in poverty or deprivation but still can experience depression due to financial stress.

Reviews to date have examined the relationship between debt specifically and broader mental health outcomes with depression being one of them. For example, two reviews published in 2013 and 2014 reviewed the literature on the relationship between debt and both mental health and physical health [ 21 , 22 ]. They concluded that there was a significant relationship between personal unsecured debt or unpaid debt obligations and the increased risk of common mental disorders, suicidal ideation and so on [ 21 , 22 ]. In terms of depression, they found that there was a strong and consistent positive relationship between debt and depression. Another focus of the literature is on the relationship between poverty and mental health problems including depression in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). In those reviews, indicators of poverty include low socioeconomic status, low income, unemployment, low levels of education, food insecurity and low social class [ 18 , 23 ]. Both reviews find a positive relationship between poverty and common mental disorders, which exists in many LMIC societies regardless of their levels of development. Being related to low income, factors such as insecurity, low levels of education, unemployment, and poor housing were found to be strongly associated with mental disorders, while the association between income and mental disorders was unclear.

The reviews discussed above focus mainly on the relationship between debt or poverty and mental health outcomes. As sources of financial stress are complex and multidimensional, indicators such as low income or debt are not the only economic risk factor of mental health problems. Other sources of financial stress such as lack of assets, economic hardship or financial difficulties (e.g., whether an individual finds it difficult to meet standard living needs like buying food, clothes, paying bills and so on) might also relate to depression. In addition, various sources of financial stress might be related to mental health problems in different ways. Based on the existing reviews, it is still unknown which domains of financial stress have clearer associations with depression and whether there is heterogeneity in the relationship between financial stress and depression for different populations and contexts. Moreover, the existing reviews do not discuss the possible mechanisms underpinning the association between financial stress and depression. To better understand the association between financial stress and depression and the possible mechanisms underlying it, a systematic review was conducted bringing together a wide range of indicators of financial stress. The eligible economic indicators of financial stress in this review include objective financial variables like income, assets, wealth, indebtedness; as well as measures that capture subjective perceptions of financial stress, such as perceived financial hardship (e.g., subjective feelings of sufficiency regarding food, clothes, medical care, and housing), subjective financial situation (e.g., individuals’ feelings about their overall financial situation), subjective financial stress, subjective financial position, and financial dissatisfaction.

This study aims at providing a comprehensive review of the association between different financial stressors and depression considering the characteristics of the associations of interest and discussing the proposed mechanisms underlying the associations. An understanding of the relationship between financial stress and depression would not only advance our understanding and knowledge of the economic risk factors of mood disorders but also provide policymakers with more understanding of additional public mental health benefits of intervention aimed at alleviating poverty and/or at improving people’s financial conditions.

Search strategies

A systematic review of published literature was conducted using online searches on bibliographic databases. At the first stage, six bibliographic databases including CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, EconLit, AMED, and Business Source Premier were searched for related peer-reviewed journal articles to April 2019. The search terms are listed in Table 1 . The broad strategy was to combine terms related to finances, with terms related to depression, and terms related to the unit of analysis (individual, household etc). Several key studies that were eligible for inclusion criteria were pre-identified. Before the formal search, pilot searches were performed to make sure the pre-identified key studies can be found by the search. More details of search strategies are displayed in S1 Appendix . All the search results were limited to the English language. No time restriction was added to the search. The reference lists of the eligible studies and several relevant review papers were checked manually to supplement the main electronic searching.

Eligibility criteria

The inclusion and exclusion criteria for study selection were designed to ensure a focus on primary studies and secondary studies conducted on adults, using measures of financial stress (exposure) and depression (outcome). The eligibility criteria were tested on a selection of papers by multiple members of the study team to ensure that studies were categorised accurately. Based on the piloting process, the eligibility criteria were further modified. The following is the list of the final inclusion and exclusion criteria applied in this study.

Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) observational and experimental studies on the relationship between the individual or household financial stress and depression or depressive symptoms; (2) original research in peer-reviewed journals; (3) conducted on general population samples aged 18 and over; (4) used indicators which capture different dimensions of an individual or household financial stress, such as income, assets, debt, wealth, economic hardship, financial strain, financial stress, and financial satisfaction; (5) studies that measure depression through both non-clinical and clinical techniques (e.g., Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), were eligible for this review.

Studies were excluded if they were: (1) systematic reviews, dissertations, conference abstracts, or study protocols; (2) studies focusing on a specific population including female-only, male-only, people with a special occupation (e.g., soldiers), migrants, or people with specific illnesses; (3) studies relating to societal (as opposed individual) economic circumstances (e.g., income inequality measured at the community level or the country level) or shocks to the macroeconomy (e.g., stock market crashes, hyperinflation, banking crises, economic depressions, and financial crisis); (4) studies that only reported the joint association between several socioeconomic determinants and depression. These were included only if the association related to individual or household finances were reported and explained individually; (5) studies based on overall mental health, or other types of mental disorders (e.g., anxiety, suicide, self-harm, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia) where the association between household financial stress and depression was not reported and explained independently.

Study selection

Search strategies were applied to six databases (i.e., CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, EconLit, AMED, and Business Source Premier EBSCO) to generate a long list of candidate studies. All the search results were exported into Mendeley. Search results, after the removal of duplicates, were screened for relevance using the title and abstract information. The full texts of relevant articles were then checked for eligibility based on the selection criteria. Screening and selection were undertaken by two reviewers independently. All authors were consulted when a disagreement arose. The study selection process and reasons for study exclusions were recorded in a flow chart shown in Fig 1 .

Data analysis

A pre-designed data collection form (listed in S2 Appendix ) was used for the data extraction process. The data extracted from the eligible studies covered the following categories: (1) characteristics of studies: year, author, journal, aim of study, countries, study type, data sources, responsible rate, level of study, eligibility of ethical approval; (2) characteristics of the population: sample size, age group, mean age of the participants, gender; (3) depression measures, definition of depression, validity of the measures; (4) measures of financial stress (exposures) used, measures of the exposure, definition of the exposure, validity of the measures; (5) statistical analysis: econometric methodologies, covariates, whether reverse causality was taken into account, whether there are subgroup analyses and methods (6) main results. The key information being extracted is presented in S1 and S3 Tables, which is a simplified version of the extracted data.

This review focused on the association between each dimension of financial stress and depression and analysed the heterogeneity of the association in different contexts. The eligible studies were reviewed narratively, and the results were stratified by different indicators of financial stress (e.g., low income, low assets, low wealth, debt, financial difficulties and so on). Causal inferences and proposed mechanisms underlying the association between financial stress and depression based on the reviewed evidence were discussed in the discussion section. No meta-analysis was conducted to pool the reviewed evidence due to the substantial heterogeneity in the measurements and definitions of the exposure and outcome variables, study context, and methodologies.

Quality assessment

The quality of the included studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies used in Glonti et al. [ 24 ] (see S3 Appendix ). The original version of this tool is developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) [ 25 ]. Seven key domains relating to study design, selection bias, withdrawals, confounders, data collection, data analysis and reporting were considered. Studies can have between six and seven component ratings. The score of each domain equals 1 if the quality is high, 2 if the quality is moderate and 3 if the quality is low. An overall rating for each study was determined based on the ratings for all domains. The overall rating of studies’ quality was classified as high, moderate, or low. Full details of the design and usage of the quality assessment tool can be found in Glonti et al. [ 24 ]. The quality assessment of the included studies was conducted by two reviewers independently. The results of the quality assessment were based on consensus between the two reviewers.

5,134 papers were identified after searching online databases including CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, EconLit, AMED, and Business Source Premier. The flow chart for the study selection process is displayed in Fig 1 . The total number of papers after removing duplicates was 4,035. Both titles and abstracts of the identified 4,035 papers were screened. 3,763 papers were removed since they did not satisfy the eligibility criteria. The full texts of the remaining 272 papers were accessed and further screened separately by the two reviewers based on the eligible criteria. 235 papers were further excluded leading to 37 studies for consideration. The main reasons for exclusion were that the exposure, the outcome variables of interest, or the targeted population of those studies did not meet the inclusion criteria. Three additional articles were further added after checking the reference lists of all the eligible papers and those of the past relevant review papers [e.g., 18 , 21 ]. 40 articles were finally identified for the data extraction.

Study characteristics

Regarding the number of reviewed studies by years of publication, most of the reviewed studies were published in the past two decades, with a noticeable spike in the last five years. The majority of studies (32 out of 40) reported evidence from high-income European countries and the USA, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Eight studies were based on low- and middle-countries including China, Chile, and South Africa. In terms of study design, 17 studies were cross-sectional, and 23 studies were longitudinal. The age groups considered in the 40 studies vary: 17 studies focused on the general adult population including young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults, while 23 studies focused specifically on working-age, young adults, middle-aged, or older adults. Data of study characteristics were displayed in the data extraction form in S1 Table .

Measures of depression

The most commonly used measure for depression was the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) [e.g., 26 – 28 ]. Various versions of the CES-D were used in the reviewed studies: six studies used the full version, that is, the 20-item CES-D; 19 studies used the shortened version of the CES-D scale. Other measures were also used to assess the individual’s depressive symptoms such as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) [ 29 ], the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) [ 30 , 31 ], a subsection of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ depression) [ 31 – 33 ], the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-IV (AUDADIS-IV) [ 34 ], the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) [ 35 ] and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) [ 15 , 36 , 37 ]. Two studies used self-reported depression by asking participants whether or not they had any experience of depression [ 13 , 38 ].

Measures of financial stress

A wide variety of concepts and measures of financial stress were used across the reviewed studies. The financial exposure in the reviewed studies can be divided roughly into two categories. First, personal or household finances, which include income, assets or wealth, debt or hardship were investigated. These economic indicators were measured in different ways. Some studies measured the total amount of assets while other studies measured assets by counting the number of durable items owned by an individual (such as motor vehicles, bicycles, computers, or cameras) or a household (such as fridges, microwaves, TV, cameras). The measures of debt were more diversified: the onset of debt, the amount of debt in general and of different types of debt, the debt-to-asset ratio, debt problems like over-indebtedness, debt arrears, and debt stress. Financial hardship was defined as difficulties in meeting the basic requirements of daily life due to a lack of financial resources. For example, not having enough money for food, clothes, shelter and medical expenses; being unable to pay bills on time or heat the home; having to sell assets; going without meals; or asking for financial help from others were used by these studies as proxies for financial hardship [ 30 , 39 ]. Second, some studies examined the associations between depression and subjective perceptions of financial stress such as perceived financial hardship (e.g., subjective feelings of insufficiency regarding food, clothes, medical care, etc.), subjective financial situation (e.g., individual’s feelings of their overall financial situation), subjective financial stress, subjective financial position, financial dissatisfaction and so on.

Quality of reviewed studies

Full details of the quality assessment of the 40 included studies are displayed in S2 Table and S1 Fig . An observational study design was utilised in all of the included papers. 29 (72.5%), and 11 (27.5%) studies were rated as methodologically strong [ 6 , 13 – 16 , 20 , 26 – 28 , 30 , 31 , 34 , 37 – 53 ] and moderate [ 29 , 31 , 32 , 35 , 36 , 54 – 59 ], respectively. Among the 40 included studies, 34 (85%) had a low risk of selection bias, five (12.5%) had a moderate risk and one had a high risk of selection bias. Eight studies were able to be rated on withdrawals and drop-outs: two of them were rated as “strong”, four achieved a “moderate” rating and one received a “weak” rating. We found that 15 studies (37.5%) had a low risk while 25 (62.5%) had a moderate risk of confounding bias. Regarding the data collection, two studies were rated as ‘strong’, 37 received a ‘strong’ score, and one study was rated as ‘weak’. All the studies received a ‘strong’ rating for data analysis except for one study that was rated as ‘weak’. 35 (87.5%) studies received a ‘strong’ rating for reporting, while five studies had a ‘moderate’ quality of reporting.

Association between income and depression

Eleven studies were identified examining the relationship between individual or household income levels and depression. All controlled for other socioeconomic confounders or/and health status. Seven studies found a statistically significant association between low income and a higher risk of depressive symptoms after adjustment. The positive association between low income and depression was reported in both high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries and found in different age groups (i.e., younger adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults).

The intertemporal relationship between individual or household income and depression was investigated in three longitudinal studies [ 20 , 34 , 58 ]. Osafo et al. found that in the UK, an increase in household relative income (i.e., income rank) was statistically related to a decreased risk of depression at a given time point [ 58 ]. The effect of household income at baseline on the risk of showing depressive symptoms in the following time point was weakened but still statistically significant, controlling for the baseline depression level. Lund and Cois reported similar results: they found that lower household income at baseline could predict a worse depression status during the follow-up period in South Africa [ 20 ]. Based on evidence from the US, Sareen et al. found that individuals with lower levels of household income faced an increased risk of depression compared to those with higher levels of household income [ 34 ]. Furthermore, a reduction in income was also related to an increased risk of depression [ 34 ].

Focusing on pension income, which is one of the main sources of household income for the retired population, Chen et al. found that pension enrolment and pension income were significantly associated with a reduction in CESD scores among Chinese older adults, controlling for other socioeconomic factors and health status [ 43 ].

The strength of the relationship between income and depression varies and can be affected by how income is measured. For example, compared to absolute income, a household’s relative income level within a reference group was found to be a more consistent household financial predictor of depression [ 58 ]. Osafo et al. compared the effect of relative income with that of the absolute value of household income [ 58 ]. They found that a deterioration in the rank of household income was associated with a higher possibility of showing depression at a given time point, as well as the subsequent time point [ 58 ].

The relationship between income and depression holds for all income groups but is more pronounced among lower-income groups. According to Zimmerman and Katon, the association between depression and income is stronger among people with income levels below the median [ 16 ]. Based on a quasi-natural experiment, Reeves et al. also found that the reduction in housing benefits significantly increased the prevalence of depression for low-income UK households [ 38 ]. Additionally, the association between pension income and depressive symptoms in older adults were more pronounced among lower-income groups [ 43 ]. More broadly, the income-depression relationship might be influenced by the economic status of the regions where households live. For example, Jo et al. found that the association between income and depression was significant among participants from low-economic-status regions, while it was insignificant among participants from high-economic-status regions [ 55 ].

Association between material assets and depression

Two studies on the relationship between assets and depression were identified: one cross-sectional study [ 29 ] and one longitudinal study [ 20 ]. Those studies showed that assets were a significant predictor of depression after controlling for demographic and other socioeconomic confounders. Furthermore, the household assets-depression association was found to be stronger for individuals with lower levels of assets at baseline [ 20 , 29 ]. The directions of the assets-depression relationship were investigated in one study. Lund and Cois simultaneously examined both directions of the relationships using a nationally representative survey on South Africa [ 20 ]. They found that low levels of individual and household material assets were significantly related to depression in the follow-up period after controlling for age, gender, race and education. Conversely, having more depression symptoms at baseline was significantly associated with lower levels of individual assets in the follow-up period [ 20 ].

Association between wealth and depression

Three studies explored the relationship between wealth and depression in adults. All of them were based on high-income country contexts including the UK and the US and suggested a positive relationship between individual or household low wealth and depression among middle-aged and older adults. Two longitudinal studies examined the association between wealth and depression. Specifically, Pool et al. found that an increase in household wealth was statistically related to a decrease in the risk of depressive symptoms [ 50 ]. Osafo et al. compared the effect of relative wealth (i.e., wealth rank) and absolute wealth on depressive symptoms [ 58 ]. Their results showed that, instead of the absolute wealth, the wealth rank within a social comparison group was the primary driver of the association between wealth and depressive symptoms [ 58 ]. The strength of the relationship between wealth and depression varies according to the level of wealth at baseline [ 58 ]. For example, Martikainen et al. found the association between household wealth and depression was most pronounced among the lowest wealth group [ 33 ].

Association between debt and depression

Fourteen studies investigated the association between debt and depression and provided empirical evidence based on high-income countries (Europe and the US) and Chile. Three studies were cross-sectional and all of them reported a positive association between debt (assessed by student debt, the occurrence of any debt, or unsecured debt) and depressive symptoms after controlling for demographic and other socioeconomic factors [ 6 , 27 , 53 ]. Eleven longitudinal studies identified by this review investigated the association between debt and depression over time. The definitions and measures of debt vary across studies. Associations between the occurrence and/or amount of financial debt, the occurrence and/or amount of housing debt, excessive mortgage debt, the occurrence of any debt, the debt-to-asset ratio, and the debt-to-income ratio, on the one hand, and depression, on the other, were investigated in the reviewed studies.

The association between changes in debt status and changes in depressive symptoms was investigated in six studies. Specifically, using five waves of data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), Hiilamo and Grundy found that both men and women switched from having no financial debt to having substantial financial debt suffered from a deterioration in depressive symptoms [ 28 ]. Also, switching from no mortgage debt to having substantial mortgage debt was positively associated with the deterioration in depressive symptoms among women [ 28 ]. Using a large nationally representative dataset from the Chilean Social Protection Survey (SPS), Hojman et al. also found that individuals who were always over-indebted or switch from having moderate levels of debt to over-indebtedness had more depressive symptoms than those who were never over-indebted [ 46 ]. Additionally, they found that those who were not over-indebted, regardless of the previous debt status, did not experience a worsening in depression, showing that the effect of over-indebtedness on depressive symptoms faded away as the debt levels decreased [ 46 ].

Various measures of debt were used in the reviewed studies such as the occurrence of debt [ 26 , 27 , 53 ], the amount of debt [ 6 , 14 , 26 , 28 , 53 ], and the debt-to-income ratio or debt-to-asset ratio [ 14 , 46 , 48 ]. The debt-depression relationship varies with different operationalisations of debt with the debt to asset ratio being a more reliable predictor of depression than the total debt. Both Sweet et al. and Hojman et al. found that only the debt-to-assets ratio or debt-to-income ratio (rather than the absolute amount of debt) were consistently and positively associated with higher depression scores before and after adjustment (see S1 and S3 Tables for details of the covariates used) [ 14 , 46 ].

Different types of debt such as secured debt (e.g., mortgage debt) and unsecured debt (e.g., consumer debt) might be related to the depression in different ways. The reviewed studies reported a positive association between high levels of mortgage debt and high unsecured consumer debt (regardless of the amount) and depression [ 14 , 48 , 53 ]. For example, Leung and Lau examined the causal relationship between mortgage debt and depressive symptoms and found that a high level of mortgage indebtedness (defined as a mortgage loan to home value ratio over 80%) was associated with more depressive symptoms among mortgagors [ 48 ]. Both Zurlo et al. and Sweet et al. found that unsecured debt (e.g., consumer debt) was a significant predictor of more depressive symptoms [ 14 , 53 ]. Three studies compared the effect of different types of household debts on depression [ 26 , 28 , 46 ]. The results of those three studies suggested that the association between household debt and depressive symptoms was predominantly driven by short-term debt. Specifically, unsecured debt (e.g., financial debt), or short-term debt were associated with a higher risk of experiencing depression, while secured debt itself (e.g., mortgage debt) or long-term debt were not related to depressive symptoms. For example, using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), Hiilamo and Grundy found that household financial debt was positively and significantly associated with more depressive symptoms, while the effect of household housing debt on depression was weak or even insignificant [ 28 ]. Berger et al. found a similar result using longitudinal data from the US. Their results (controlling for baseline characteristics and socioeconomic factors) showed that only short-term debt (i.e., unsecured debt) was positively and statistically significantly associated with depressive symptoms, while the effects of mid-term and long-term debt (e.g., mortgage loan) on depressive symptoms were not significant [ 26 ].

However, it is not always the case that the association between debt and depressive symptoms is only driven by consumer debt. As reported in two longitudinal studies by Hiilamo and Grundy and by Gathergood, a secured debt like mortgage might be associated with depression when the secured debt becomes a problem debt [ 28 , 32 ]. Hojman et al. found that mortgage debt had no association with depressive symptoms, while consumer debt was positively and significantly related to more depressive symptoms [ 28 ]. Nevertheless, both Hojman et al. and Alley et al. found that mortgage arrears had a significant effect on more severe depression, even when the effect of consumer debt on depression was controlled [ 40 , 46 ]. In line with their study, Gathergood also found that housing payment problems were strongly associated with a higher depression score [ 32 ].

Association between financial hardship and depression

The association between financial hardship and depression was reported in four studies, all of which were based on high-income countries such as the US and Australia [ 15 , 30 , 39 , 52 ]. They all observed a cross-sectionally positive relationship between financial hardship and depression, which holds after adjustments (see S1 and S3 Tables for details of the covariates used). The intertemporal association between financial hardship and depressive symptoms was reported in two longitudinal studies [ 15 , 39 ]. However, the consistency of the findings is sensitive to the statistical methods applied. Mirowsky and Ross found that current financial hardship was associated with a subsequent increase in depression in the US [ 39 ]. The other study only observed an association between financial hardship at baseline and baseline depression, as well as a weak or even no association between prior financial hardship and current depression [ 15 ]. When the same statistical strategy was applied, the findings from Butterworth et al. were consistent with those were observed in Mirowsky and Ross’s study [ 15 , 39 ].

Furthermore, the reviewed studies showed that the effect of past financial hardship on depressive symptoms decayed with time. In other words, current financial hardship mattered the most for current depressive symptoms. Following Mirowsky and Ross, changes in financial hardship were stratified into four types [ 39 ]. An individual experiencing (not experiencing) current financial hardship and hardship in the past belongs to the always hardship group (no hardship group). An individual experiencing only current (past) financial hardship belongs to the new hardship group (resolved hardship group). Mirowsky and Ross found that the effects of consistent hardship and new financial hardship (3 years later) on depressive symptoms were positive and significant [ 39 ]. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the follow-up depressive symptoms between the consistent hardship group and the new hardship group [ 39 ]. Furthermore, the association between both resolved hardship and no hardship on depressive symptoms was not significant [ 39 ]. Consistent with this, Butterworth et al. also found that the individuals who currently experienced financial hardship were more likely to have depression than those who only experienced financial hardship in the past or never experienced it [ 15 ].

Age was the most analysed moderator of the association between financial hardship and depressive symptoms among the reviewed studies. This review found that there is no consistency in terms of the association between financial hardship and depression across different age groups. Butterworth et al. reported that the effect of financial hardship on depressive symptoms increased with age among Australian adults [ 30 ]. However, Butterworth et al. and Mirowsky and Ross reported different results [ 15 , 39 ]. Specifically, they found that the positive association between financial hardship and depressive symptoms decreased with age in the US. In contrast to the two studies listed above, Butterworth et al. did not find any statistically significant differences regarding this association among different age cohorts in Australia [ 15 ].

Association between subjective financial strain and depression

Eleven studies examined the association between subjective financial indicators (i.e., subjective financial strain, financial dissatisfaction or financial stress) and depression, providing empirical evidence based on high-income countries (Europe, the US, the UK, Japan and Korea) and on China. All of them (including four cross-sectional and seven longitudinal studies) reported a positive relationship between subjective financial strain and depression, holding after adjustments (see S1 and S3 Tables for details of the covariates used)). The intertemporal association between subjective financial strain and depression was reported in two studies [ 44 , 59 ]. For example, Richardson et al. found that increased subjective stress at baseline was associated with greater depression over time [ 59 ]. Similarly, Chi and Chou also found that higher levels of subjective financial strain measured at baseline were associated with more depressive symptoms after three years among Chinese older people [ 44 ]. The association between changes in subjective financial strain and depression was found in one longitudinal study [ 49 ]. Using data from the annual Belgian Household Panel Survey, Lorant et al. found that the worsening subjective financial strain was significantly associated with the increased risk of depressive symptoms and that of caseness of depression [ 49 ].

The positive and significant association between perceived financial strain in childhood and depression in adults was found in both a cross-sectional study and a longitudinal study [ 42 , 47 ]. Using cross-sectional data from 19 European countries in 2014, Boe et al. found that younger adults (25–40) who had experienced financial difficulties as children had higher depression scores in adulthood, while older adults (over 40) did not [ 42 ]. A similar association between adverse childhood financial situation and adults’ depression was also found in a longitudinal study [ 47 ]. Based on a national representative sample of 9,645 South Korean adults without depressive symptoms at baseline, Kim, et al. found that experiencing financial difficulties in childhood was associated with the increased chance of depression in adulthood [ 47 ]. Furthermore, the effect of experiencing financial difficulties in childhood on depression was weaker than that of current financial difficulties [ 47 ].

The gender difference of the association between perceived financial strain and depression was examined in two studies and no statistical difference between females and males was observed, though women tended to report worse depression [ 36 , 44 ].

Summary and discussion of the findings

This systematic review is the most comprehensive synthesis of observational studies quantifying the association between indicators of financial stress and depression in both high- and low- and middle-income countries to date. Findings regarding the relationship between financial stress and depression vary across different indicators of financial stress. Economic indicators such as material assets, unsecured debt, financial hardship, and subjective measures of financial stress are relatively strong and persistent predictors of depressive symptoms, while absolute income and wealth levels have an inconclusive association with depression. The only longitudinal evidence on relative income and relative wealth suggests a stronger relationship between relative income or relative wealth and depressive symptoms than that between absolute income or wealth and depression. Additionally, this review finds that the association between indicators such as income, material assets or wealth and depression is more pronounced in lower socioeconomic groups (i.e., low income or low wealth group). This review is unable to make a conclusion regarding the association between debt and depression across different socioeconomic subgroups. The only evidence is provided in one study showing that there is no difference in the association between debt and depression by assets level. Additionally, there is insufficient evidence to conclude a common pattern regarding the association between financial stressors and depression by gender or age groups, though differences of this relationship across age or gender groups are observed in some of the reviewed studies.

The income-depression association is inconclusive, although income is one of the most commonly used indicators of the individual or household’s economic situation. The reviewed studies consistently reported a positive association between low income and depressive symptoms in univariable analyses. However, this association was largely reduced or even became insignificant when other social and economic factors (such as educational level, employment status and so on) and health status were controlled for [ 31 , 33 ]. The findings are consistent with the results from the previous reviews and empirical research where different mental disorders were considered including depression [ 18 , 23 , 60 ]. It is likely that income has a close correlation with other dimensions of the socioeconomic condition such as educational levels and employment status that affect an individual’s mental health independently from income per se [ 23 ].

Furthermore, this review finds that compared to absolute income (or wealth), relative income (or wealth) in a reference group is a more important risk factor of depression. There is evidence showing a positive association between low-income ranks and current depression scores as well as follow-up depression scores, while no association is found between absolute low income and depression [ 58 ]. The findings here are in line with the previous review, which mainly focused on the association between income inequality and depression [ 61 ]. Patel et al.’s review concluded that a higher level of income inequality at the neighbourhood level was strongly associated with a higher risk of depression [ 61 ]. This review only identified one study investigating the association between relative income or relative wealth and depression. The insufficient evidence on this topic suggests the need for more research to investigate the mental health effects of relative income (or wealth).

Some of the reviewed studies have suggested a positive association between debt and depression despite the substantial heterogeneity in definitions and measurements of debt, study methods, study contexts, and targeted population. The association between debt and depressive symptoms is mainly driven by unsecured debt (e.g., credit card) or late mortgage payments. Secured debt (e.g., mortgage debt) per se is not associated with depressive symptoms. However, depression may still be more likely when individuals or households are no longer able to manage their debt or perform debt obligations. For example, the reviewed evidence shows that mortgage arrears have a significant effect on more severe depression, even when the effect of consumer debt and mortgage debt on depressive symptoms are considered within the same model [ 46 , 48 ]. The findings regarding the relationship between debt and depression are consistent with the findings from the previous reviews on the association between debt and health where depression was one of the outcomes [ 22 , 62 ].

An important consideration regarding the debt-depression relationship is that having personal or household debt does not always lead to depression, as debt is not always a sign of financial problems. Some personal and household loans are taken to finance housing purchases, business, and investments, which are granted based on the borrower’s financial situation and payback abilities. Additionally, except for stress, debt might also bring benefits to mental well-being by generating consumption, feelings of attainment or satisfaction or making investments [ 63 , 64 ]. As a result, the financial stress derived from debt could be partially offset by such positive mental well-being effects. The review suggests that future longitudinal research on the impact of debt on depression should consider mediators to understand the nature of the causal association between debt and mental health.

It should be noted that nearly a half of the reviewed studies are cross-sectional, limiting the ability to draw a conclusion on the directions and the causality of the associations between some indicators of financial stress and depression. A few of the longitudinal studies considered the reverse relationship and/or the unobserved bias using econometric methods. The majority of these longitudinal studies mainly focused on the relationship between debt or subjective measures of financial stress and depression. They provide supportive evidence that, debt and subjective financial stress might lead to subsequent depressive symptoms. Longitudinal evidence remains limited as to the understanding of both directions and causality of the relationships between other indicators of financial stress and depression. For example, only three longitudinal studies provided an exploration of the association between income and depression. The casual relationship between some indicators of financial stress (such as low income, material assets, wealth, financial hardship) and depression should therefore be interpreted with caution.

This review includes a number of studies focusing on the older-aged population. The signs of the relationship between financial stress and depression in different age subgroups do not show a significant difference. Despite this, it should be noted that there might be heterogeneity in the magnitude of the relationship between financial stress and depression across different age subgroups. However, it is difficult to identify if including the studies based on adults aged 50 and over would make the generalisability of the findings towards this population. Because a cross-study comparison is almost impossible as there is a substantial heterogeneity in different studies regarding country contexts, measurements of exposures and outcome variables, study methods and so on.

Based on the reviewed evidence, three possible mechanisms may be behind the relationship between financial stress and depression.

Social causation

Firstly, as highlighted in the introduction, the effects of financial stress on depression can be explained by social causation theory. The reviewed evidence supports the social causation pathway according to which individuals or households who have low income or low wealth are more likely to be exposed to economic uncertainty, unhealthy lifestyle, worse living environment, deprivation, malnutrition, decreased social capital and so on [ 20 , 47 , 65 ]. Those factors might lead to a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms. Individuals or households with limited financial resources are more vulnerable to stressful financial events, which might increase the risk of experiencing depression. This mechanism is applicable to the studies where financial stress is measured by economic indicators related to poverty, such as income poverty, deprivation, and financial hardship.

Psychological stress

The reviewed studies also show that subjective measures of financial stress have adverse effects on depression. Indeed, some studies state that subjective financial stress is more important than objective measures such as the amount of debt [ 13 , 41 , 66 ]. Objective indicators of financial stress might have an indirect effect on depression, which is mediated by the individual’s perception of those objective indicators as resulting in financial stress. Experiencing a similar objective financial situation, people may report different perceptions of the objective financial situation due to the heterogeneity of personal experiences, abilities to manage financial resources, aspirations, and perceived sufficiency of financial resources [ 67 ]. For example, individuals with limited financial resources are more likely to be concerned about the uncertainty of the future financial situation. The expectation of financial stress, not just their occurrence, may also cause depression. Furthermore, people living in poverty face substantial uncertainty and income volatility. The long-run exposure to stress from coping with this volatility may also threaten mental health [ 68 ]. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that both the respondent’s perception of financial stress and objective measures of financial stress lie at the heart of the relationship between financial stress and depression.

Social selection

Other studies suggest that depression might negatively impact the finances of individuals [ 20 , 69 ]. Social selection theory states that individuals who have mental disorders are more likely to drift into or maintain a worse financial situation [ 20 ]. Evidence shows that mental problems might increase expenditure on healthcare, reduce productivity, and lead to unemployment, as well as be associated with social stigma, all of which are related to lower levels of income [ 18 , 65 , 70 ]. However, some scholars argue that the relative importance of social causation and social selection varies by diagnosis [ 71 ]. Social causation theory is more important to the relationship between financial stress and depression or substance use; while social selection theory is more important in relation to severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia [ 70 , 72 ].

Limitations of the review

This systematic review is the first to comprehensively pool observational studies on the association between individual or household finances and depression or depressive symptoms. However, this review is subject to several limitations. First, since there is substantial heterogeneity in the measurements and definitions of exposure (financial stress) and the outcome variable (depression), targeted populations, and methodologies between studies, a meta-analysis combining the data from the reviewed studies is neither appropriate nor practical. As such, only a narrative approach is used in this review without quantitatively synthesising the data from the studies, which are difficult to compare. Second, the majority of studies reported evidence on high-income countries like the US, the UK, European countries. Therefore, the conclusions of this review are more immediately generalisable to these contexts as opposed to low-and middle-income country contexts. Third, this review undertakes the search on six databases for any related peer-reviewed journal articles without searching for other resources to find grey or unpublished literature and conference abstracts. Excluding the unpublished studies might limit the findings of this review since studies with significant results are more likely to get published [ 73 ]. The published studies may lead this review to overestimate the associations between any financial exposures and depressive symptoms. Fourth, the included exposures in this review are the most direct indicators (i.e., proximal indicators) of financial stress. The findings in this review might not be generalisable to the relationship between a distal factor (e.g., job loss) and depression. Evidence has suggested that a significant life event or experience, for example, job loss, is associated with financial stress and thereby can predict subsequent major depression [ 74 ]. Future review on financial stress and mental health outcomes might benefit from further including the effect of distal factors (such as job loss, changes in working hours, changes in marital status, and so on) on mental health.

Implications

This review has a number of implications for public policy around financial circumstances and depression. Firstly, it highlights the role that measures aimed at alleviating financial poverty and inequality could have in improving public mental health. Secondly, it suggests attention needs to be focused on unsecured debt as a public health measure. For example, providing financial counselling services and financial education to those who have debt stress and depression may help them to effectively deal with individual debt problems and associated depression. Meanwhile, the regulation of unsecured debt markets is crucial to the sustainable development of unsecured lending markets, and thereby supports both financial health and mental health. Thirdly, this review highlights the importance of targeted interventions to break the cycle of financial stress and depression. For example, instead of a one-for-all intervention focusing on the general population, interventions targeted at lower socioeconomic groups might be more effective since the association between financial stress and depression is more pronounced in these groups.

In terms of practical support, the interdisciplinary collaboration of psychologists and financial professionals in the development of interventions aiming to break the vicious cycle of depression and financial stress could be useful. For example, interventions such as poverty alleviation programs, the provision of financial advice or financial education might have a beneficial influence on mental health. The collaboration of policymakers in both mental health areas and financial areas might create win-win situations, having mutual benefits for both areas and saving costs to society in the long run.

Finally, this review highlights the need for further research in certain areas. First, this review suggests that more longitudinal research or randomised control trials (where feasible) are needed to further clarify the directions of the causal relationships and possible mechanisms between different financial stressors and depression or other mental disorders. A better understanding of this can help to design more effective interventions either aimed at alleviating financial stress or at improving mental health. For example, anti-poverty programs such as direct cash transfers might be more helpful for families in poverty or deprivation, where social causation plays the main role in the effect of financial stress on depression. However, if financial stress is due to social comparison, rather than absolute poverty, challenging social attitudes may be more beneficial. This review also calls for more future research to investigate the heterogeneity of the relationship and the difference in the direction of the relationship between financial stress and depression or other mental disorders across different populations. This would provide more precise and solid evidence for developing targeted interventions as noted above.

Second, this review finds that the majority of the existing studies on the financial stress-depression relationship are based on high-income countries. However, low-and middle-income countries have higher levels of poverty and economic inequality, as well as a high economic burden caused by mental disorders and low levels of investment in mental health [ 69 , 75 ]. Therefore, more future research that is based on low-and middle-income country contexts would be important.

In conclusion, this systematic review of the link between financial stress and depression in adults found that financial stress is positively associated with depression, in particular among low socioeconomic groups. The findings suggest directions for policymakers and the need for greater collaboration between psychology and financial professionals, which will be beneficial to developing targeted interventions either to mitigate depression or alleviate financial stress. Further longitudinal research would be useful to investigate the causality and mechanisms of the relationship between different dimensions of financial stress and depression.

Supporting information

S1 checklist, s1 appendix, s2 appendix, s3 appendix, acknowledgments.

We would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their comments that helped to improve and clarify the manuscript.

Funding Statement

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

Data Availability

16 Personal Essays About Mental Health Worth Reading

Here are some of the most moving and illuminating essays published on BuzzFeed about mental illness, wellness, and the way our minds work.

BuzzFeed Staff

1. My Best Friend Saved Me When I Attempted Suicide, But I Didn’t Save Her — Drusilla Moorhouse

"I was serious about killing myself. My best friend wasn’t — but she’s the one who’s dead."

2. Life Is What Happens While You’re Googling Symptoms Of Cancer — Ramona Emerson

"After a lifetime of hypochondria, I was finally diagnosed with my very own medical condition. And maybe, in a weird way, it’s made me less afraid to die."

3. How I Learned To Be OK With Feeling Sad — Mac McClelland

"It wasn’t easy, or cheap."

4. Who Gets To Be The “Good Schizophrenic”? — Esmé Weijun Wang

"When you’re labeled as crazy, the “right” kind of diagnosis could mean the difference between a productive life and a life sentence."

5. Why Do I Miss Being Bipolar? — Sasha Chapin

"The medication I take to treat my bipolar disorder works perfectly. Sometimes I wish it didn’t."

6. What My Best Friend And I Didn’t Learn About Loss — Zan Romanoff

"When my closest friend’s first baby was stillborn, we navigated through depression and grief together."

7. I Can’t Live Without Fear, But I Can Learn To Be OK With It — Arianna Rebolini

"I’ve become obsessively afraid that the people I love will die. Now I have to teach myself how to be OK with that."

8. What It’s Like Having PPD As A Black Woman — Tyrese Coleman

"It took me two years to even acknowledge I’d been depressed after the birth of my twin sons. I wonder how much it had to do with the way I had been taught to be strong."

9. Notes On An Eating Disorder — Larissa Pham

"I still tell my friends I am in recovery so they will hold me accountable."

10. What Comedy Taught Me About My Mental Illness — Kate Lindstedt

"I didn’t expect it, but stand-up comedy has given me the freedom to talk about depression and anxiety on my own terms."

11. The Night I Spoke Up About My #BlackSuicide — Terrell J. Starr

"My entire life was shaped by violence, so I wanted to end it violently. But I didn’t — thanks to overcoming the stigma surrounding African-Americans and depression, and to building a community on Twitter."

12. Knitting Myself Back Together — Alanna Okun

"The best way I’ve found to fight my anxiety is with a pair of knitting needles."

13. I Started Therapy So I Could Take Better Care Of Myself — Matt Ortile

"I’d known for a while that I needed to see a therapist. It wasn’t until I felt like I could do without help that I finally sought it."

14. I’m Mending My Broken Relationship With Food — Anita Badejo

"After a lifetime struggling with disordered eating, I’m still figuring out how to have a healthy relationship with my body and what I feed it."

15. I Found Love In A Hopeless Mess — Kate Conger

"Dehoarding my partner’s childhood home gave me a way to understand his mother, but I’m still not sure how to live with the habit he’s inherited."

16. When Taking Anxiety Medication Is A Revolutionary Act — Tracy Clayton

"I had to learn how to love myself enough to take care of myself. It wasn’t easy."

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Understanding Depression and Managing It Effectively

Depression needs a personalized, holistic approach for effective management..

Posted August 14, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

• What Is Depression?
• Take our Depression Test
• Find a therapist to overcome depression
• Depression is a multi-faceted condition affecting every aspect of life, requiring personalized treatment.
• Depression's causes can be biological, psychological, and social; it is not merely a chemical imbalance.
• Medications can manage symptoms but are not a standalone solution for treating depression.
• Psychotherapy is crucial in developing coping strategies and understanding individual triggers for depression.

"Whatever you lack, you must borrow from yourself." — Cato

The term “ depression ” has evolved significantly over time, reflecting the changing ways in which society understands and describes this complex condition. From the ancient concept of “black bile” in Hippocratic medicine to the existential “pain of existence” and the romantic “spleen,” depression has long been a topic of interest not only to doctors and psychologists but also to intellectuals and religious figures.

In modern times, depression is often labeled as the “disorder of the century,” a term that captures the widespread and varied nature of this “obscure illness.” This article delves into the many faces of depression, emphasizing that it is not just a single mood but a multifaceted condition requiring a comprehensive approach to treatment.

The Multifaceted Nature of Depression

Depression is not a one-size-fits-all condition. Its manifestations can range from mild to severe, and it can be a temporary phase or a long-term condition integrated into a person’s way of life. Understanding depression requires recognizing that each person’s experience is different, and thus, their treatment needs will differ as well (Yapko, 2018).

The evolution of the term “depression” highlights its complexity. Historically, depression has been associated with various emotional states and conditions, and modern psychiatry now groups the causes of depression into three primary domains: biological, psychological, and social. Biological factors include neurochemistry, genetic predispositions, and the effects of certain diseases or medications (Yapko, 2018). Psychological factors encompass a person’s individual history, trauma exposure, and coping mechanisms. Social factors involve the relationships people maintain, the culture they grow up in, and the family dynamics they experience (Yapko, 2018).

This bio-psycho-social model illustrates that depression is not merely a chemical imbalance in the brain—a misconception perpetuated by the pharmaceutical industry since the advent of antidepressants like Prozac in the late 1980s (Lacasse & Leo, 2005). Although these medications can be beneficial for managing certain symptoms, they do not address the underlying causes of depression, such as poor coping skills, lack of a support network, or unresolved trauma (Yapko, 2018).

The Limitations of Antidepressants

While antidepressants can help alleviate some symptoms of depression, they are not a cure-all. The social use of the term “depression” has led to its frequent abuse and, unfortunately, its misuse in describing a wide range of moods and conditions.

This over-simplification often leads to an overreliance on medications, which cannot teach essential life skills such as problem-solving, building healthy relationships, or managing stress . Overreliance on medication without addressing these broader issues often leads to undertreatment, which can exacerbate the condition in the long run (Deacon & Abramowitz, 2005).

Furthermore, the narrative that depression is solely due to a chemical imbalance has been largely discredited by recent research. The simplistic view that a pill can “fix” depression ignores the complexity of the condition and can lead to disappointment and relapse . Effective treatment must, therefore, be holistic, incorporating therapy to build life skills and foster a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s risk factors (Moncrieff et al., 2022).

The Role of Therapy in Managing Depression

Psychotherapy plays a crucial role in helping individuals with their perceptions and relationships that give rise to depression. A skilled therapist can help identify the unique vulnerabilities, behaviors, and contexts that exacerbate and maintain depression in each person. This personalized approach allows individuals to develop coping strategies that are tailored to their specific needs and circumstances (Yapko, 2018).

The goal of therapy is not to “cure” depression but to transform the person’s perception of themselves and their relationship with their reality. It also equips individuals with the tools they need to manage their moods and themselves on an ongoing basis. This includes learning to recognize depressive patterns, developing better problem-solving skills, and creating a better social and relational environment (Gibson, 2024; Beck, 1979).

Supporting a Loved One with Depression

For those in a relationship with someone who is depressed, it is important to find a balance between being supportive and avoiding enabling self-defeating behaviors to continue. It’s crucial to encourage the depressed individual to seek help and engage in activities that can lift their mood, even if they initially resist. However, it’s equally important for the partner to take care of their well-being and not allow depression to dominate their life (Yapko, 2018).

Supporting a loved one with depression also involves setting boundaries . It’s essential to communicate that while the feelings of the depressed person are valid, they do not justify harmful behaviors or the neglect of their own needs or those of the relationship (Coyne, 1976). This understanding is part of the broader context in which depression, as a term and a condition, is often misused or misunderstood.

The Importance of Action

One of the most effective ways to counteract depression is through positive action. While depression often leads to passivity and a feeling of helplessness, taking small steps toward engaging with life and disrupting the current defeatist perception can create a positive feedback loop that improves mood and builds momentum. This could be as simple as taking a walk, engaging in a hobby, or socializing with friends (Jacobson et al., 1996), basically not surrendering to the problem (Gibson, 2024).

However, these actions must be taken with the right support and preparation. A person with depression may need to develop certain skills before they can successfully engage in these activities without feeling overwhelmed. This is where therapy and the support of loved ones play a critical role (Gibson, 2024).

Depression, as a term and a condition, has evolved significantly over the centuries, reflecting its complex and multi-dimensional nature. While medication can help alleviate some symptoms, it is not a standalone solution. Therapy, support from loved ones, and a proactive approach to building life skills and coping mechanisms are essential for managing depression effectively (Beck, 1979; Gibson, 2024).

For those supporting a loved one with depression, it’s important to be both supportive and self-caring, encouraging positive action without allowing the depression to dictate the terms of the relationship. With the right approach, it is possible to manage depression and lead a fulfilling life despite the challenges it presents (Yapko, 2018).

Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive therapy and emotional disorders . Penguin.

Coyne, J. C. (1976). Depression and the response of others. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 85 (2), 186–193.

Deacon, B. J., & Abramowitz, J. S. (2005). The short-term efficacy of psychological treatments for depression: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 25 (4), 401–419.

Gibson, P. (2024). When The Bubble Bursts. A New Approach to Treating Depression. Strategic Science Books.

Jacobson, N. S., Martell, C. R., & Dimidjian, S. (2001). Behavioural activation treatment for depression: Returning to contextual roots. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8 (3), 255–270.

Lacasse, J. R., & Leo, J. (2005). Serotonin and depression: A disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature. PLoS Medicine, 2 (12), e392.

Moncrieff, J., Cooper, R. E., Stockmann, T., Amendola, S., Hengartner, M. P., & Horowitz, M. A. (2022). The serotonin theory of depression: A systematic umbrella review of the evidence. Molecular Psychiatry, 27 (6), 2402–2414.

Yapko, M. D. (2018). Keys to unlocking depression: An integrated approach to healing . Yapko Publications.

Padraic Gibson, D.Psych, is a Consultant Clinical Psychotherapist and is the Clinical Director of The OCD Clinic®, and director of Training and Organization Consultation at The Coaching Clinic®, Dublin. He is senior research associate at Dublin City University.

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Sticking up for yourself is no easy task. But there are concrete skills you can use to hone your assertiveness and advocate for yourself.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

Home / Essay Samples / Health / Mental Health / Depression

Depression Essay Examples

Essays on depression serve as a platform for raising awareness, fostering understanding, and promoting open dialogue about this complex mental health issue. Through thoughtful analysis, personal stories, and research-based insights, these essays play a crucial role in destigmatizing depression, providing support, and encouraging individuals to seek help and treatment.

The Purpose and Significance of Essays on Depression One of the primary goals of essays on depression is to raise awareness about the prevalence, symptoms, and impact of this mental health condition. By shedding light on the realities of depression, these essays contribute to breaking down misconceptions and educating the public. Depression often carries a significant social stigma that can prevent individuals from seeking help. Depression essay topics aim to reduce this stigma by fostering empathy and understanding. By sharing personal stories and scientific insights, these essays challenge harmful stereotypes and encourage compassion. For individuals struggling with depression, reading essays on the topic can provide a sense of validation and support. These essays let individuals know that they are not alone in their experiences and that help is available. They offer a safe space for readers to relate to others’ journeys. Educating and Empowering Essays on depression provide valuable educational information about the causes, risk factors, and available treatments. By arming readers with knowledge, these essays empower individuals to recognize the signs of depression, seek help, and support loved ones who may be struggling. Depression essay examples serve a significant purpose in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and fostering understanding about a topic that affects countless individuals. By sharing personal experiences, scientific insights, and messages of hope, these essays contribute to a more compassionate and informed society, while also offering support and resources to those in need.

Short Essay About Depression: Types and Causes

Unfortunately, there is small amout of essays about depression, but I want to mention that if you have a depression, then you may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life is not worth living. More than just a...

Overcoming Depression: a Persuasive Case for Action

“Kendrea's cry The story of 6-year-old Kendrea Johnson from Minnesota, who hung herself with a jump rope 2 days after Christmas, was heart stopping”. People around the clock are suffering from depression all over, and we need to come together and solve this issue affecting...

Overcoming Depression and Anxiety: Coping Strategies

Depression… The extreme feeling of sadness, unexcitment or even thinking about death. What about anxiety? Anxiety is another form of disorder where you will feel restlessness, having panic attacks and overthinking about a very small thing. Because of the lockdown, depression and anxiety has been...

Exploring the Depths of Depression: an Argumentative View

You’ve lost connections with friends and family, you can’t bring yourself to go outside, it feels like the world is against you. This is the life of having depression, a horrible cycle of low moods, sadness and an overall feeling of dejectedness. I chose to...

Depression as a Complex Disorder: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

This essay about depression with introduction body and conclusion discusses depression, a complex mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It covers the symptoms, causes, and treatment of depression. Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emptiness, and it can...

Relationship Between Social Media and Depression

In today's interconnected world, social media platforms have become integral parts of our lives. These platforms offer a plethora of opportunities for communication, sharing, and self-expression. However, beneath the glossy façade of curated feeds and engaging content lies a darker reality – the potential link...

Symptoms, Causes, and Ways to Cope with Postpartum Depression

It’s not easy being a parent; and for most mothers, it’s also not easy to give birth and immediately be okay after carrying a child in the womb for nine months and giving birth. Instead of feeling the joy and excitement of being a new...

Essay on Sun and Its Healing Powers

Researchers claim that the sun is the closest star to earth the only planet believed to be lived by the living-beings. Science explains that the earth is a planet and it revolves around the sun directing to a sequence of seasonal changes. Furthermore science makes...

Depression in Lady Lazarus and Daddy

Depression can be really be a tough battle, especially having to go to war with everyday of your life. In both poems “Daddy”, and “ Lady Lazarus”, by Sylvia Plath, she illustrates her battle with depression. In “Daddy”, Plath feels like she is living in...

Overview of Three Types of Group Interventions for Depression

Major depressive disorder affects many different types of people. Depression disorder is a severe mental disorder that can affect any age, gender, ethnicity, and region. In this essay three different types of group interventions will be discussed and the intervention effectiveness will be evaluated by...

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About Depression

Depression is classified as a mood disorder. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person's everyday activities.

The term depression was derived from the Latin verb deprimere, "to press down". From the 14th century, "to depress" meant to subjugate or to bring down in spirits. It was used in 1665 in English author Richard Baker's Chronicle to refer to someone having "a great depression of spirit", and by English author Samuel Johnson in a similar sense in 1753.

Life events, Personality, Alcoholism, Bullying, Medical treatments, Substance-induced, Non-psychiatric illnesses, Psychiatric syndromes, Historical legacy

Low mood, aversion to activity, loss of interest, feeling worthless or guilty, difficulty thinking and concentrating, changes in appetite, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, thoughts of death or suicide.

Most common ways of depression treatment are: medication, psychotherapy, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), self-help and coping.

Depression is a mental state of low mood and aversion to activity, which affects more than 280 million people of all ages (about 3.5% of the global population) Classified medically as a mental and behavioral disorder, the experience of depression affects a person's thoughts, behavior, motivation, feelings, and sense of well-being. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. More women are affected by depression than men. Depression can lead to suicide.

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