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Depression And Its Effects On Depression

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Depression affects about six to seven percent of the U.S. population (Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005, p. 617-627). The six to seven percent who are affected by depression are people eighteen years and older (Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005, p.617-627). This statistic is shows that depression is a major problem in young adults today. This statistic also shows that the prime age of depression are people who are most likely in college. Many people this age will not receive treatment due to stigma (DBSA, 1999). People are ashamed of their illness and will not ask for help simply because of what other people might think of them (CANMAT, 2012). Depression is a real issue in college students and there are medical reasons and causes to why depression occurs. Harvard Medical School did research on depression to inform people of how and why depression forms, and some of the biological processes that are happening in the brain when someone has depression. The brain is an important part of depression because it helps regulate mood (Harvard Medical School, 2009). The nerve connections, the functioning nerve circuits, and nerve growth in the brain are also an important part of depression (Harvard Medical School, 2009). Researchers found that the hippocampus was significantly smaller in people who were depressed (Harvard Medical School, 2009). The areas in the brain that are known to be affected by depression are the hippocampus, amygdala, and the thalamus (Harvard Medical
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