Depression In Ravenscourt Park

This essay will explore housing as a social determinant of health and the effects it has on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of families, communities and individuals. Poor housing and poverty may be a result of overcrowding, dampness, mould, insufficient heating and poor ventilation. It can have detrimental effects on the behaviour of individuals, how families cooperate and friendliness within communities. Poor housing can cause anything from colds and flus to cardiovascular disease but also may affect mental health. This may lead to individuals experiencing depression and anxiety. It is also common for children’s development to be disrupted due to poor housing and poverty. Different housing-related conditions results in different physical and mental health illnesses for different age groups, for example, overcrowding affecting the respiratory system is more common in childhood whereas insufficient heating having a negative affect and causing excess winter deaths is prone to those age 65 and over.

Depression is a mental disorder in which a patient might feel intense, prolonged, negative emotions (Beyond Blue, 2014). This can have severe impact on a person's mental and physical health, thus affecting a person's quality of life. Severe cases can even lead to suicide. It is estimated that one in six Australians will experience depression in their lifetime (Beyond Blue, 2014). The burden of disease gives an indication of of the loss of health and well being of Australians due to each disease (ABS, 2010). Depression and anxiety is the leading cause of burden among females, accounting for 10% of burden while it is the third leading cause for men, accounting for 4.8% (AIHW, 2003) (This was the most recent information found).

According to Freeman et al., there is a significant association between socioeconomic status and depression that would suggest that the lower the socioeconomic status that someone comes from, the higher the prevalence of depression.3 Individuals living in poverty tend to have an increased prevalence of many chronic health conditions; however, according to a Gallup study done in 2011, based on the United States census, depression ranked top on the

Matthew Ratcliffe’s “The World of Depression” presents the argument that we as a society need to dig deeper into what suffers of depression experience to increase our understanding of what depression honestly is for there to be accurate diagnoses and effective treatments set in place to aid those with depression. Ratcliffe’s support for his argument range from lacking insight into what depression is to generalizing symptoms that could potential cause miss diagnoses. I will explain how Ratcliffe presents a vailed argument that could change the way we look at depression and aid in future treatments. Ratcliffe’s first support for his argument was, when it comes to the meaning of depression, there is only a surface understanding to

In this paper I will be arguing that the inadequate housing conditions of low socioeconomic status members has a negative impact on their mental health, leading to things such as higher rates of depression. To do this I will outline the three dimensions associated with housing and how each of these dimensions impact ones mental health using the example of the inadequate housing that those of lower socioeconomic status often live in. The housing of lower socioeconomic individuals has been shown to negatively impact mental health based on three dimensions—material, meaningful and spatial.

According to Black Dog Institute (2012), one in seven Australians will experience depression in their lifetime meaning, depression has a high lifetime prevalence. In Australia, depression is the third largest burden of disease (13.3%). It also is the third largest globally. It is responsible for the greatest proportion of burden attributable to non-fatal outcomes, accounting for nearly 12% of total years lived with disability worldwide (WHO, 2005). In Australia it is also the largest cause of non-fatal disability with 24%. These figures show that on average, people with depression live with disability for a longer number of years than people suffering other non-fatal diseases such as dementia and hearing loss. (Black Dog Institute, 2012)

Depression is one of the biggest health challenges the world faces. More than 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. One in five people will experience a period of depression in their lives, and it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Aside from the personal cost to sufferers and their families, the impact on the economy is vast, with the cost in Europe alone amounting to €92 bn a year, much of which is down to lost productivity.

nfluential forces found within the dominant society are strongly influential in the development of abnormal disorders and functioning, including abnormal disorders, that ultimately affect individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is vital that adequate and appropriate means of support are readily available, in efforts to ease, treat, and cease this disorder. These factors most commonly include an individual’s network and interactions with family and friends, the media in which they are exposed to on a regular basis, and other environmental and situational factors. This includes the residing culture’s institutions and its widely accepted beliefs and values. Since depression is so common and affects a large range of people from all

A number of large-scale studies indicate that depression rates have increased worldwide over the past several decades. Furthermore, younger generations are experiencing depression at an earlier age than did previous generations. Social scientists have proposed many explanations, including changes in family structure, urbanization, and reduced cultural and religious influences.

Central Idea: Depression is caused by many different things, has many symptoms and can also be treated in many ways.

The New York Times treated the subject of depression rather objectively and accurately. This article too was merited in its claims (which aligned with that of the psychology study) concerning factors of pre-disposition to depression as well as the inherent lack of personalization with regard to treatment. However, being that this popular media outlet caters to a wider audience than that of a psychology journal, the content of the piece did indeed simplify a rather complex subject (which naturally, led to its comparable inferiority in merit). To such effect, perhaps as to not overwhelm its readers with what the author may have deemed to be superfluous details, there existed no statistical evidence, and an inherent lack of explanation concerning the methodology by which the studies cited by the author acquired their data. The psychology journal however, is approached in a largely dissimilar manner as, its length, and abundance of facts, detail, and the statistical methodology backing of such data, offers much more than a diminutive overview serving to bolster the perceived merit of the article.

One common cause of depression that can be found no matter where you are in the world is poverty. In “What’s Behind the Gender Gap in Depression”, reporter Gretchen Cuda looks at how major depression is developed in both sexes, focusing mainly on women and their day-to-day struggles with the illness. “Being poor brings many types of stress, not the least of which is a feeling of loss of control over your life. That, in turn, can lead to negativity, passivity and lack of self-esteem--- and all those feelings increase the risk of depression.” (Cuda). Although Cuda focuses her report on women and depression, poverty is a factor that can lead to depression no matter what gender. The importance of financial stability and the stress that comes with worrying about money can take a toll on one’s physical as well as psychological health. Certain situations can occur in either gender but what occurs in the mind as well as methods of coping are what make the risk of depression differ for males and females.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Nearly three million Australians live with depression and/or anxiety, which affects their wellbeing, personal relationships, career and productivity”. It is true that the real definition of depression is skewed amongst those in society. Some chose to believe that depression is a normal reaction to life’s stresses, like losing a loved one, getting fired from a job, going through a divorce, and other difficult situations, and that only when these feelings come without reason and persist long term should it be seen as a serious concern. Others believes that depression is no more than a sad feeling that is ignorable, only revealed to people for the sake of attention and the care that comes from pity and sympathy. Personally, I believe that depression is a scientifically proven mental illness, and as it dramatically alters one’s self and has become prevalent in society, it should be discussed with the gravity and urgency deserved to such a pressing topic.

Depression has numerous causes and effects which affect not only the person but the people around them. Depression doesn’t have a specific cause; in most cases it’s different for everyone. It is a common, treatable mental illness that can be experienced at any time in life. It is often described with feeling sad, unhappy, miserable, or “down in the dumps”. Most people have these feelings on occasion. There are several types of depression. These different types of depression describe slight, but often important, diagnostic differences. True clinical depression interferes with mood disorder in everyday life for weeks, months, or even years. Most people think depression affects only one

Depression is the most common of all psychological disorders, affecting 100 million people worldwide. The depression ranges from mild feelings of uneasiness, sadness, and apathy to intense suicidal despair. (Kasschau) If left untreated, it could lead the