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Reflection Paper On Depression

Satisfactory Essays

Reflection #3: Depression
Depression is a category of mental illness that most often appears during the late teens. Often, a psychiatrist or psychologist is necessary to diagnose a person with depression. This is often done using the DSM V. According to this reference, depression is characterized by feelings of sadness and feelings of emptiness, which often leads to a myriad of physical problems. Physical symptoms of depression include unintentional weight loss or gain, sleeping too much or too little, and loss of energy (What is Depression). One’s emotional state has a large effect on the body, many of which can be observed in the physiological symptoms of depression. Without the want to function, individuals suffering from this illness …show more content…

Suicide is the 9th leading cause of death for Floridians, and is the 3rd leading cause of death for Floridians ages 15-24 (Florida Vital Statistics Reports). Unfortunately, depression is the main clinical cause of suicide, with almost 30% of these individuals showing signs of depression during the months preceding their death. To improve these devastating statistics, Florida has implemented a statewide suicide prevention strategy. The program’s major goals are to decrease the incidence of suicide in Florida by raising awareness, promoting open discussion about depression and suicidal talks, and expand accessibility to substance abuse and mental health treatment (Florida Suicide Prevention Project). My hopes are that Florida will be able to improve statewide access to mental health resources, especially for teenagers and young adults who make up much of suicide rates.
Furthermore, it has been found that socioeconomic status is a major social determinant of health. Those at a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to present with the symptoms of depression. This may be in part due to the added daily stress experienced by someone of a lower class in comparison to upper class individuals, as explained by the social causation hypothesis. Individuals from lower economic status often must worry about how to provide food for their family, how they are going to pay the bills, and have very little time to worry about their health, especially mental health

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