Staying Mentally Fit is Just as Important as Exercise and Diet

Depression is a serious illness that can worsen or last for years if it is left untreated. Depression can occur in a number of ways for different reasons. It is common to feel depressed as a reaction to loss, life's struggles, or an injured self-esteem. When these feelings become too much to handle they can prevent you from living a normal, healthy life. If you or a family member think you are experiencing depression signs to look out for include difficulty concentrating, fatigue, guilt, worthlessness, Insomnia, Irritability, restlessness, and thoughts of suicide. These are only some of the signs associated with depression, and if symptoms worsen over time a trip to the doctor is necessary. Unfortunately, a lot of the people who experience symptoms never do get diagnosed or treated for their illness because they are too afraid to speak out.

Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety have been attributed to several factors such as excessive stress, genetic predisposition, biochemical imbalances, and even sociocultural status. As with other diseases, mental illnesses are often manifested through a combination of physical as well as emotional symptoms.

The issue of humanity’s mental health is something our species has dealt with since the beginning of our existence – even if it wasn’t publically acknowledged. Mental health is generally defined as a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being: a disorder of thought or mood which significantly impairs the judgment, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to cope with the ordinary demands of life resulting in possible harm to themselves or others. The World Health Organization, also known as WHO, has defined mental health as “a state of well-being that enables a person to cope with the normal stresses of his or her life, do productive work, contribute to the community, and otherwise realize his or her potential” (WHO, 2014). What we as humans face, is the overwhelming struggle to attain a proper state of psychological and emotional well-being – which can be more difficult than commonly thought in today’s society all around the world.

Mental health issues are a challenge faced by many people throughout society as statistics show one out of four people around the world experience mental health challenges. World Health Organization (WHO) states that depression and anxiety are the main conditions that affect people, regardless of their age or ethnicity. Therefore, it is important to know about psychotic disorders and the medication used to treat the symptoms.

Depression is a health condition that can affect a person emotionally and physically. Untreated, depression can even lead to suicide, which is the third-leading cause of death among people under the age of 18 (“Antidepressant Drugs” 1). Depression

Depression is a leading cause of death among adolescents- So why aren’t we doing more about it? “Experts estimate that 5% of all adolescents will suffer from depression. Unfortunately, only 20% of depressed adolescents are appropriately diagnosed and treated” (DBSA). A depressive disorder is a disease that affects mood, thoughts and behavior. It is also the reaction of the human to the unfavorable surroundings or environment. DBSA otherwise known as Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance states, “When a bad day turns into a bad week, month or more, there may be a medical explanation for this change in behavior of feelings of hopelessness” (DBSA). Many parents may think that a young adolescent is moody or unhappy because it is a natural part of being young and growing up. However, “Persistent unhappiness or moodiness is not normal for anyone” (DBSA). If depression was better recognized, treatment was more readily available, and depressed adolescents adhered to treatment, adolescent life could be enjoyed by millions that would otherwise suffer.

Depression is a life threatening mental health disorder which is characterized by a persistent depressed mood or loss of interest in things you once enjoyed. In the United States alone there is about three million cases of depression per year and an estimate of 5,000 Americans between the ages 15 and 24 who take their own life due to this disorder. Since the last estimate the suicides have tripled from the year 1960 according to the Mental Health of America (Mental Health of America #1). Suicide has become the third leading cause of death in adolescents and the second cause of death among college-age youth. This disorder can make it very hard to live your normal everyday life. You can have overwhelming feeling of sadness, frustration and irritability. Some teens do

Depression has a variety of symptoms, including but not limited to sadness, loss of interest and lethargy, guilt, low self-esteem, insomnia, eating disorders (either food binging or poor appetite), reduced ability to concentrate and in some severe cases, suicidality (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Often dismissed as childish “moodiness,” depression is one of the most common psychological problems that afflict teenagers. For most teens, the effects of their depression can be felt throughout every area of their lives, from relationships

According to the Mayo Clinic, a mental illness can be defined as a disorder, or multiple disorders that can all be on a spectrum, that can affect mood, cognitive abilities, and the way one acts. Mayo Clinic’s definition also includes the specification that, to be considered a mental illness, the symptoms generally effect a person’s ability to function in common life situations, all while causing quite a bit of stress. It becomes obvious that these types of diseases can be just as damaging as physical illnesses, hence the drastic need for treatment and continuing advancements in the methods of treatment.

There are many things that people say to others who have been feeling depressed or are depressed: "you could have it worse," "it is just a phase," "stop being sad and cheer up." These people do not understand how much depression can affect a person's life and is an everyday struggle. Depression is known to be a state of sadness, but can last for years and is more than being upset or a change in appetite. Depression affects a person in multiple ways: physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is when a person suffers from feeling worthless, hopeless, and other negative feelings. Sometimes it could be life threatening and cause recurring thoughts of doing suicidal acts. In fact, "most people who have clinical depression

According to the American Psychiatric Association, “If Five symptoms have been present during the same 2- week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms can be a depressive disorder or loss of interest.” The symptoms of major depression disorder would be feeling sad or empty almost everyday, decreased interest or pleasure in mostly everything, weight change or change in appetite, change in sleep, loss of energy, lack of concentration, feeling guilt or worthlessness, and having suicidal thoughts. These specific symptom/criterias are found typically in individuals who have major depression disorder. If these symptoms are not treated it can lead to other potential disorders or can make the major depression disorder become severe. Adolescents and children with major depressive disorder have a larger risk of committing suicide. Some children and adolescents might start with ideation of committing suicide and in some sever cases of major depressive disorder the individual will proceed with

Depression affects everyone's life at sometime or another. Depression comes in a wide variety of forms, from mild unhappiness to a chemical imbalance in the mind. There are many different symptoms that reveal a person's problem with depression. If left untreated, depression may continue to develop into a serious illness or even death.

Daily counseling with clinical psychologists helps a wide range of people globally with problems and issues in life. Some people develop particular emotional and mental health problems such as schizophrenia and depression, and that leads to the loss of productivity and efficiency of daily life. With the help of psychologist, people can improve their mental health conditions that will benefit the occupation of the individual and their personal life issues. By providing care and therapy, psychologists ensure that people with mental illnesses can cope with daily life situations effectively. Many challenges people face in the modern world stem from human behavior, thus psychological knowledge can help find solutions to overcome these obstacles by studying the various aspects of the human mind. Mental health is an essential part of a person’s overall health, and it has a complex interactive relationship with physical and mental issues that affects a person 's ability to succeed in school, work, and society. Physical and mental issues can be helped with psychological care or counseling.

The articles by Erikson et al., Gatz, Korol et al., and Draganski et al. explore the concept of increased physical activity and/or mental activity having effects on the cognitive function and development or deterioration of the brain as we age. Although I agree that physical exercise is critical in increasing cognitive function because of the health benefits it provides, as well as the increased blood flow and circulation throughout the body, I ultimately believe that a healthy brain is not achieved solely by physical exercise or mental exercise, but both. I think there is a link between physical and mental exercise, and that the combination of these two activities creates higher cognitive functioning of the mind as well as the body. The mind and body come together and meet to make an overall healthy individual.