The Role Of Depression In The United States

According to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, major depression rates for American adults increased from 3.33 percent to 7.06 from 1991 to 2002. “Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act”(Parekh). Although some may believe that depression is stagnant, more Americans are in fact dealing with depression than in years prior. I heard this and was unsettled. In a time of openness and greater opportunity than ever before, why is depression increasing in Americans? My research has lead to the conclusion that social media, the modernization of western culture, and the average American diet has been leading factors in

The Great Depression wasn't the first depression this country has ever seen, but by far it was the worst and longest economic decline in history. The Depression officially began on October 29, 1929, which is known as Black Tuesday today; the ripple effect started after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Wall Street was the banking district in New York where the New York City Stock Exchange (NYSE) was located (Wroble 14). The Depression lasted for a lengthy ten years. While Franklin D. Roosevelt was running to become the 32nd president of the United States, he promised to have all the solutions on how to handle the Depression and get America back to its former beauty. When Franklin became president on March 4, 1933, he immediately put all his ideas together and called them The First and Second New Deals, both programs helped repair and restore the nation in economic and emotional ways.

My great grandmother, Mildred McClellan-Vanarsdale, lived through different historical events in the African American community. "If there is no struggle there is no progress," a famous quote spoken by the great Fredrick Douglass. It explains that some situations need to have a struggle in order to prosper. The African Americans that lived in the time period of the thirties to the two-thousands understood every event that took place.

When most people hear the phrase “The Great Depression” they only associate it the crash of the stock market and the hard times that followed. Here in the Midwest, when we think of the Great Depression we also think of the Dust Bowl and the Dirty Thirties. The Great Depression was a very climactic end to a series of poor choices that greatly affected the entire United States.

The 1920’s were a swinging party of an era. People learned what having a good time and living the American dream truly meant when they began partying all night, seeing movies, placing imaginary money into a new system called “credit”, and ignoring the impending doom that sat on the horizon. On October 29, 1929, tragedy struck America; the newly founded stock market crashed, and suddenly people were trying to sell off their bad stocks to people with no money, who were being hounded by banks trying to reclaim the imaginary money that turned out to be not so imaginary after all. This date marked the start of the era known as the Great Depression. The Depression would control the 30’s, leaving some on the lower levels of society struggling to survive,

"Seventh grade, the year everything changes." This simple phrase is exactly what I said to myself on the first day back to school. I said a new variation of it with the dawning of every new school year, as I hoped for happy friends, good fortune and maybe a new boy to crush on. I honestly believed that chanting that everything would change within the year could actually make it happen. Though with the number of times I did it, I never recall specifying whether I expected the upcoming year to change for the better. Had I known what was to come this year, I would have done anything to reverse it, or I would have at least told the universe that I wanted to be happy.

Depression is a disorder that affects millions of Americans every day. In The Alcoholic, Jonathan is battling with depression when the events of 9/11 happen. The story focuses on his struggles around 9/11 and how it is impacting him and his change of feelings so often. The story also shows how it is eating him up inside that he is thinking about himself when a tragic event like 9/11 is happening. Jonathan goes through life trying to find himself and this story shows the struggles he is dealing with every day. The Alcoholic accurately shows what Jonathan is going through personally in the environment where people are sadness but this story shows that Jonathan has been fighting with sadness every day.

In Gary Greenberg's Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease, he takes an in depth look at the history behind depression, antidepressants, and how we have come to recognize and accept depression as a biochemical disease. When analyzing this book we can see that depression itself, whether it be a disease that is biochemically manifested or not, is deeply integrated into our society in a variety of ways as many aspects of society associated with depression have specific functions that are integral for society to function properly as a whole.

When thinking about the American Dream and the connection of a rapidly spreading illness known as depression, it can be said that high money making jobs are depleting the lives of the ones who are working attempting or have already achieved, what was thought of to be their dream. This “dream” may have many perspectives, but the true definition comes along the lines of a life of personal happiness and material comfort that is traditionally sought by individuals in the United States. Happiness to many Americans means being successful and accomplishing personal goals that one has worked toward for a great deal of time. Looking at celebrities, their lifestyles can seem to look like the perfect paradise, but little do fans and others know, what

Depression is a well-known mental health issue impacting a significant share of the Western population. This particular illness has become a contagious phenomenon, eliciting stigmatisation towards anyone displaying depressive behaviour. Thus, the subject is whether individuals are unknowingly, due to their cultural milieu, confusing and labelling normal notions of sadness with depression. This particular ideology can be concluded through examining the effect of the placebo in juxtaposition to anti-depressants. Results from various studies have displayed how those who rate low on depressive scales, tend to benefit from placebo antidepressant drugs. The priority focus is on female adults (20-45 years) within the western demography, considering they have the highest rates of depression, not only in the Western hemisphere, but globally as well; thus global comparisons amongst women will be necessary. It is important to note, that for the purpose of this analysis the West will constitute as developed countries (mainly the US, Australia and the UK). More so, there have been trends in discussion of genetic depression, yet that will also be disintegrated and exemplified on how easy it has become for women to self-diagnose themselves. Thus, the essay contends to argue that those who are affected by the placebo may be unknowingly and wrongfully self-diagnosed/been labelled depressed when they are indeed simply experiencing normal reactions of sadness.

Outwardly, a person with High Functioning depression will still be able to hold down a demanding job, be in relationships, and make all the ooh’s and aah’s at all the right places. Inwardly it’s a whole different punch, they will often go to great lengths to keep up appearances and meet obligations.

Sometimes the stigma of having depression can bring on negative associations because people think they are less than a human or viewed as being crazy for seeking help. This is not the case and a great misconception in our society today. Consider this, there are more

Fast money, that is what a large percentage of Investors want. We are in the midst of the largest bull market ever, and the greatest financial expansion in history. What goes up must come down, right? This fundamental rule seems to not apply in today’s fast paced economy. This remarkable wealth-making machine seems unstoppable, but is it? One cannot help but be reminded of the twenties and similarities between these two decades. Investor Sentiment is at all time highs. Interest rates are low, and all seems fine. If you take a look at financial history it is clear that the business cycle flows in and out of trends. The market must correct itself. With speculation nearing all time highs, and confidence

feelings can linger for years. Depression is a social disorder characterized by a depressed mood

Indeed, the Great Depression was not caused by one particular reason, they are many reasons and they started when the American States became a world creditor, in 1920’s. After World war I, the American State’s economy was in a strong state. The country went through a decade called the Roaring 20’s. It was a time where the USA became a world creditor, they updated their modern technology in order to improve their economy and the Americans appeared to be very wealthy because they were buying on credit and playing the stock Market. The United State’s economy collapsed because of the reason listed below, Stock Market, Tariffs, Overproduction, Expenditure, Reckless Speculation and minimal government intervention led to the fall of the American economy.