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I reckon it's because drugs are illegal. Imagine how destressed everyone would be if they weren't.
That's right, the cure for depression and mental ilness lies with mind altering drugs.
The earth isn't actually a sphere, it's a spheroid!
Mmmm spheroids.
But the WHO has long said the biggest epidemic in the world is depression, it's either 1 in 10 or 1 in 5 who suffer from it (go to WHO's website). Out of 6,000,000,000 people, that's 600 million at the low end of the estimate who are depressed. That's America, plus the UK, plus France, plus Germany (I think, roughly).
Pretty worrying stuff.
Yet when I've suggested on here before that depression has increased ten fold since 1945 people tell me it's only because it's more widely recognised and diagnosed.
If it has indeed increased ten fold, then it's far less likely to do with the Chemical Inbalance everybody loves to tout on here (human chemistry doesn't change that fast), and more likely due to other outside factors.
It certain seems to make sense to me that the weather, along with diet, increased stress levels, lack of clean air, countyside and fitness are the most likely causes of increased mental health issues.
The weather is literally depressing...
Except that it isn't. A disease is primarily a biological disorder and depression isn't - it's a mental disorder..
That's not to say it isn't a very serious condition or that a lot of people don't suffer from it.
Well, DALY as they put it:
Of course the fact that depression seems to be increasing massively is a useful argument to show that it isn't infact a disease. Human chemisrty doesn't change that fast without outside fctor coming into it.
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/what-is-depression-if-not-a-mental-illness/
http://www.math.missouri.edu/~rich/psych/breggin.txt
What causes depression?
There's no one cause of depression; it varies very much from person to person and can happen for a combination of factors. Although depression, as such, doesn't seem to be inherited through the genes (with the possible exception of manic depression), some of us are more prone to depression than others. This could be because of the way we're made, or because of our experiences or family background.
Past experiences can have a profound effect on how we feel about ourselves in the present, and if those feelings are very negative, they can be the start of a downward spiral. In many cases, the first time someone becomes depressed, it's triggered by an unwelcome or traumatic event, such as being sacked, divorced, physically attacked or raped.
Depression is seen by some experts as a form of unfinished mourning. Often events or experiences that trigger depression can also be seen as a loss of some kind. It could be following the actual death of someone close, a major life change (such as moving house or changing jobs) or simply moving from one phase of life into another, as we reach retirement or our childen leave home. It?s not just the negative experience that causes the depression, but how we deal with it. If the feelings provoked are not expressed or explored at the time, they fester and contribute towards depression. It's important to acknowledge and grieve over what we have lost in order to be able to move on successfully.
Depression may also be caused by an underactive thyroid. The thyroid gland controls metabolic rate and, if it is not working properly, can cause you to experience various symptoms. If it is underactive, you will feel sluggish and lethargic, may put on weight, and feel depressed. If it is overactive, you may feel very speeded up, lose weight and have symptoms similar to mania. It is important to have a thyroid function test (a simple blood test) to make sure that this is not the cause of your depression, especially if you cannot account for it in other ways, such as recent life events. If an underactive thyroid is diagnosed, it can be treated successfully with appropriate medication. (See Useful websites.)
Anecdotal evidence suggests that occasionally people become very depressed in response to certain foods. Such a reaction is very individual, and people are often not aware of the particular food substance or drink that is causing the problem. But if you suddenly feel depressed for no apparent reason, it may be worth considering whether you have eaten or drunk something new, and whether this might have caused your sudden change of mood. If this is the cause, your mood should lift very quickly, so long as you don?t consume any more of the particular item. (See The Mind guide to food and mood.)
Poor diet, lack of physical fitness, and illnesses, such as flu, can all leave us feeling depressed. Frequent use of some recreational drugs can also play a part. (For more information, see Understanding the psychological effects of street drugs.)
It's clear that people who are depressed show changes to the chemical messengers (called neurotransmitters) in the brain. It's less clear whether this is a cause or a result of the depression.
I think id actually be dead if i followed every bit of govt advice on food!