Special Report on Depression
Wise & Well weekly newsletter: Great reads, and your feedback
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wellness. This week, we’ve begun a month-long focus on the United States of Depression. Here are the first articles in this series, with more to publish each weekday, followed by some early reader feedback.
Confronting America’s Fixable Depression Crisis
Depression is highly treatable. Yet rates in the United States are soaring. Experts say we need to collectively acknowledge the scope of the problem, shake the stigma, and embrace solutions known to work. In this overview, learn why Americans are so depressed and what needs to be done.
— By Robert Roy Britt
Are You Depressed, or Just Sad?
The medical definition of depression may be imperfect, but it helps people understand what they are suffering from and predict what is likely to happen without treatment, and it offers useful guidance for effective remedies. Confusion creeps in, however, when people use the term depression to describe normal, everyday sadness.
— By John Kruse, MD
The Kids Are Not OK
Depression rates among adolescents keep rising, especially in girls. New approaches are needed to combat the crisis, and schools can help identify the problem and provide resources.
— By Dr. Julian Barkan
Depression in Older Adults: Facing Unique Challenges
Retirement, grief and loss, health concerns, and cognitive decline can contribute to depression among older adults. Experts in geriatric psychology share how to tell if you or someone you love is struggling with serious depression…or just getting older.
— By Kathleen Murphy
When Depression Turns Deadly: Society, Suicide and Transgender People
Discrimination against transgender people — laws prohibiting the use of hormone therapy, access to bathrooms, or participation in sports — and a political and cultural environment that fuels outright hatred and violence combine to raise the risk of depression and suicide.
— By Elizabeth Knight, PhD
READER FEEDBACK
A selected few of the many comments we’ve received from Medium readers about our special report on depression:
“It’s so hard to find a professional who will look past the checklists and invest time and energy into discovering more about the subjective reality of their patient, some information that, it seems to me, is so necessary in order to treat somebody properly!”
—Gert Van Buiten
“When it comes to depression and anxiety, a big part of the problem in the U.S. is that it is viewed as an individual problem. How people are treated has a profound effect on their moods and can cause trauma which people do not heal or recover from. The standard practice in the U.S. of recommending medication, therapy and exercise to “treat” symptoms is limited in its effectiveness because it does nothing to address the underlying cultural and social causes.”
—Stephen Perkins
“Mental health awareness is the one good thing that came from Covid-19. Those of us in healthcare have always known mental health [problems] across all ages has risen in the last decade. But, somehow it remained a nicely kept secret. Until, it couldn’t be contained anymore.”
—Amanda M Boyd RN, BSN
“One of my friends tells me he is depressed often. I always ask him if he’s getting enough: sleep, exercise, fun activity time, social time, and healthy foods. His answer is always “no” to all of it🤔…. And, then I try to kindly suggest he do those things but he never does. So he stays caught in the loop🤪 It's frustrating. I know if I don't get all the things I mentioned, my mood will plummet and my worldview gets all twisted negatively.”
—Katy Langston
Next up in the series: causes and contributing factors of depression along with treatments and solutions. To see the full list of 18 articles, visit the main special report page: The United States of Depression.
A sampling of other Wise & Well articles from this past week, as we seek to help make your tomorrow a little better than today:
RANDOM BIT OF WISDOM
“This isn’t about politics. Right now, there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help.”
—US Senator John Fetterman
If you like what you see, please follow Wise & Well and/or subscribe to this newsletter. Meanwhile, I hope we’ve helped you make tomorrow a little better than today. — Rob
