Each year, the World Health Organization conducts research to identify which illnesses, diseases or disorders are causing the most deaths, disabilities and lost time from work (www.who.int/whr). As you can imagine, cancer and heart disease have been the top two illnesses for many years. However, recent WHO data has identified a new world-wide trend: clinical depression is the up and comer, and will eventually surpass all other illnesses. Why? What can be done to reduce depression? Questions such as these need to be answered. Unfortunately, discussions about depression are difficult due to myths — long standing false beliefs and inaccurate information.
The purpose of today’s column is to expose these myths and, more importantly, to provide you with good information so you can begin to understand the importance of recognizing, treating and preventing clinical depression.
Myth 1: Clinical depression is caused by a person’s weakness or personal shortcomings. False. A survey conducted in the 1990’s found the following public perceptions of depression:
1. 71% said it was due to emotional weakness.
2. 65% said it was caused by bad parenting.
3. 45% said it’s the victim’s fault, and you can “will it away.”
4. 43% said it is incurable.
5. 35% said it is a consequence of sinful behavior.
6. 10% said it has a biological basis involving the brain. (“Essential Psychopharmacology,” 2002, Stahl, Steven, the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge).
Only 10% correctly identified the fact that clinical depression is a biologically based brain disorder, involving a genetic vulnerability.
Myth 2: Clinical depression and grief are the same. False. When my mother died, I entered a time where I missed her terribly. I mourned her death and felt a powerful feeling of loss. But I was never clinically depressed. My sadness was a part of a normal process which I knew would eventually lift. During my time of grieving, I did not experience a loss of self-esteem, nor did I blame myself in any way. In addition, my feelings of sadness made sense and were all related to one specific event (my mother’s death). I knew that the best treatment was time and close support from my friends and family.
Clinical depression, on the other hand, is not a normal process, nor will time alone be an effective remedy. Most importantly, individuals who are experiencing clinical depression feel a powerful loss of self-esteem. In clinical depression, something has happened which has unbalanced basic brain functioning.
Myth 3: Children never get depressed. False. This myth goes like this — look at a school playground. The kids are running, jumping, laughing, and playing. Their burdens in life are small and simple — make friends, do your homework, obey your parents. What could possibly upset a child enough to make them depressed? This myth also has led to the general attitude that children rarely require psychological treatment. As a psychologist who has worked for over twenty years with kids who are depressed, I can tell you that these children do need treatment. The reality of children’s depression is as follows:
1. Children and adolescents experience clinical depression, but it does not look like adult depression.
2. Children “mask” their depression with these warning signs — anger, pessimistic thinking, school failure, learning problems, behavioral problems, eating disorders, substance abuse disorder and self-cutting.
Myth 4: Treatment for clinical depression in children, adolescents and adults rarely works. False. Breakthroughs in neuroscience have produced new and highly effective treatments. When compared to the treatment effectiveness of other chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, treatment of clinical depression has just as high a rate of success. Most patients who have received high quality treatment for depression recover and lead productive lives.
Myth 5: The major roadblock which stops people from seeking treatment for clinical depression is lack of insurance. False. The major roadblock which stops people from seeking treatment for clinical depression is fear. The best medicine for overcoming fear is knowledge about how our brain works and a belief that seeking care is a sign of personal courage.
The content of this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for treatment by a professional.
Dr. Richard Elghammer contributes his column each week to the Journal Review.
