Depression is one of the most diagnosable mental disorders in our society these days, and with that being said, it is almost impossible to go without knowing someone who has been affected by this illness. Despite its commonality, the severity of this illness should not be taken lightly. I personally know a few people who have a challenged everyday life because of Major Depressive Disorder. Seeing these people battling their problems first hand is why I choose depression as the center point illness throughout this site. As you make your way through each page of this website you will develop an understanding for the many approaches taken by medical anthropologist and how each relates to the study of depression.
Depression defined as, “a medical illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest” and more in-depth, major depressive disorder can be characterized by “a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities” (Mayo Clinic). If you’re thinking that these definitions seem fairly broad, I would completely agree, but on the other hand they more or less have to be.
Psychological and mental illnesses need to be approached in this wide manner due to the fact that there’s so many variables that can play a factor into each individual case. Doctors and clinicians in Western medicine deal primarily with how to treat each patient or how to at least relieve their symptoms associated with depression. On the other hand you have medical anthropologist who, as we learned throughout this class, take a more preventative approach to a specific illness, asking questions such as “what factors may have an influence on the development?” or “who and how might a certain group of people be defined or considered as a high risk for this illness?”. The grouping of one’s “culture” is one of the first things that anthropologist look at. With depression being such a common illness and is for the most part recognized all across the world, one would think culture wouldn’t really play a factor, but not to be fooled it does. Depression being so widely defined, each culture could have its own way of diagnosing, treating, and preventing within the population. With culture aside, some other factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, and life choices (smoking or alcohol consumption) have been linked to the development of depression. Women and those who are unemployed or sit below the poverty line are considerably at a higher risk for depression development (Brody). As we seen in the “In Sickness and in Wealth” video, from week 2 of the course, it should be no surprise that poverty plays a role in the development due to all of the stresses associated with everyday life.
Depression defined as, “a medical illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest” and more in-depth, major depressive disorder can be characterized by “a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities” (Mayo Clinic). If you’re thinking that these definitions seem fairly broad, I would completely agree, but on the other hand they more or less have to be.
Psychological and mental illnesses need to be approached in this wide manner due to the fact that there’s so many variables that can play a factor into each individual case. Doctors and clinicians in Western medicine deal primarily with how to treat each patient or how to at least relieve their symptoms associated with depression. On the other hand you have medical anthropologist who, as we learned throughout this class, take a more preventative approach to a specific illness, asking questions such as “what factors may have an influence on the development?” or “who and how might a certain group of people be defined or considered as a high risk for this illness?”. The grouping of one’s “culture” is one of the first things that anthropologist look at. With depression being such a common illness and is for the most part recognized all across the world, one would think culture wouldn’t really play a factor, but not to be fooled it does. Depression being so widely defined, each culture could have its own way of diagnosing, treating, and preventing within the population. With culture aside, some other factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, and life choices (smoking or alcohol consumption) have been linked to the development of depression. Women and those who are unemployed or sit below the poverty line are considerably at a higher risk for depression development (Brody). As we seen in the “In Sickness and in Wealth” video, from week 2 of the course, it should be no surprise that poverty plays a role in the development due to all of the stresses associated with everyday life.
Bibliography:
Brody, and Pratt. "Products - Data Briefs - Number 7 - September 2008." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed August 15, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db07.htm.
Mayo Clinic. "Depression (major depression) - MayoClinic.com." Accessed August 15, 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175.
Depression Banner. Accessed August 14, 2013. http://www.selfdepression.com/images/depression_banner.jpg.
Brody, and Pratt. "Products - Data Briefs - Number 7 - September 2008." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed August 15, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db07.htm.
Mayo Clinic. "Depression (major depression) - MayoClinic.com." Accessed August 15, 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175.
Depression Banner. Accessed August 14, 2013. http://www.selfdepression.com/images/depression_banner.jpg.