Abstract
Depression is a psychological disorder with multiple causes and physical and emotional effects. There are over three million diagnoses of clinical or major depression reported each year, in which most cases tend to resolve within six plus months. Some researchers and professionals argue that depression can be traced back hundreds of thousands of years ago, most often caused by stress which tends to be why people with depression have problems sleeping. Of course, there are other causes of depression, including environmental and social factors, and even food and drugs. This paper will discuss points brought up in an article on how to naturally overcome depression. Treatment for depression varies, as each person diagnosed has unique circumstances. The way media portrays depression plays an important role not only in the way that people perceive mental disorders, but the way people perceive other people with mental disorders. Mass media is one of the most influential factors in public perception as almost every American has a way of accessing some form of public media, whether it be the news channels on TV, newspaper, magazine, or radio.
Psychology in Public Media Research Paper
Depression, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is a “mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep.” When people hear the word depression, it’s assumed that they immediately think of sadness and anxiety, because public media often presents the two together. Upon reading a review of an article online, the idea that happiness can fade just as fast as it is achieved was presented, which brought up an interesting thought: When did the idea of sadness or depression emerge in society? Many professional publishings suggest that dips in mood stem from anxiety and stress, which leads to adrenaline-induced sleeplessness, causing a fight-or-flight response resulting in grogginess. This grogginess can be viewed as synonymous with a mildly depressed state (Rottenberg, 2014). Thanks to public media also spreading awareness of the importance of mental health, depression is becoming increasingly common, and how we feel has a lot to do with psychological issues and faulty biochemistry (Teitelbaum, 2015).
The power that public media holds over society is infinite. Mental health conditions and issues are seen everywhere from movies and television shows, to songs and news reports. Speaking from experience, songs that portray depression are often slow and sad, with the artists’ goal being that the song should be relatable. When people in a society, often teenagers, get ahold of relatable material, it really resonates with who they are as a person, and can “trigger” their emotions in detrimental ways. While the media often portrays depression as negative, Rottenberg (2014) suggests that some amount of low mood is necessary in the human experience, and in some cases, low mood leans to better, more realistic decision-making. This can be more well understood by looking at it this way: If one doesn’t feel some sort of unhappiness at any point in time, how can one really appreciate true happiness? There needs to be a point of comparison.
Most often, the most attention is focused on clinical and severe depression, but people must understand that all other cases and levels of severity of depression are equally as important. Teitelbaum (2015) explains that as millions of Americans are complaining of being depressed, doctors tend to be very quick to prescribe medications to their patients. Teitelbaum (2015) also suggests that people need to feel all of their feelings without the need to understand or justify them. While I can agree that people should feel all of their feelings, I do believe that it is important to understand them to reduce the risk of feeling isolated or “being alone.” When social media trends portray the ideal lifestyle, often times people get discouraged that they can’t live as lavish and problem free as the people in the headlines. Teitelbaum encourages people to focus on the good and what feels good. He explains a misconception that putting too much emphasis on problems is smart, and stresses that the most important things that capture one’s attention will “feel good” to focus on, “otherwise you’re living your life as if you have 200 channels to choose from, and you only choose to watch the ones you don’t like,” (2015).
One major cause of depression not often discussed is preexisting underlying medical problems. Proper nutrition is a necessity if one wishes to ease depression caused from hormonal deficiencies or chronic pain. Teitelbaum (2015) recommends multivitamins, exercise, and getting more sunlight. This is accurate, as research proves that positive changes in an environment can dramatically improve one’s mood. Since every person is different, every person will respond differently to the way their depression is treated. A large amount of people are able to naturally overcome their depression, while others must resort to antidepressant medications. The stigma that the media creates about being on medication for one’s problems is a negative one, but more and more people in today’s society are becoming more accepting, as more people are open about the struggles they face. It helps to know that other people are experiencing similar issues, and social media can help others connect with each other on that basis.
Teitelbaum’s article was encouraging in the sense that not everyone has to give in to medications that doctors prescribe. Although medications do work for some, they are not the best treatment choice for everyone. Teitelbaum wrote his article in a very light tone; It was not dark or depressing, which is uncommon in articles that discuss depression. In news stories and movies, reporters always emphasize the sad reports or stories, and the way Teitelbaum countered this approach seemed almost effortless. His approach to this article would comfort many people struggling with depression, and make the negative stigma associated with depression fade. Depression is a very common condition, and it’s a condition that some people simply cannot control. If mental disturbances are out of one’s control, they should not be shamed for it, and that is one point I wish the public media would touch on a little bit more.