Untreated Depression Imagine Being Underwater - 2504 Words

Carrie Rapier Mrs. Gallos English 3 Honors 6 April 2017 Untreated Depression Imagine being underwater. Imagine not being able to reach the top, gasping for air, and not being able to breathe no matter how much effort is put in. Imagine sinking deeper and deeper to the bottom and finally just getting used to living in the darkness. That is how it is living with depression. Depression affects almost 20 million people every year. The problem with depression, besides its existence, is that it commonly goes untreated, especially in teens. Not treating depression increases the chance of drug and alcohol addiction, causes problems in relationships, and can make it hard to overcome other illnesses. The reason it goes untreated is because people†¦show more content†¦Stereotypes are a major problem because people may hear the stereotypes of what a depressed person is like and assume they are not depressed because their feelings do not go by the stereotypes they heard. The stereotype that happy people cannot be depressed is all wrong on so many levels. Sometime s showing happiness and using humor is a defense mechanism, and the people who seem happy are really suffering in silence. Some also believe that depression is â€Å"dictated by life circumstances† when actually, it can be triggered by inherited genes and traits, brain chemistry, and even hormonal imbalances(Clifton). One should talk to their doctor if they think hormones could be the cause of their depression. Talking about depression with a depressed person is commonly believed to be uncomfortable or embarrassing for the person, and while sometimes this may be the case, it actually may send some relief to the person with depression. The National Institute of Mental Health says â€Å"there’s a difference between experiencing sadness for a short period of time and one’s daily life becoming afflicted by the symptoms of [depression] for several months or years†(Clifton) Despite what society says, people with depression are not mentally weak, lazy, or infer ior; they may actually be some of the strongest people around having to fight a daily battle in their minds that no one else knows about. The smartest, most hard-working and supportive people