Why are so many people depressed?
November 6, 2012 8:25 AM Subscribe
Why are so many people depressed?
My impression is that a lot of people on AskMeFi suffer from various degrees of depression.
If my impression is correct, is it because the site for some reason attracts people who suffer from depression, or is it because the site attracts people who have backgrounds and interests that happen to have a high correlation to depression, or is it because the population at large has a high incidence of depression and the AskMeFi community simply reflects that reality (and people here perhaps talk about it more due to the nature of the site)?
If it's the latter, is the widespread extent of it an American phenomenon, or is it the same in Canada, the UK, Australia, etc.?
And what are the reasons for it? Aside from hereditary biochemical type causes, is it because the way people are being raised as children is leading to depression as adults (or earlier)? Or are there many things about adult life that cause later onset depression?
If it's related to childhood, is it generally only happening as a result of significantly dysfunctional family situations?
I find it sad and also quite surprising and puzzling that so many people seem to be suffering from depression, thus my curiosity about the topic.
My impression is that a lot of people on AskMeFi suffer from various degrees of depression.
If my impression is correct, is it because the site for some reason attracts people who suffer from depression, or is it because the site attracts people who have backgrounds and interests that happen to have a high correlation to depression, or is it because the population at large has a high incidence of depression and the AskMeFi community simply reflects that reality (and people here perhaps talk about it more due to the nature of the site)?
If it's the latter, is the widespread extent of it an American phenomenon, or is it the same in Canada, the UK, Australia, etc.?
And what are the reasons for it? Aside from hereditary biochemical type causes, is it because the way people are being raised as children is leading to depression as adults (or earlier)? Or are there many things about adult life that cause later onset depression?
If it's related to childhood, is it generally only happening as a result of significantly dysfunctional family situations?
I find it sad and also quite surprising and puzzling that so many people seem to be suffering from depression, thus my curiosity about the topic.
This post was deleted for the following reason: If this is about MetaFilter, it needs to be in MetaTalk. Otherwise I'm not sure why some of these questions aren't ones you can do a little googling for and then ask the community what you have questions about? -- jessamyn
I can't point to any definitive studies, but I would guess that as cultures become more sedentary, in terms of daily activities and such, you will find that depression instances go up. There have been studies to show that intense exercise can be partially effective in dealing with depression, so as we move away from labor-intensive cultures, I suspect that instances of depression probably increase. I'm also going to guess that there is a higher correlation between using the internet and these types of sedentary lifestyles.
posted by SpacemanStix at 8:34 AM on November 6, 2012
posted by SpacemanStix at 8:34 AM on November 6, 2012
Walk into any pharmacy in the nation. You will see, over the counter, dozens of medicines for allergies or chronic indigestion. I need to take one Claritin tablet a day, every day (and two on bad days.) Ask around your friends over 35 - how many of them have high blood pressure?
Now, think of depression as a medical condition - because it is. It's probably not as common as high cholesterol or acid reflux, but more common than psoriasis.
Because it impacts our minds, sometimes impairing our cognitive skills, it can be helpful to ask people about it, to get reassurance that they can treat it, that it's not a lack of moral wherewithal that's causing their misery. AskMe is good for that. So, selection bias, and the fact that humans frequently have things go wrong with their health is why it seems like there's a huge number of depressed people.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:35 AM on November 6, 2012
Now, think of depression as a medical condition - because it is. It's probably not as common as high cholesterol or acid reflux, but more common than psoriasis.
Because it impacts our minds, sometimes impairing our cognitive skills, it can be helpful to ask people about it, to get reassurance that they can treat it, that it's not a lack of moral wherewithal that's causing their misery. AskMe is good for that. So, selection bias, and the fact that humans frequently have things go wrong with their health is why it seems like there's a huge number of depressed people.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:35 AM on November 6, 2012
People who aren't depressed don't come to ask questions here about the depression they don't have.
Any forum which people feel safe enough to expose very sensitive parts of themselves will doubtless lead to the same phenomenon. And when people get a positive experience, it makes others feel safe about opening up.
I think we reflect the population at large. We're not special in the incidence of depression. We're just more open about it.
posted by inturnaround at 8:36 AM on November 6, 2012 [3 favorites]
Any forum which people feel safe enough to expose very sensitive parts of themselves will doubtless lead to the same phenomenon. And when people get a positive experience, it makes others feel safe about opening up.
I think we reflect the population at large. We're not special in the incidence of depression. We're just more open about it.
posted by inturnaround at 8:36 AM on November 6, 2012 [3 favorites]
People that are not depressed tend not to ask questions about depression.
posted by saeculorum at 8:36 AM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by saeculorum at 8:36 AM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
My completely unscientific experiential anecdotes tend toward people having a greater awareness of depression and getting better at diagnosing and treating it. While plenty in my grandparents' generation were "frail" or "heavy drinkers" (self-medicating), younger people are encouraged to consider depression as a possibility.
posted by ldthomps at 8:36 AM on November 6, 2012
posted by ldthomps at 8:36 AM on November 6, 2012
Depending on who you ask, depression affects 9.5%, 5%, or 8.2% of the American population.
Whether this is higher than in the past or is just how we're built is pretty much entirely a matter of speculation.
I'm not sure there's any clear way to examine the AskMe population to determine the percentage -- certainly it's more likely for people to mention it here than to casual acquaintances in real life, but not all depression sufferers are going to ask about it here, and not all of their questions are going to be about depression.
posted by ook at 8:37 AM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
Whether this is higher than in the past or is just how we're built is pretty much entirely a matter of speculation.
I'm not sure there's any clear way to examine the AskMe population to determine the percentage -- certainly it's more likely for people to mention it here than to casual acquaintances in real life, but not all depression sufferers are going to ask about it here, and not all of their questions are going to be about depression.
posted by ook at 8:37 AM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's a few things I think---
One, depressed people here are more willing to be upfront about the problem than in other avenues because I think that people here are generally understanding and sympathetic, rather than judgmental as happens in real life. So you probably know many depressed people in real life, but they hide it.
Two, this is anonymous, so people are also more willing to advertise illness than in real life. You don't have to worry about everyone labeling you as that weird person who is mentally ill.
And last, people who are happy and skippy are probably less likely to reach out with a problem than those who are depressed. Ask MeFi is about solving problems. If I don't have one, I won't ask for help.
I have nothing to back this up, it's just my opinion.
posted by supercapitalist at 8:37 AM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
One, depressed people here are more willing to be upfront about the problem than in other avenues because I think that people here are generally understanding and sympathetic, rather than judgmental as happens in real life. So you probably know many depressed people in real life, but they hide it.
Two, this is anonymous, so people are also more willing to advertise illness than in real life. You don't have to worry about everyone labeling you as that weird person who is mentally ill.
And last, people who are happy and skippy are probably less likely to reach out with a problem than those who are depressed. Ask MeFi is about solving problems. If I don't have one, I won't ask for help.
I have nothing to back this up, it's just my opinion.
posted by supercapitalist at 8:37 AM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
(I slightly mislinked to the NIMH: I got 8.2% by adding the "Major Depressive Disorder" and "Dysthemic Disorder" numbers)
posted by ook at 8:39 AM on November 6, 2012
posted by ook at 8:39 AM on November 6, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jgirl at 8:31 AM on November 6, 2012 [3 favorites]