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The first—and surprising—risk factor for developing depression is gender. About 20-25% women in the United States develop serious depression, sometimes not just once in their lives; for comparison, only about 12% of male Americans face the same problem—or maybe, they visit a doctor’s office less often (All About Depression.com). This is probably connected to the fact that in today’s America, women often have to deal with a wide range of roles, such as business woman, mother, wife, housekeeper, and so on—and these roles often conflict with each other. Unhappy marriages, hormonal changes, and heredity can be contributing factors.

Another group of factors that lead to depression are different psychological problems. Most often, low self-esteem is the major cause, since it makes a person treat themselves with neglect, prevent them from believing in their own strengths, and see the world pessimistically. Other possible psychological reasons are stress, perfectionism, chronic anxiety, avoidant personality disorders, and so on (PsychCentral).

Personal factors, such as complicated life situations, a tragic family history, childhood traumas, living in stressful environments for a long time, and other similar life circumstances can garner depressive conditions. Genetic proneness is also related to this group of causes. At the same time, it does not mean that a person will automatically develop depression if he or she had cases of depression in their family, or they are in a complicated life situation. This group of factors mostly creates premises, and is commonly combined with other risk factors (Beyond Blue).

Alcohol, by the way, is as strong of a cause of depression as genetic factors or psychological problems. Although it is usually considered that alcohol helps people get rid of stress, and increase their communication, in fact it is a depressant that increases a person’s chances to develop depression (femah.net). These are not the only possible causes of depression, but commonly, this disorder is caused by an aggregate of the factors described above. It is likely that women develop depression more often than men; also, people with psychological problems and complicated personal circumstances are more prone to developing depression. The usage of alcohol not only does not help people get rid of stress, but on the contrary, increases the risks of developing depression. These factors should be taken into account in one’s daily life in order to avoid depression.

“Causes.” All About Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

“What are the Risk Factors for Depression?” Psych Central.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

“What Causes Depression.” Beyond Blue. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

“Alcohol as a Depressant.” Femah.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. .

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Essays About Depression: Top 8 Examples Plus Prompts

Many people deal with mental health issues throughout their lives; if you are writing essays about depression, you can read essay examples to get started.

An occasional feeling of sadness is something that everyone experiences from time to time. Still, a persistent loss of interest, depressed mood, changes in energy levels, and sleeping problems can indicate mental illness. Thankfully, antidepressant medications, therapy, and other types of treatment can be largely helpful for people living with depression.

People suffering from depression or other mood disorders must work closely with a mental health professional to get the support they need to recover. While family members and other loved ones can help move forward after a depressive episode, it’s also important that people who have suffered from major depressive disorder work with a medical professional to get treatment for both the mental and physical problems that can accompany depression.

If you are writing an essay about depression, here are 8 essay examples to help you write an insightful essay. For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

• 1. My Best Friend Saved Me When I Attempted Suicide, But I Didn’t Save Her by Drusilla Moorhouse
• 2. How can I complain? by James Blake
• 3. What it’s like living with depression: A personal essay by Nadine Dirks
• 4. I Have Depression, and I’m Proof that You Never Know the Battle Someone is Waging Inside by Jac Gochoco
• 5. Essay: How I Survived Depression by Cameron Stout
• 6. I Can’t Get Out of My Sweat Pants: An Essay on Depression by Marisa McPeck-Stringham
• 7. This is what depression feels like by Courtenay Harris Bond

8. Opening Up About My Struggle with Recurring Depression by Nora Super

1. what is depression, 2. how is depression diagnosed, 3. causes of depression, 4. different types of depression, 5. who is at risk of depression, 6. can social media cause depression, 7. can anyone experience depression, the final word on essays about depression, is depression common, what are the most effective treatments for depression, top 8 examples, 1.  my best friend saved me when i attempted suicide, but i didn’t save her  by drusilla moorhouse.

“Just three months earlier, I had been a patient in another medical facility: a mental hospital. My best friend, Denise, had killed herself on Christmas, and days after the funeral, I told my mom that I wanted to die. I couldn’t forgive myself for the role I’d played in Denise’s death: Not only did I fail to save her, but I’m fairly certain I gave her the idea.”

Moorhouse makes painstaking personal confessions throughout this essay on depression, taking the reader along on the roller coaster of ups and downs that come with suicide attempts, dealing with the death of a loved one, and the difficulty of making it through major depressive disorder.

2.  How can I complain?  by James Blake

“I wanted people to know how I felt, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to tell them. I have gone into a bit of detail here not to make anyone feel sorry for me but to show how a privileged, relatively rich-and-famous-enough-for-zero-pity white man could become depressed against all societal expectations and allowances. If I can be writing this, clearly it isn’t only oppression that causes depression; for me it was largely repression.”

Musician James Blake shares his experience with depression and talks about his struggles with trying to grow up while dealing with existential crises just as he began to hit the peak of his fame. Blake talks about how he experienced guilt and shame around the idea that he had it all on the outside—and so many people deal with issues that he felt were larger than his.

3.  What it’s like living with depression: A personal essay   by Nadine Dirks

“In my early adulthood, I started to feel withdrawn, down, unmotivated, and constantly sad. What initially seemed like an off-day turned into weeks of painful feelings that seemed they would never let up. It was difficult to enjoy life with other people my age. Depression made typical, everyday tasks—like brushing my teeth—seem monumental. It felt like an invisible chain, keeping me in bed.”

Dirks shares her experience with depression and the struggle she faced to find treatment for mental health issues as a Black woman. Dirks discusses how even though she knew something about her mental health wasn’t quite right, she still struggled to get the diagnosis she needed to move forward and receive proper medical and psychological care.

4.  I Have Depression, and I’m Proof that You Never Know the Battle Someone is Waging Inside  by Jac Gochoco

“A few years later, at the age of 20, my smile had fallen, and I had given up. The thought of waking up the next morning was too much for me to handle. I was no longer anxious or sad; instead, I felt numb, and that’s when things took a turn for the worse. I called my dad, who lived across the country, and for the first time in my life, I told him everything. It was too late, though. I was not calling for help. I was calling to say goodbye.”

Gochoco describes the war that so many people with depression go through—trying to put on a brave face and a positive public persona while battling demons on the inside. The Olympic weightlifting coach and yoga instructor now work to share the importance of mental health with others.

5.  Essay: How I Survived Depression   by Cameron Stout

“In 1993, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an antidepressant. Within two months, the medication slowly gained traction. As the gray sludge of sadness and apathy washed away, I emerged from a spiral of impending tragedy. I helped raise two wonderful children, built a successful securities-litigation practice, and became an accomplished cyclist. I began to take my mental wellness for granted. “

Princeton alum Cameron Stout shared his experience with depression with his fellow Tigers in Princeton’s alumni magazine, proving that even the most brilliant and successful among us can be rendered powerless by a chemical imbalance. Stout shares his experience with treatment and how working with mental health professionals helped him to come out on the other side of depression.

6.  I Can’t Get Out of My Sweat Pants: An Essay on Depression  by Marisa McPeck-Stringham

“Sometimes, when the depression got really bad in junior high, I would come straight home from school and change into my pajamas. My dad caught on, and he said something to me at dinner time about being in my pajamas several days in a row way before bedtime. I learned it was better not to change into my pajamas until bedtime. People who are depressed like to hide their problematic behaviors because they are so ashamed of the way they feel. I was very ashamed and yet I didn’t have the words or life experience to voice what I was going through.”

McPeck-Stringham discusses her experience with depression and an eating disorder at a young age; both brought on by struggles to adjust to major life changes. The author experienced depression again in her adult life, and thankfully, she was able to fight through the illness using tried-and-true methods until she regained her mental health.

7.  This is what depression feels like  by Courtenay Harris Bond

“The smallest tasks seem insurmountable: paying a cell phone bill, lining up a household repair. Sometimes just taking a shower or arranging a play date feels like more than I can manage. My children’s squabbles make me want to scratch the walls. I want to claw out of my own skin. I feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is a solitary candle about to blow out at any moment. At the same time, I feel like the pain will never end.”

Bond does an excellent job of helping readers understand just how difficult depression can be, even for people who have never been through the difficulty of mental illness. Bond states that no matter what people believe the cause to be—chemical imbalance, childhood issues, a combination of the two—depression can make it nearly impossible to function.

“Once again, I spiraled downward. I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t work. I had thoughts of harming myself. This time, my husband urged me to start ECT much sooner in the cycle, and once again, it worked. Within a matter of weeks I was back at work, pretending nothing had happened. I kept pushing myself harder to show everyone that I was “normal.” I thought I had a pattern: I would function at a high level for many years, and then my depression would be triggered by a significant event. I thought I’d be healthy for another ten years.”

Super shares her experience with electroconvulsive therapy and how her depression recurred with a major life event despite several years of solid mental health. Thankfully, Super was able to recognize her symptoms and get help sooner rather than later.

7 Writing Prompts on Essays About Depression

When writing essays on depression, it can be challenging to think of essay ideas and questions. Here are six essay topics about depression that you can use in your essay.

Depression can be difficult to define and understand. Discuss the definition of depression, and delve into the signs, symptoms, and possible causes of this mental illness. Depression can result from trauma or personal circumstances, but it can also be a health condition due to genetics. In your essay, look at how depression can be spotted and how it can affect your day-to-day life. 

Depression diagnosis can be complicated; this essay topic will be interesting as you can look at the different aspects considered in a diagnosis. While a certain lab test can be conducted, depression can also be diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Research the different ways depression can be diagnosed and discuss the benefits of receiving a diagnosis in this essay.

There are many possible causes of depression; this essay discusses how depression can occur. Possible causes of depression can include trauma, grief, anxiety disorders, and some physical health conditions. Look at each cause and discuss how they can manifest as depression.

There are many different types of depression. This essay topic will investigate each type of depression and its symptoms and causes. Depression symptoms can vary in severity, depending on what is causing it. For example, depression can be linked to medical conditions such as bipolar disorder. This is a different type of depression than depression caused by grief. Discuss the details of the different types of depression and draw comparisons and similarities between them.

Certain genetic traits, socio-economic circumstances, or age can make people more prone to experiencing symptoms of depression. Depression is becoming more and more common amongst young adults and teenagers. Discuss the different groups at risk of experiencing depression and how their circumstances contribute to this risk.

Social media poses many challenges to today’s youth, such as unrealistic beauty standards, cyber-bullying, and only seeing the “highlights” of someone’s life. Can social media cause depression in teens? Delve into the negative impacts of social media when writing this essay. You could compare the positive and negative sides of social media and discuss whether social media causes mental health issues amongst young adults and teenagers.

This essay question poses the question, “can anyone experience depression?” Although those in lower-income households may be prone to experiencing depression, can the rich and famous also experience depression? This essay discusses whether the privileged and wealthy can experience their possible causes. This is a great argumentative essay topic, discuss both sides of this question and draw a conclusion with your final thoughts.

When writing about depression, it is important to study examples of essays to make a compelling essay. You can also use your own research by conducting interviews or pulling information from other sources. As this is a sensitive topic, it is important to approach it with care; you can also write about your own experiences with mental health issues.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

FAQs On Essays About Depression

According to the World Health Organization, about 5% of people under 60 live with depression. The rate is slightly higher—around 6%—for people over 60. Depression can strike at any age, and it’s important that people who are experiencing symptoms of depression receive treatment, no matter their age. 

Suppose you’re living with depression or are experiencing some of the symptoms of depression. In that case, it’s important to work closely with your doctor or another healthcare professional to develop a treatment plan that works for you. A combination of antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy is a good fit for many people, but this isn’t necessarily the case for everyone who suffers from depression. Be sure to check in with your doctor regularly to ensure that you’re making progress toward improving your mental health.

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Amanda has an M.S.Ed degree from the University of Pennsylvania in School and Mental Health Counseling and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. She has experience writing magazine articles, newspaper articles, SEO-friendly web copy, and blog posts.

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Essay On Depression: Causes, Symptoms And Effects

Our life is full of emotional ups and downs, but when the time of down lasts too long or influences our ability to function, in this case, probably, you suffer from common serious illness, which is called depression. Clinical depression affects your mood, thinking process, your body and behaviour. According to the researches, in the United States about 19 million people, i.e. one in ten adults, annually suffer from depression, and about 2/3 of them do not get necessary help. An appropriate treatment can alleviate symptoms of depression in more than 80% of such cases. However, since depression is usually not recognized, it continues to cause unnecessary suffering.

Depression is a disease that dominates you and weakens your body, it influences men as well as women, but women experience depression about two times more often than men.

Since this issue is very urgent nowadays, we decided to write this cause and effect essay on depression to attract the public attention one more time to this problem. I hope it will be informative and instructive for you. If you are interested in reading essays on similar or any other topic, you should visit our website . There you will find not only various essays, but also you can get help in essay writing . All you need is to contact our team, and everything else we will do for you.

Depression is a strong psychological disorder, from which usually suffers not only a patients, but also his / hers family, relatives, friends etc.

General information

More often depression develops on the basis of stress or prolonged traumatic situation. Frequently depressive disorders hide under the guise of a bad mood or temper features. In order to prevent severe consequences it is important to figure out how and why depression begins.

Symptoms and causes of depression

As a rule, depression develops slowly and insensibly for a person and for his close ones. At the initial stage most of people are not aware about their illness, because they think that many symptoms are just the features of their personality. Experiencing inner discomfort, which can be difficult to express in words, people do not ask for professional help, as a rule. They usually go to doctor at the moment, when the disease is already firmly holds the patient causing unbearable suffering.

Risk factors for depression:

• being female;
• the presence of depression in family anamnesis;
• early depression in anamnesis;
• early loss of parents;
• the experience of violence in anamnesis;
• personal features;
• stressors (parting, guilt);
• alcohol / drug addiction;
• neurological diseases (Parkinson's disease, apoplexy).

Signs of depression

Depression influences negatively all the aspects of human life. Inadequate psychological defense mechanisms, in their turn, affect destructively not only psychological, but also biological processes.

The first signs of depression are apathy, not depending on the circumstances, indifference to everything what is going on, weakening of motor activity; these are the main clinical symptoms of depression . If their combination is observed for more than two weeks, urgent professional help is required.

Psychological symptoms:

• depressed mood, unhappiness;
• loss of interest, reduced motivation, loss of energy;
• self-doubt, guilt, inner emptiness;
• decrease in speed of thinking, inability to make decisions;
• anxiety, fear and pessimism about the future;
• daily fluctuations;
• possible delirium;
• suicidal thoughts.

Somatic symptoms:

• vital disorders;
• disturbed sleep (early waking, oversleeping);
• eating disorders;
• constipation;
• feeling of tightness of the skull, dizziness, feeling of compression;
• vegetative symptoms.

Causes of depression

It is accepted to think in modern psychiatry that the development of depression, as well as most of other mental disorders, requires the combined effect of three factors: psychological, biological and social.

Psychological factor (“Personality structure”)

There are three types of personality especially prone to depression:

1) “Statothymic personality” that is characterized by exaggerated conscientiousness, diligence, accuracy;

2) Melancholic personality type with its desire for order, constancy, pedantry, exessive demands on itself;

3) Hyperthymic type of personality that is characterized by self-doubt, frequent worries, with obviously low self-esteem.

People, whose organism biologically tends to depression development, due to education and other social environmental factors form such personality features, which in adverse social situations, especially while chronic stress, cause failure of psychological adaptation mechanisms, skills to deal with stress or lack of coping strategies.

Such people are characterized by:

• lack of confidence in their own abilities;
• excessive secrecy and isolation;
• excessive self-critical attitude towards yourself;
• waiting for the support of the close ones;
• developed pessimism;
• inability to resist stress situations;
• emotional expressiveness.

Biological factor:

• the presence of unfavorable heredity;
• somatic and neurological head injury that violated brain activity;
• changes in the hormonal system;
• chronobiological factors: seasonal depressive disorders, daily fluctuations, shortening of REM sleep;
• side effects of some medications.
• Heredity and family tendency to depression play significant role in predisposition to this disease. It is noticed that relatives of those who suffer from depression usually have different psychosomatic disorders.

Social factor:

• the presence of frequent stress situations, chronic stress;
• adverse family relationships;
• adverse childhood experience, the absence of tenderness from parents, ill-treatment and sexual harassment, interpersonal loss, severe methods of education, negative childhood memories;
• urbanization;
• significant changes in the life;
• population migration;
• increased lifetime.

People in a state of chronic stress suffer from depression more often. If some acute stress situation happens during the period of chronic stress, the probability of depression symptoms development increases.

If you decide to fight the depression, remember that you are not alone! Every fifth person in the world at least once in the life experienced depression. If you notice the signs of depression that disturb you for more than two weeks, you should go to the specialist.

Do not delay visit, in this case time does not heal. The professionalism of the doctors and a complex program of treatment will help to get rid of any kind of depression.

Where to go for help

If you do not where to go for help, ask your family physician, obstetrician, gynecologist or the clinic. In an emergency situation, the emergency doctor can provide temporary help for patients with emotional problems and give them an advice where and how they can ask for the further help.

Here is the list of people and organizations that can diagnose and suggest a course of treatment, or can give a direction to the examination and treatment.

• Family doctors.
• Such specialists as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and consultants on mental health.
• Health maintenance organizations.
• Local centers for the treatment of mental illness.
• The Department of Psychiatry in hospitals and outpatient clinics.
• Programs at universities and medical schools.
• Family assistance services and social services departments.
• Private clinics and institutions.
• Care centers in the workplace.
• Local health and (or) mental health communities.

It is very important in depressive episode treatment to understand that this is depression of a certain person, do not make attempts to excessive generalization of symptoms and factors of disease development. It requires personal approach to each patient.

So, as you can see, depression is a serious disease that requires professional treatment. If you manage to recognize the signs of depression at its early stage and ask for professional help, you can successfully overcome this problem. I hope this essay about depression was useful for you, and you got what you were looking for.

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Depression as a Psychological Disorder Essay

Introduction.

Depression is a popular mental condition that can affect anyone. It has various forms, symptoms, and ways of development, which may all be different for each person (Stringaris, 2017). The World Health Organization (2017) calculated in 2015 that 4.4% of the total world population suffers from depression, with 322 million unique cases registered worldwide (p. 8). Moreover, they concluded that since 2005 the number of people with depressive disorders increased by 18.4%, which “reflects the overall growth of the global population, as well as a proportionate increase in the age groups” (World Health Organization, 2017, p. 8). Thus, the topic of depression remains a scientific point of interest per the continuing growth of population numbers worldwide. Summarizing and evaluating the information that trusted journals have published on the topic of depression might help create a well-rounded review of the condition and the scientific community’s understanding of it.

The Present Definition of a Depressive Disorder

Depression can be defined as a disorder that affects a person’s mental health, resulting in a dampened emotional state for an extended time. It is an exhausting mental condition that affects people’s daily lives by influencing them towards adopting negative patterns of behavior (Lu, Li, Li, Wang, & Zhang, 2016). People with depression may respond to external stimuli dully and, thus, become unable to experience the same breadth of emotion that had previously been available to them. In turn, these circumstances lead to increased rates of suicide among those suffering from major depressive disorders, particularly among adolescents, making it a “potentially lethal” mental health condition (Stringaris, 2017, p. 1287). The World Health Organization (2017) distinguishes between depressive and anxiety disorders, outlining the fact that different circumstances cause the two problems. However, depression may be identified as retaining a leading position in mental health studies. This popularity may be due to its ability to be used as an umbrella term for different combinations of depressive symptoms.

The Background Mechanisms and Symptoms of Depression in Literature

The likely causes of depression can be gathered into a long list. Its lineup may include a person’s genetic predisposition, various environmental influences, hormonal fluctuations, and even traumatic life experiences. Initially, researchers even linked depressive disorders with a lack of serotonin, the absence which continues to be thought of as the leading cause of clinical depression (Cowen & Browning, 2015). However, no proven evidence regarding why people become depressed exists (World Health Organization, 2017). Nonetheless, hypotheses regarding chemical imbalances and disruptions of neural networks within the brain remain the process’s leading explanations (Cowen & Browning, 2015; Lu et al., 2016). Due to these continuing doubts within the scientific community, the most common identification for depression remains how a person behaves (Fried & Nesse, 2015). Therefore, while the origins of depression remain hidden, clinical practitioners continue paying close attention to how people reveal their illness to provide them with treatment.

Symptomatology is the mass of collected evidence regarding a person’s health. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a person should demonstrate at least five out of nine symptoms below to de considered depressed:

1. depressed mood; 2. markedly diminished interest or pleasure; 3. increase or decrease in either weight or appetite; 4. insomnia or hypersomnia; 5. psychomotor agitation or retardation; 6. fatigue or loss of energy; 7. feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt; 8. diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness; and 9. recurrent thoughts of death. (Fried & Nesse, 2015, p. 1-2).

While this list may not be considered final, it remains the basis for identifying depression. Nonetheless, it is essential to note that all people experience depression differently (Salk, Hyde, & Abramson, 2017). Furthermore, some symptoms may carry more weight during diagnosis than others (Fried, Epskamp, Nesse, Tuerlinckx, & Borsboom, 2016). Thus, the widely accepted DSM-5 standard relies on a person’s self-identification per their personal understanding of their behavior.

Treatment: Who and How

It may be appropriate to preface treatment options for depressive disorders with a highlight of groups that may be at risk. Research findings suggest that women report higher incidences of depression than men due to both their different socioeconomic positions and inherent “biological sex differences,” which link with hormonal changes, for example, different estrogen levels (Albert, 2015, p. 219; Mojtabai, Olfson, & Han, 2016). A paper by Salk et al. (2017) reports that this difference between the numbers of depressed men and women reaches its highest point during adolescence, evening out only after teenagers reach adulthood. Considering additional factors, such as “abuse, education and income,” may also help identify other population levels that could be susceptible to depression (Albert, 2015, p. 219). Thus, while women retain a higher possibility of becoming depressed, other factors that are independent of gender also play a role in deciding at-risk groups.

Depression’s treatment can merely attempt to correct people’s behavior, considering the hidden nature of its causes. Thus, antidepressants may be highlighted as remaining the most popular treatment option. The “pharmacological actions of drugs” continue to be the best currently available link to both treating the condition and examining what may cause it (Cowen & Browning, 2015, p. 158). However, the majority of antidepressants cause side effects that are equal to the symptoms of depression, for example, lessened emotional responsivity, fatigue, and suicidal tendencies (Fried & Nesse, 2015). This fact is particularly painful to consider in combination with the findings of a paper by Mojtabai et al. (2016) that states that treatment trends from “2005 to 2014” have remained unchanged (p. 6). Therefore, it may be assumed that the continuing lack of knowledge regarding the causes of depression may be preventing its treatment methods from progressing to new levels.

The Problem with Defining Depression

The scientific community may be moving towards rejecting using depression as an umbrella term. Instead, it could be showing a tendency to focus on people’s individual experiences. The ongoing research processes struggle to identify depression as either a sum of its symptoms or a separate condition (Fried & Nesse, 2015). Furthermore, most researchers cannot agree on whether the depressive disorder is a spectrum or a sequence of events (Stringaris, 2017). However, they admit that rejecting depression, as a term, would be harmful to mental health practice (Stringaris, 2017). Thus, when Stringaris (2017) asks, “What is depression?” it is not a rhetorical question, but rather a recognition of the current state of affairs (p. 1288). Therefore, the findings of researchers who attempt to categorize people by their population type, for example, Albert (2015), Mojtabai et al. (2016), and Salk et al. (2017), become problematic per their disregard for depression’s subgroups. The fact that people with different symptoms and magnitudes of depression can be considered ill could be a continuing research restriction.

Recognizing the existence of varying stages of depression should lead to questioning the proposed DSM-5 symptom-checker since it is the one on which most of the diagnoses are based. Both studies by Fried and Nesse (2015) and Fried et al. (2016) support the idea that personal experiences remain more critical during diagnosis than checklists. Haroz et al. (2017) further outline the DSM-5 as a western-oriented mental healthcare tool that does not carry the same effect for non-western populations. These facts may be in line with current research trends, as they seem to discourage using depression as an umbrella term. However, as identified by Stringaris (2017), this development could lead to either a perfection of existing clinical approaches or “vast confusion among clinicians and patients” (p. 1288). Thus, while these research papers could help define the future of depression awareness, the benefits of the foundation provided by the DSM-5 should not be rejected.

Existing Hindrances to Perfecting Treatment Methods

The used literature may indicate a continuing period of inactivity in developing new treatment methods for depression. This area of study remains mainly medicine-focused, full of side effects, and directed towards removing the illness’s symptoms rather than the sickness itself. The two existing brain-related and chemical explanations for depression may be the most traditional, but they too remain underdeveloped and under-tested. Lu et al. (2016) recognize that their cited and conducted experiments, which focus on rodents and mice, can have only a limited number of suggestions for treating human depression. However, the paper by Cowen and Browning (2015) that highlights the chemical serotonin as the catalyst for people’s “emotional processing” during treatment may hold serious meaning for future research (p. 160). Nonetheless, the continuing lack of answers regarding the causes of depression, its nature, and progress may pose the biggest problem in finding a cure.

The Future of Current Research Trends

The existing differences within the mental health scientific community may be driving the topic of depression in different directions. The statistics regarding the worldwide numbers of depressed people may become troublesome to consider since Haroz et al. (2017) claim that different cultures report depression differently. Thus, focusing on at-risk groups with an approach that raises awareness for mental health may be the future of depression studies (Mojtabai et al., 2016). Moreover, Stringaris (2017) urges researchers to “being open to the fact that both [depression’s] content may prove heterogeneous, and that its boundaries may need to shift” (p. 128). Thus, research still has to prove most facts about depression. However, a lack of definitive answers may mean a greater extent of flexibility when deciding the appropriate research and treatment methods.

The carried out literature review allowed outlining the major scientific trends in modern-day depression studies. Depression remains one of the most popularly studied mental health conditions, with researchers applying the term to people who show any combination of its many symptoms. However, the cause of the sickness remains unknown, which prevents researchers from predicting how it can progress. As such, depression studies retain a high amount of flexibility, which may be considered both a positive and negative thing. Thus, current trends focus on instead promoting different sides of depressive disorder studies, from determining at-risk groups to documenting brain processes during illness through conducting experiments. By doing so, researchers hope to understand the disease’s origins through testing various treatment methods. This development may expand the current understanding of depressive disorders’ different features. Therefore, modern depression research remains an ongoing process that hopes to better the quality of care provided to those suffering from the condition.

Albert, P. R. (2015). Why is depression more prevalent in women? Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience: JPN , 40 (4), 219-221. Web.

Cowen, P. J., & Browning, M. (2015). What has serotonin to do with depression? World Psychiatry , 14 (2), 158-160. Web.

Fried, E. I., & Nesse, R. M. (2015). Depression sum-scores don’t add up: Why analyzing specific depression symptoms is essential. BMC Medicine , 13 (1), 1-11. Web.

Fried, E. I., Epskamp, S., Nesse, R. M., Tuerlinckx, F., & Borsboom, D. (2016). What are ‘good’ depression symptoms? Comparing the centrality of DSM and non-DSM symptoms of depression in a network analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders , 189 , 314-320. Web.

Haroz, E. E., Ritchey, M., Bass, J. K., Kohrt, B. A., Augustinavicius, J., Michalopoulos, L.,… Bolton, P. (2017). How is depression experienced around the world? A systematic review of qualitative literature. Social Science & Medicine , 183 , 1-29. Web.

Lu, C., Li, Q., Li, Y., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Y. F. (2016). A short glance at the neural circuitry mechanism underlying depression. World Journal of Neuroscience , 6 (03), 184-192. Web.

Mojtabai, R., Olfson, M., & Han, B. (2016). National trends in the prevalence and treatment of depression in adolescents and young adults. Pediatrics , 138 (6), 1-10. Web.

Salk, R. H., Hyde, J. S., & Abramson, L. Y. (2017). Gender differences in depression in representative national samples: Meta-analyses of diagnoses and symptoms. Psychological Bulletin , 143 (8), 783. Web.

Stringaris, A. (2017). What is depression? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 58 (12), 1287-1289. Web.

World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: Global health estimates . Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

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434 Depression Essay Titles & Research Topics: Argumentative, Controversial, and More

Depression is undeniably one of the most prevalent mental health conditions globally, affecting approximately 5% of adults worldwide. It often manifests as intense feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and a loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities. Many also experience physical symptoms like fatigue, sleep disturbances, and appetite changes. Recognizing and addressing this mental disorder is extremely important to save lives and treat the condition.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to write an essay about depression and introduce depression essay topics and research titles for students that may be inspirational.

• 🔝 Top Depression Essay Titles
• ✅ Essay Prompts
• 💡 Research Topics
• 🔎 Essay Titles
• 💭 Speech Topics
• 📝 Essay Structure

🔗 References

🔝 top 12 research titles about depression.

• How is depression treated?
• Depression: Risk factors.
• The symptoms of depression.
• What types of depression exist?
• Depression in young people.
• Differences between anxiety and depression.
• The parents’ role in depression therapy.
• Drugs as the root cause of depression.
• Dangerous consequences of untreated depression.
• Effect of long-term depression.
• Different stages of depression.
• Treatment for depression.

✅ Prompts for Essay about Depression

Struggling to find inspiration for your essay? Look no further! We’ve put together some valuable essay prompts on depression just for you!

Prompt for Personal Essay about Depression

Sharing your own experience with depression in a paper can be a good idea. Others may feel more motivated to overcome their situation after reading your story. You can also share valuable advice by discussing things or methods that have personally helped you deal with the condition.

For example, in your essay about depression, you can:

• Tell about the time you felt anxious, hopeless, or depressed;
• Express your opinion on depression based on the experiences from your life;
• Suggest a way of dealing with the initial symptoms of depression ;
• Share your ideas on how to protect mental health at a young age.

How to Overcome Depression: Essay Prompt

Sadness is a common human emotion, but depression encompasses more than just sadness. As reported by the National Institute of Mental Health, around 21 million adults in the United States, roughly 8.4% of the total adult population , faced at least one significant episode of depression in 2020. When crafting your essay about overcoming depression, consider exploring the following aspects:

• Depression in young people and adolescents;
• The main causes of depression;
• The symptoms of depression;
• Ways to treat depression;
• Help from a psychologist (cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy ).

Postpartum Depression: Essay Prompt

The birth of a child often evokes a spectrum of powerful emotions, spanning from exhilaration and happiness to apprehension and unease. It can also trigger the onset of depression. Following childbirth, many new mothers experience postpartum “baby blues,” marked by shifts in mood, bouts of tears, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. To shed light on the subject of postpartum depression, explore the following questions:

• What factors may increase the risk of postpartum depression?
• Is postpartum depression predictable?
• How to prevent postpartum depression?
• What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?
• What kinds of postpartum depression treatments exist?

Prompt for Essay about Teenage Depression

Teenage depression is a mental health condition characterized by sadness and diminishing interest in daily activities. It can significantly impact a teenager’s thoughts, emotions, and behavior, often requiring long-term treatment and support.

By discussing the primary symptoms of teenage depression in your paper, you can raise awareness of the issue and encourage those in need to seek assistance. You can pay attention to the following aspects:

• Emotional changes (feelings of sadness, anger, hopelessness, guilt, etc.);
• Behavioral changes (loss of energy and appetite , less attention to personal hygiene, self-harm, etc.);
• New addictions (drugs, alcohol, computer games, etc.).

💡 Research Topics about Depression

• The role of genetics in depression development.
• The effectiveness of different psychotherapeutic interventions for depression.
• Anti-depression non-pharmacological and medication treatment .
• The impact of childhood trauma on the onset of depression later in life.
• Exploring the efficacy of antidepressant medication in different populations.
• The impact of exercise on depression symptoms and treatment outcomes.
• Mild depression: pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy .
• The relationship between sleep disturbances and depression.
• The role of gut microbiota in depression and potential implications for treatment.
• Investigating the impact of social media on depression rates in adolescents.
• Depression, dementia, and delirium in older people .
• The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy in preventing depression relapse.
• The influence of hormonal changes on depression risk.
• Assessing the effectiveness of self-help and digital interventions for depression.
• Herbal and complementary therapies for depression .
• The relationship between personality traits and vulnerability to depression.
• Investigating the long-term consequences of untreated depression on physical health.
• Exploring the link between chronic pain and depression.
• Depression in the elderly male .
• The impact of childhood experiences on depression outcomes in adulthood.
• The use of ketamine and other novel treatments for depression.
• The effect of stigma on depression diagnosis and treatment.
• The conducted family assessment: cases of depression .
• The role of social support in depression recovery.
• The effectiveness of online support groups for individuals with depression.
• Depression and cognitive decline in adults.
• Depression: PICOT question component exploration .
• Exploring the impact of nutrition and dietary patterns on depression symptoms.
• Investigating the efficacy of art-based therapies in depression treatment.
• The role of neuroplasticity in the development and treatment of depression.
• Depression among HIV-positive women .
• The influence of gender on depression prevalence and symptomatology.
• Investigating the impact of workplace factors on depression rates and outcomes.
• The efficacy of family-based interventions in reducing depression symptoms in teenagers.
• Frontline nurses’ burnout, anxiety, depression, and fear statuses .
• The role of early-life stress and adversity in depression vulnerability.
• The impact of various environmental factors on depression rates.
• Exploring the link between depression and cardiovascular health .
• Depression detection in adults in nursing practice .
• Virtual reality as a therapeutic tool for depression treatment.
• Investigating the impact of childhood bullying on depression outcomes.
• The benefits of animal-assisted interventions in depression management.
• Depression and physical exercise .
• The relationship between depression and suicidal behavior .
• The influence of cultural factors on depression symptom expression.
• Investigating the role of epigenetics in depression susceptibility.
• Depression associated with cognitive dysfunction .
• Exploring the impact of adverse trauma on the course of depression.
• The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy in treating depression.
• The relationship between depression and substance use disorders .
• Depression and anxiety among college students .
• Investigating the effectiveness of group therapy for depression.
• Depression and chronic medical conditions .

Psychology Research Topics on Depression

• The influence of early attachment experiences on the development of depression.
• The impact of negative cognitive biases on depression symptomatology.
• Depression treatment plan for a queer patient .
• Examining the relationship between perfectionism and depression.
• The role of self-esteem in depression vulnerability and recovery.
• Exploring the link between maladaptive thinking styles (e.g., rumination, catastrophizing) and depression.
• Investigating the impact of social support on depression outcomes and resilience.
• Identifying depression in young adults at an early stage .
• The influence of parenting styles on the risk of depression in children and adolescents.
• The role of self-criticism and self-compassion in depression treatment.
• Exploring the relationship between identity development and depression in emerging adulthood.
• The role of learned helplessness in understanding depression and its treatment.
• Depression in the elderly .
• Examining the connection between self-efficacy beliefs and depression symptoms.
• The influence of social comparison processes on depression and body image dissatisfaction .
• Exploring the impact of trauma-related disorders on depression.
• The role of resilience factors in buffering against the development of depression.
• Investigating the relationship between personality traits and depression.
• Depression and workplace violence .
• The impact of cultural factors on depression prevalence and symptom presentation.
• Investigating the effects of chronic stress on depression risk.
• The role of coping strategies in depression management and recovery.
• The correlation between discrimination/prejudice and depression/anxiety .
• Exploring the influence of gender norms and societal expectations on depression rates.
• The impact of adverse workplace conditions on employee depression.
• Investigating the effectiveness of narrative therapy in treating depression.
• Cognitive behavior and depression in adolescents .
• Childhood emotional neglect and adult depression.
• The influence of perceived social support on treatment outcomes in depression.
• The effects of childhood bullying on the development of depression.
• The impact of intergenerational transmission of depression within families.
• Depression in children: symptoms and treatments .
• Investigating the link between body dissatisfaction and depression in adolescence.
• The influence of adverse life events and chronic stressors on depression risk.
• The effects of peer victimization on the development of depression in adolescence.
• Counselling clients with depression and addiction .
• The role of experiential avoidance in depression and its treatment.
• The impact of social media use and online interactions on depression rates.
• Depression management in adolescent .
• Exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence and depression symptomatology.
• Investigating the influence of cultural values and norms on depression stigma and help-seeking behavior.
• The effects of childhood maltreatment on neurobiological markers of depression.
• Psychological and emotional conditions of suicide and depression .
• Exploring the relationship between body dissatisfaction and depression.
• The influence of self-worth contingencies on depression vulnerability and treatment response.
• The impact of social isolation and loneliness on depression rates.
• Psychology of depression among college students .
• The effects of perfectionistic self-presentation on depression in college students.
• The role of mindfulness skills in depression prevention and relapse prevention.
• Investigating the influence of adverse neighborhood conditions on depression risk.
• Personality psychology and depression .
• The impact of attachment insecurity on depression symptomatology.

Postpartum Depression Research Topics

• Identifying risk factors for postpartum depression.
• Exploring the role of hormonal changes in postpartum depression.
• “Baby blues” or postpartum depression and evidence-based care .
• The impact of social support on postpartum depression.
• The effectiveness of screening tools for early detection of postpartum depression.
• The relationship between postpartum depression and maternal-infant bonding .
• Postpartum depression educational program results .
• Identifying effective interventions for preventing and treating postpartum depression.
• Examining the impact of cultural factors on postpartum depression rates.
• Investigating the role of sleep disturbances in postpartum depression.
• Depression and postpartum depression relationship .
• Exploring the impact of a traumatic birth experience on postpartum depression.
• Assessing the impact of breastfeeding difficulties on postpartum depression.
• Understanding the role of genetic factors in postpartum depression.
• Postpartum depression: consequences .
• Investigating the impact of previous psychiatric history on postpartum depression risk.
• The potential benefits of exercise on postpartum depression symptoms.
• The efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for postpartum depression.
• Postpartum depression in the twenty-first century .
• The influence of partner support on postpartum depression outcomes.
• Examining the relationship between postpartum depression and maternal self-esteem.
• The impact of postpartum depression on infant development and well-being.
• Maternal mood symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum depression .
• The effectiveness of group therapy for postpartum depression management.
• Identifying the role of inflammation and immune dysregulation in postpartum depression.
• Investigating the impact of childcare stress on postpartum depression.
• Postpartum depression among low-income US mothers .
• The role of postnatal anxiety symptoms in postpartum depression.
• The impact of postpartum depression on the marital relationship.
• The influence of postpartum depression on parenting practices and parental stress.
• Postpartum depression: symptoms, role of cultural factors, and ways to support .
• Investigating the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for postpartum depression.
• The impact of postpartum depression on breastfeeding initiation and continuation.
• The relationship between postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder .
• Postpartum depression and its identification .
• The impact of postpartum depression on cognitive functioning and decision-making.
• Investigating the influence of cultural norms and expectations on postpartum depression rates.
• The impact of maternal guilt and shame on postpartum depression symptoms.
• Beck’s postpartum depression theory: purpose, concepts, and significance .
• Understanding the role of attachment styles in postpartum depression vulnerability.
• Investigating the effectiveness of online support groups for women with postpartum depression.
• The impact of socioeconomic factors on postpartum depression prevalence.
• Perinatal depression: research study and design .
• The efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for postpartum depression.
• Investigating the influence of birth spacing on postpartum depression risk.
• The role of trauma history in postpartum depression development.
• The link between the birth experience and postnatal depression .
• How does postpartum depression affect the mother-infant interaction and bonding ?
• The effectiveness of home visiting programs in preventing and managing postpartum depression.
• Assessing the influence of work-related stress on postpartum depression.
• The relationship between postpartum depression and pregnancy-related complications.
• The role of personality traits in postpartum depression vulnerability.

🔎 Depression Essay Titles

Depression essay topics: cause & effect.

• The effects of childhood trauma on the development of depression in adults.
• The impact of social media usage on the prevalence of depression in adolescents.
• “Predictors of Postpartum Depression” by Katon et al.
• The effects of environmental factors on depression rates.
• The relationship between academic pressure and depression among college students.
• The relationship between financial stress and depression.
• The best solution to predict depression because of bullying .
• How does long-term unemployment affect mental health ?
• The effects of unemployment on mental health, particularly the risk of depression.
• The impact of genetics and family history of depression on an individual’s likelihood of developing depression.
• The relationship between depression and substance abuse .
• Child abuse and depression .
• The role of gender in the manifestation and treatment of depression.
• The effects of chronic stress on the development of depression.
• The link between substance abuse and depression.
• Depression among students at Elon University .
• The influence of early attachment styles on an individual’s vulnerability to depression.
• The effects of sleep disturbances on the severity of depression.
• Chronic illness and the risk of developing depression.
• Depression: symptoms and treatment .
• Adverse childhood experiences and the likelihood of experiencing depression in adulthood.
• The relationship between chronic illness and depression.
• The role of negative thinking patterns in the development of depression.
• Effects of depression among adolescents .
• The effects of poor body image and low self-esteem on the prevalence of depression.
• The influence of social support systems on preventing symptoms of depression.
• The effects of child neglect on adult depression rates.
• Depression caused by hormonal imbalance .
• The link between perfectionism and the risk of developing depression.
• The effects of a lack of sleep on depression symptoms.
• The effects of childhood abuse and neglect on the risk of depression.
• Social aspects of depression and anxiety .
• The impact of bullying on the likelihood of experiencing depression.
• The role of serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances in the development of depression.
• The impact of a poor diet on depression rates.
• Depression and anxiety run in the family .
• The effects of childhood poverty and socioeconomic status on depression rates in adults.
• The impact of divorce on depression rates.
• The relationship between traumatic life events and the risk of developing depression.
• The influence of personality traits on susceptibility to depression.
• The impact of workplace stress on depression rates.
• Depression in older adults: causes and treatment .
• The impact of parental depression on children’s mental health outcomes.
• The effects of social isolation on the prevalence and severity of depression.
• The role of cultural factors in the manifestation and treatment of depression.
• The relationship between childhood bullying victimization and future depressive symptoms.
• The impact of early intervention and prevention programs on reducing the risk of postpartum depression.
• Treating mood disorders and depression .
• How do hormonal changes during pregnancy contribute to the development of depression?
• The effects of sleep deprivation on the onset and severity of postpartum depression.
• The impact of social media on depression rates among teenagers.
• The role of genetics in the development of depression.
• The impact of bullying on adolescent depression rates.
• Mental illness, depression, and wellness issues .
• The effects of a sedentary lifestyle on depression symptoms.
• The correlation between academic pressure and depression in students.
• The relationship between perfectionism and depression.
• The correlation between trauma and depression in military veterans.
• Anxiety and depression during childhood and adolescence .
• The impact of racial discrimination on depression rates among minorities.
• The relationship between chronic pain and depression.
• The impact of social comparison on depression rates among young adults.
• The effects of childhood abuse on adult depression rates.

Depression Argumentative Essay Topics

• The role of social media in contributing to depression among teenagers.
• The effectiveness of antidepressant medication: an ongoing debate.
• Depression treatment: therapy or medications ?
• Should depression screening be mandatory in schools and colleges?
• Is there a genetic predisposition to depression?
• The stigma surrounding depression: addressing misconceptions and promoting understanding.
• Implementation of depression screening in primary care .
• Is psychotherapy more effective than medication in treating depression?
• Is teenage depression overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed: a critical analysis.
• The connection between depression and substance abuse: untangling the relationship.
• Humanistic therapy of depression .
• Should ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) be a treatment option for severe depression?
• Where is depression more prevalent: in urban or rural communities? Analyzing the disparities.
• Is depression a result of chemical imbalance in the brain? Debunking the myth.
• Depression: a serious mental and behavioral problem .
• Should depression medication be prescribed for children and adolescents?
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in managing depression.
• Should depression in the elderly be considered a normal part of aging?
• Is depression hereditary? Investigating the role of genetics in depression risk.
• Different types of training in managing the symptoms of depression .
• The effectiveness of online therapy platforms in treating depression.
• Should psychedelic therapy be explored as an alternative treatment for depression?
• The connection between depression and cardiovascular health: Is there a link?
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in preventing depression relapse.
• Depression as a bad a clinical condition .
• Should mind-body interventions (e.g., yoga , meditation) be integrated into depression treatment?
• Should emotional support animals be prescribed for individuals with depression?
• The effectiveness of peer support groups in decreasing depression symptoms.
• The use of antidepressants: are they overprescribed or necessary for treating depression?
• Adult depression and anxiety as a complex problem .
• The effectiveness of therapy versus medication in treating depression.
• The stigma surrounding depression and mental illness: how can we reduce it?
• The debate over the legalization of psychedelic drugs for treating depression.
• The relationship between creativity and depression: does one cause the other?
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder and depression .
• The role of childhood trauma in shaping adult depression: Is it always a causal factor?
• The debate over the medicalization of sadness and grief as forms of depression.
• Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or meditation, are effective in treating depression.
• Depression as a widespread mental condition .

Controversial Topics about Depression

• The existence of “chemical imbalance” in depression: fact or fiction?
• The over-reliance on medication in treating depression: are alternatives neglected?
• Is depression overdiagnosed and overmedicated in Western society?
• Measurement of an individual’s level of depression .
• The role of Big Pharma in shaping the narrative and treatment of depression.
• Should antidepressant advertisements be banned?
• The inadequacy of current diagnostic criteria for depression: rethinking the DSM-5.
• Is depression a biological illness or a product of societal factors?
• Literature review on depression .
• The overemphasis on biological factors in depression treatment: ignoring environmental factors.
• Is depression a normal reaction to an abnormal society?
• The influence of cultural norms on the perception and treatment of depression.
• Should children and adolescents be routinely prescribed antidepressants?
• The role of family in depression treatment .
• The connection between depression and creative genius: does depression enhance artistic abilities?
• The ethics of using placebo treatment for depression studies.
• The impact of social and economic inequalities on depression rates.
• Is depression primarily a mental health issue or a social justice issue?
• Depression disassembling and treating .
• Should depression screening be mandatory in the workplace?
• The influence of gender bias in the diagnosis and treatment of depression.
• The controversial role of religion and spirituality in managing depression.
• Is depression a result of individual weakness or societal factors?
• Abnormal psychology: anxiety and depression case .
• The link between depression and obesity: examining the bidirectional relationship.
• The connection between depression and academic performance : causation or correlation?
• Should depression medication be available over the counter?
• The impact of internet and social media use on depression rates: harmful or beneficial?
• Interacting in the workplace: depression .
• Is depression a modern epidemic or simply better diagnosed and identified?
• The ethical considerations of using animals in depression research.
• The effectiveness of psychedelic therapies for treatment-resistant depression.
• Is depression a disability? The debate on workplace accommodations.
• Polysubstance abuse among adolescent males with depression .
• The link between depression and intimate partner violence : exploring the relationship.
• The controversy surrounding “happy” pills and the pursuit of happiness.
• Is depression a choice? Examining the role of personal responsibility.

Good Titles for Depression Essays

• The poetic depictions of depression: exploring its representation in literature.
• The melancholic symphony: the influence of depression on classical music.
• Moderate depression symptoms and treatment .
• Depression in modern music: analyzing its themes and expressions.
• Cultural perspectives on depression: a comparative analysis of attitudes in different countries.
• Contrasting cultural views on depression in Eastern and Western societies.
• Diagnosing depression in the older population .
• The influence of social media on attitudes and perceptions of depression in global contexts.
• Countries with progressive approaches to mental health awareness.
• From taboo to acceptance: the evolution of attitudes towards depression.
• Depression screening tool in acute settings .
• The Bell Jar : analyzing Sylvia Plath’s iconic tale of depression .
• The art of despair: examining Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits as a window into depression.
• The Catcher in the Rye : Holden Caulfield’s battle with adolescent depression.
• Music as therapy: how jazz artists turned depression into art.
• Depression screening tool for a primary care center .
• The Nordic paradox: high depression rates in Scandinavian countries despite high-quality healthcare.
• The Stoic East: how Eastern philosophies approach and manage depression.
• From solitude to solidarity: collective approaches to depression in collectivist cultures.
• The portrayal of depression in popular culture: a critical analysis of movies and TV shows.
• The depression screening training in primary care .
• The impact of social media influencers on depression rates among young adults.
• The role of music in coping with depression: can specific genres or songs help alleviate depressive symptoms?
• The representation of depression in literature: a comparative analysis of classic and contemporary works.
• The use of art as a form of self-expression and therapy for individuals with depression.
• Depression management guidelines implementation .
• The role of religion in coping with depression: Christian and Buddhist practices.
• The representation of depression in the video game Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice .
• The role of nature in coping with depression: can spending time outdoors help alleviate depressive symptoms?
• The effectiveness of dance/movement therapy in treating depression among older adults.
• The National Institute for Health: depression management .
• The portrayal of depression in stand-up comedy: a study of comedians like Maria Bamford and Chris Gethard.
• The role of spirituality in coping with depression: Islamic and Hindu practices .
• The portrayal of depression in animated movies : an analysis of Inside Out and The Lion King .
• The representation of depression by fashion designers like Alexander McQueen and Rick Owens.
• Depression screening in primary care .
• The portrayal of depression in documentaries: an analysis of films like The Bridge and Happy Valley .
• The effectiveness of wilderness therapy in treating depression among adolescents.
• The connection between creativity and depression: how art can help heal.
• The role of Buddhist and Taoist practices in coping with depression.
• Mild depression treatment research funding sources .
• The portrayal of depression in podcasts: an analysis of the show The Hilarious World of Depression .
• The effectiveness of drama therapy in treating depression among children and adolescents.
• The representation of depression in the works of Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch.
• Depression in young people: articles review .
• The impact of social media on political polarization and its relationship with depression.
• The role of humor in coping with depression: a study of comedians like Ellen DeGeneres.
• The portrayal of depression in webcomics: an analysis of the comics Hyperbole and a Half .
• The effect of social media on mental health stigma and its relationship with depression.
• Depression and the impact of human services workers .
• The masked faces: hiding depression in highly individualistic societies.

💭 Depression Speech Topics

Informative speech topics about depression.

• Different types of depression and their symptoms.
• The causes of depression: biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
• How depression and physical issues are connected .
• The prevalence of depression in different age groups and demographics.
• The link between depression and anxiety disorders .
• Physical health: The effects of untreated depression.
• The role of genetics in predisposing individuals to depression.
• What you need to know about depression .
• How necessary is early intervention in treating depression?
• The effectiveness of medication in treating depression.
• The role of exercise in managing depressive symptoms.
• Depression in later life: overview .
• The relationship between substance abuse and depression.
• The impact of trauma on depression rates and treatment.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in managing depressive symptoms.
• Enzymes conversion and metabolites in major depression .
• The benefits and drawbacks of electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression.
• The effect of gender and cultural norms on depression rates and treatment.
• The effectiveness of alternative therapies for depression, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies .
• The importance of self-care in managing depression.
• Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and peritraumatic dissociation .
• The role of support systems in managing depression.
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating depression.
• The benefits and drawbacks of online therapy for depression.
• The role of spirituality in managing depression.
• Depression among minority groups .
• The benefits and drawbacks of residential treatment for severe depression.
• What is the relationship between childhood trauma and adult depression?
• How effective is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for treatment-resistant depression?
• The benefits and drawbacks of art therapy for depression.
• Mood disorder: depression and bipolar .
• The impact of social media on depression rates.
• The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating depression.
• Depression in older people .
• The impact of seasonal changes on depression rates and treatment options.
• The impact of depression on daily life and relationships, and strategies for coping with the condition.
• The stigma around depression and the importance of seeking help.

Persuasive Speech Topics about Depression

• How important is it to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression ?
• How do you support a loved one who is struggling with depression?
• The importance of mental health education in schools to prevent and manage depression.
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• There is a need for better access to mental health care, including therapy and medication, for those suffering from depression.
• Depression in adolescents and suitable interventions .
• How do you manage depression while in college or university?
• The role of family and friends in supporting loved ones with depression and encouraging them to seek help.
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• The importance of setting realistic expectations when living with depression.

📝 How to Write about Depression: Essay Structure

We’ve prepared some tips and examples to help you structure your essay and communicate your ideas.

Essay about Depression: Introduction

An introduction is the first paragraph of an essay. It plays a crucial role in engaging the reader, offering the context, and presenting the central theme.

A good introduction typically consists of 3 components:

• Hook. The hook captures readers’ attention and encourages them to continue reading.
• Background information. Background information provides context for the essay.
• Thesis statement. A thesis statement expresses the essay’s primary idea or central argument.

Hook : Depression is a widespread mental illness affecting millions worldwide.

Background information : Depression affects your emotions, thoughts, and behavior. If you suffer from depression, engaging in everyday tasks might become arduous, and life may appear devoid of purpose or joy.

Depression Essay Thesis Statement

A good thesis statement serves as an essay’s road map. It expresses the author’s point of view on the issue in 1 or 2 sentences and presents the main argument.

Thesis statement : The stigma surrounding depression and other mental health conditions can discourage people from seeking help, only worsening their symptoms.

Essays on Depression: Body Paragraphs

The main body of the essay is where you present your arguments. An essay paragraph includes the following:

• a topic sentence,
• evidence to back up your claim,
• explanation of why the point is essential to the argument;
• a link to the next paragraph.

Topic sentence : Depression is a complex disorder that requires a personalized treatment approach, comprising both medication and therapy.

Evidence : Medication can be prescribed by a healthcare provider or a psychiatrist to relieve the symptoms. Additionally, practical strategies for managing depression encompass building a support system, setting achievable goals, and practicing self-care.

Depression Essay: Conclusion

The conclusion is the last part of your essay. It helps you leave a favorable impression on the reader.

The perfect conclusion includes 3 elements:

• Rephrased thesis statement.
• Summary of the main points.
• Final opinion on the topic.

Rephrased thesis: In conclusion, overcoming depression is challenging because it involves a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and environmental factors that affect an individual’s mental well-being.

Summary: Untreated depression heightens the risk of engaging in harmful behaviors such as substance abuse and can also result in negative thought patterns, diminished self-esteem, and distorted perceptions of reality.

We hope you’ve found our article helpful and learned some new information. If so, feel free to share it with your friends. You can also try our free online topic generator !

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Preventive strategies for adolescent depression: What are we missing? A focus on biomarkers

Valentina zonca.

a King's College London, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK

b Biological Psychiatry Lab, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio, Brescia, Italy

Adolescent depression is an important global issue with several unmet needs that still must be addressed and, to date, there are only few effective preventive strategies to reduce the burden of this disorder worldwide. In this mini-review, the evidence and potential ways to improve an early detection will be discussed as well as prompt interventions by focusing on a better understanding of the risks underlying the developing of adolescent depression from both a sociodemographic and a biological perspective.

1. The global burden of adolescent depression

Depression is one of the leading causes of health-related disability worldwide and a major contributor to the global burden of disease (World Health Organization, WHO). This burden has become even more evident in the past year, which has been characterized by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic that has put a strain on the mental health of the global population.

The onset of depression usually occurs during pubertal age and teen depression is indeed one of the leading causes of disability among adolescents. The World Health Organization has estimated that about 10–20% of adolescents experience at least one depressive episode; generally, adolescence mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 10–19 years. Moreover, depression has been considered the first cause of suicide among youth (Adolescent Mental Health, WHO, 2018).

As it happens in adulthood, depression is more prevalent in girls (around 20%) than in boys (around 6%). Furthermore, adolescents suffering with depression are more likely to develop drugs abuse and suicide attempts (statistics from “National survey on drug use and health”, 2016).

Half of all mental health conditions start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and untreated. The burden of teen depression is worsened by the difficulties in obtaining diagnosis and treatment, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) where the situation is critical since they account for more the 90% of world's children and adolescents and for over the 75% of the global suicides deaths ( McKinnon et al., 2016 ). The main reasons for the under-diagnosis of depression in LMIC are, for examples, shortages of mental health workers, lack of research capacity, and stigmatization of mental illness preventing adolescents from seeking help, all factors that increase the gap between high-income countries (HICs) and LMICs in the Global Mental Health ( Wainberg et al., 2017 ).

The lack of prevention and early intervention for adolescent depression, and in general mental health conditions, can lead to chronicity of these disorders throughout adulthood, affecting both physical and mental health and deeply diminishing prospects to lead satisfying lives as adults.

Importantly, we also need to mention that the incidence of depression in children and adolescents has rapidly grown during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Nearchou et al., 2020 ; Loades et al., 2020 ). For example, an overall increase in mental distress has been observed by Pierce and colleagues in people aged 16 years and older in the UK in 2020 compared with the previous year; they observed that the mean population score of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (12-GHQ) increased from 11.5 in 2018–19 to 12.6 in April 2020, and this increase was not merely a continuation of former increasing trend ( Pierce et al., 2020 ). Similar results have been shown also in Italian students aged 18–30 years old who reported on average worse depressive symptoms during lockdown compared to six months before ( Meda et al., 2021 ). COVID-19 lockdown has negatively also impacted children mental health: anxiety, depression and stress have been observed to be increased in children after the school closure due to the pandemic ( Tang et al., 2021 ). Similarly, Bignardi and colleagues showed that during lockdown children's depression symptoms have increased substantially compared to pre-lockdown period in the UK ( Bignardi et al., 2020 ).

2. Understanding the risk for developing depression in adolescence

Adolescence represents a temporal window where depressive symptoms become to be manifested, therefore it is also a crucial period for improving preventive strategies. Furthermore, adolescence is known to be a vulnerable temporal frame for brain developmental trajectories, since it is characterized by significant changes in the structure and connectivity of the brain, as well as changes in cognition and behavior ( Cousins and Goodyer, 2015 ). In this context, identifying adolescents at risk for developing depression might become a milestone in preventive strategies, since it would allow to act before the individual develop a clear symptomatology.

It is well established that demographic, behavioral, interpersonal, and cognitive risk factors are involved in the vulnerability to depression in adolescents; for example, childhood trauma experiences have been shown to increase the risk of the onset of depressive symptoms already during adolescence ( Heim et al., 2008 ). Given the presence of several risk factors for depression, prediction models have been developed during the last years to obtain a valid tool able to predict the risk for depression as well as for the onset on a widescreen. An accurate risk prediction model could enable primary care doctors to early identify adolescents at risk of depression that may benefit from interventions and therefore refer them to appropriate level of interventions ( Richardson and Katzenellenbogen, 2005 ). Models able to predict depression have been mainly developed in adults and are mostly limited to patients who experienced chronic medical condition or used to predict the recurrence of depression ( Fernandez et al., 2018 ). With the aim to satisfy the need to develop tools for a risk prediction also in other populations, such as adolescents, as part of the IDEA (Identifying Depression Early in Adolescence) project ( Kieling et al., 2019 ) a risk score was developed in a Brazilian cohort to predict the risk of developing depression in late adolescents among teen-agers with no previous diagnosis of depression ( Rocha et al., 2021 ). By using this risk score, adolescents have been recruited and group based on the current presence of depression or on the high or low risk of developing it. The IDEA risk score was validated in Nepal, a middle-income country setting; this prediction model displayed a sensible power to discriminate between individuals who developed depression in late adolescence and those who did not ( Brathwaite et al., 2021 ).

These results clearly suggested that this prediction model can play a key role in the early identification of vulnerable adolescents and that can be used in other low and middle-income countries to reduce the burden of depression and allow wider screening in the poorest settings worldwide.

3. The potential of identifying biomarkers for novel preventive strategies

Hence, since the identification of adolescents at risk of developing depression might be a turning-point in the battlefield against depression, what are we missing? What might be the milestone for identifying successful preventive strategies?

To date there are no specific biological signatures or markers associated with an enhanced risk of developing depression and the identification of such biomarkers could be the missing link towards the implementation of novel preventive strategies. However, the last three decades have witnessed the study of several hypotheses of the physiopathology of depression, from the mono-aminergic hypothesis of depression to those highlighting the involvement of stress and HPA axis and the role of inflammation and immune system activation.

A biomarker is defined as a characteristic that can be objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biologic processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention ( Biomarkers Definitions Working, 2001 ). Identifying possible biomarkers will pave the way not only for identifying the risk for developing the disorder, but also for the prediction of antidepressant response, since about 20% of depressed patients fail to respond to any pharmacological interventions ( Mora et al., 2018 ). As a consequence, the discovery of such biomarkers would lead to the achievement of important goals, such as: i) a clear biological identification of the presence of depression ii) the identification of subjects at risk for the onset of the disorder and the subsequent implementation of preventive strategies, both pharmacological and not iii) the improvement of the efficacy of treatment and the discovery of new targets for the development of novel antidepressant drugs, paving the way for the progress of precision medicine in psychiatry.

4. Biological markers and signatures underlying adolescent depression

4.1. inflammation.

Recent studies have presented and discussed possible biological markers underpinning adolescent depression. Inflammatory mechanisms have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of depression. Increased levels of peripheral inflammatory cytokines have been widely observed in depressed adult patients, as summarized in a series of meta-analyses ( Osimo et al., 2019 , 2020 ; Kohler et al., 2017 ; Leighton et al., 2018 ). Indeed, there is emerging evidence that individuals with depression show elevated serum or plasma concentration of inflammatory cytokines, such as the Interleukins IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-18, and the Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- α), compared to healthy controls ( Himmerich et al., 2019 ) and that increased inflammatory signatures are associated with a higher risk of developing depression ( Raison et al., 2006 ).

Moreover, high levels of inflammation are associated also with reduced response to antidepressant medications. The recent meta-analysis of Liu and colleagues showed reduced baseline levels of IL-8 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in depressed patients who become responders; on the other hand, no differences were observed in other pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as L-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α between patients who were subsequent responders and non-responders ( Liu et al., 2020 ). Furthermore, Cattaneo and colleagues showed evidence of inflammasome activation and glucocorticoid resistance in both drug-free depressed patients and treatment resistant depression (TRD) patients treated with antidepressant drugs. They also identified a panel of mRNAs that could be used as a significant predictors of classification of depressed patients as TRD or responder group; this panel of biomarkers is represented by six genes accounting also for inflammatory molecules such as IL-1 β, IL-6 and TNF- α ( Cattaneo et al., 2020 ).

Although several studies have focused on the role of inflammatory biomarkers in adult depression, a smaller number of studies focused their attention on adolescence and childhood. In the meta-analysis recently published by Colasanto and colleagues focused on subjects younger than 18 years, depression was associated with higher levels of CRP and IL-6 ( Colasanto et al., 2020 ). In the meta-analysis by D'Acunto and colleagues, focusing on studies in children and adolescents up to age 18, they reported higher TNF- α in individuals with depressive disorders versus control subjects ( D'Acunto et al., 2019 ). Furthermore, Miller and Cole showed that adolescents girls at risk of developing depression due to family history or cognitive vulnerability who experienced a depressive episode were more likely to have elevated CRP at a 6-month follow-up, and that high levels of IL-6 were associated with increased depression risk at follow-up ( Miller and Cole, 2012 ). Similar results were also reported by Khandaker and colleagues, showing high levels of IL-6 in association with greater depression risk compared to low levels of IL-6 ( Khandaker et al., 2014 ). Lastly, Moriarity and colleagues observed that increases in TNF-α predicted increases in depressive symptoms, whereas CRP, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 did not have significant within-person effects on change in total depressive symptoms ( Moriarity et al., 2020 ).

A limitation of most of these studies is that they have explored the biological risk factors for depression in adolescence and young adulthood in high-income countries, whereas a very limited number of studies have been conducted in low-and-middle income countries' populations. This represents an important bias since 90% of the world's adolescents live in LMICs, and findings from HICs might not be generalisable across different socio-economic settings ( Kieling et al., 2011 ). The paucity of studies focused on LMICs has been showed also by the very recent systematic review published by Zajkowska and colleagues in the context of the IDEA project ( Kieling et al., 2019 ), focusing on subjects aged between 10 and 25 years old in both HICs and LMICs. Out of twenty-one studies eligible for the inclusion criteria, they identified only two studies conducted in LMIC adolescents. Besides the lack of studies conducted in LMIC, Zajkowska and colleagues shed light on the association of both environmental and biological risk factors for the onset of depression, as their findings support the importance of the interaction of several biological risk factors, including high inflammation, with the experience of childhood trauma in increasing the risk for future depression among adolescents and youth ( Zajkowska et al., 2021 ). As a matter of fact, a growing body of literature has shown that exposure to early life stress is a vulnerability factor for the onset of depression through the entire lifespan ( Mandelli et al., 2015 ; Widom et al., 2005 ; LeMoult et al., 2020 ). Nevertheless, it is also important to mention that different and specific types of childhood trauma can differently mediate the risk of developing depression; in addition, the effects of different childhood maltreatments differ between adolescents and adults ( Infurna et al., 2016 ; Shapero et al., 2014 ). The association between inflammation and environmental risk factors with depression has been observed also in adulthood, as shown in the recent systematic review of Gill and colleagues, which investigated the association between the inflammatory biomarkers in depressed patients with an history of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) compared to depressed patients without ACE. Specifically, IL-6 was shown to be elevated in MDD patients with a history of ACE compared to those who did not experience childhood maltreatment ( Gill et al., 2020 ). Hence, it is reasonable to believe that combining environmental risk factors – such as early life adversities – and biological markers – as inflammatory signatures-might provide a more comprehensive methodology for identifying the risk of developing depression and subsequently implementing preventive strategies.

4.2. HPA axis

Above to biomarkers related to inflammation, also stress related biomarkers have been widely investigated in the context of depression. Indeed, depression has also been hypothesised as a stress-related disorder and an hyperactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, in particular elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, have been suggested to mediate the link between the experience of stressful events and the onset of depression ( Burke et al., 2005 ). For this reason, researchers focused their attention on HPA axis activity by measuring cortisol levels in saliva and in blood samples of adolescents, as possible biological mechanisms involved in the onset of depression and as possible biomarkers for adolescent depression risk. However, studies conducted so far reported heterogenous results, as both elevated and blunted levels of cortisol secretion during childhood and adolescence have been linked to the subsequent onset of MDD. For example, elevated morning cortisol levels have been linked to increased vulnerability in developing depression during adolescence ( Adam et al., 2010 ; Vrshek-Schallhorn et al., 2013 ; Owens et al., 2014 ), whereas Keenan and colleagues found that 10- to 12-years-old girls who exhibited a blunted cortisol response to a laboratory stressor and who had low absolute levels of cortisol secretion at age 12 experienced a subsequent increase in depressive symptoms ( Keenan et al., 2013 ). A possible explanation of such inconsistencies might be the different developmental stages at which participants were assessed across the studies, as it is known that pubertal development is characterized by changes in cortisol production. For example, in the study of Colich and colleagues, cortisol hyporeactivity predicted MDD onset in girls at an early pubertal stage, whereas cortisol hypereactivity predicted MDD onset in those who were later in pubertal development ( Colich et al., 2015 ). Similarly, King and colleagues observed that pubertal stage interacted with the severity of early life stress (ELS) to predict the cortisol awakening response ( King et al., 2017 ).

A very interesting role of puberty in the association between HPA axis reactivity and early life stress has been proposed by Gunnar and colleagues, and it is known as the “pubertal stress recalibration” ( Gunnar et al., 2019 ; DePasquale et al., 2019 ). Accordingly, given the idea that during infancy the HPA axis is able to calibrate different environmental conditions, Gunnar and colleagues proposed that a similar pattern of calibration might occur also during puberty, which is believed to be a second window of plasticity during which the HPA axis could recalibrate. This hypothesis might represent a further explanation of discrepancies in the studies investigating the levels of cortisol in puberty and adolescence.

4.3. Brain circuits

It is known that stress influences the growth of brain circuit and, although this topic is beyond the scope of the present review, it is noteworthy to mention that increasing body of studies supports the hypothesis that exposure to early life stress has a detrimental impact on the developing central nervous system ( Dannlowski et al., 2012 ). For example, functional magnetic resonance imaging studies showed that adolescent depression is associated with the hyperactivation of the amygdala and of the subgenual anterior cingulated cortex ( Henje Blom et al., 2016 ), and other neurocircuits are involved in the complex physiopathology of the disorder in adolescence ( Hulvershorn et al., 2011 ). Moreover, abnormalities in neural processing of rewards in depressed adolescents have been widely observed in literature ( Forbes and Dahl, 2012 ; Kerestes et al., 2014 ; O'Callaghan and Stringaris, 2019 ).

Several studies have pinpointed the importance of the timing of exposure as an essential factor in considering the effects of early adversity on brain development during childhood and adolescence, as exposure to adversity that occurs during sensitive or critical periods is more likely to have significant and persistent effects on neural function ( Gee, 2021 ; Nelson and Gabard-Durnam, 2020 ; Ho, 2019 ; Teicher and Khan, 2019 ; McLaughlin et al., 2019 ; Sheridan et al., 2020 ). Among early life traumas, childhood maltreatment and child-caregiver relationships have been deeply studied ( Teicher et al., 2016 ; Tottenham, 2014 ). Childhood maltreatment have been shown to alter trajectories of brain development involved in emotional regulation, reward and threat detection ( Teicher et al., 2016 ).

Furthermore, psychosocial stressors have been shown to activate inflammatory responses by increasing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines that can in turn cross and modify the permeability of the blood-brain-barrier. Within the brain, pro-inflammatory cytokines have been shown to affect glutamate metabolism and thus increasing the release of glutamate into the synapse and preventing its re-uptake by the astrocytes. Thus, glutamatergic excitotoxicity may be one mechanism by which inflammatory cytokines effect depression-related alterations in brain circuits ( Haroon and Miller, 2017 ; Ho et al., 2021 ).

Given these premises, the identification of neural biomarkers for adolescent depression might be a further step forward the implementation of preventive and therapeutic strategies for adolescent depression ( Toenders et al., 2019 ).

4.4. Epigenetic and microbiota

Recently, other areas of interest have been explored to identify other possible mechanisms underpinning the onset of depression, from childhood to adulthood ( Kennis et al., 2020 ; Mariani et al., 2021 ). As previously discussed, early life stressful experiences represent a risk factor for the future development of depression and among the possible mechanisms underlying this effect are epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and miRNAs which have been widely described to mediate the effect of these stressful experiences and to be involved in the vulnerability for depression ( Serafini et al., 2014 ; Januar et al., 2015 ). For this reason, the recent literature has focused its attention on epigenetic markers as possible biomarkers for vulnerability or resilience to depression ( Lopizzo et al., 2019 ; Penner-Goeke and Binder, 2019 ; Tavakolizadeh et al., 2018 ) as well as for predicting antidepressant response ( Mora et al., 2018 ).

Lastly, the past decade has witnessed a growing interest in the bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota – which is defined as the ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, archaea, and fungi – and the host's central nervous system ( Dinan and Cryan, 2017 ; Rieder et al., 2017 ). The gut-brain axis has been shown to influence cognitive functioning and mood via neural, metabolic, hormonal, and immune-mediated mechanisms ( Foster and McVey Neufeld, 2013 ). Alterations in the gut microbiota have been shown to be associated with several mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, as shown by a wide number of studies and literature reviews ( Simpson et al., 2021 ; Cruz-Pereira et al., 2020 ; Carlessi et al., 2021 ; Evrensel and Tarhan, 2021 ). Unfortunately, to date, a paucity of studies has been conducted to better investigate the link between gut-brain axis and psychiatric disorders specifically during adolescence ( Ligezka et al., 2021 ; Simkin, 2019 ); hence, further investigations are required.

5. Future directions

As the aforementioned literature results has shown, a general consensus has been reached by the scientific community on the involvement of inflammation, immune system, and HPA axis the pathophysiology of depression in adolescents. However, results are heterogenous and a definitive panel of biomarkers has not been defined yet. A possible reason underlying this lack of homogeneity might be the fact that the majority of the studies is based on a candidate gene approach in spite of an hypothesis free approach.

Genome-wide studies of depression might be a more sophisticated method in the investigation of biological signatures underlying both the presence and the risk of depression through the entire lifespan ( Mariani et al., 2021 ; Hepgul et al., 2013 ). The advantages of investigating the entire genome rather than focusing on specific and shortlisted molecules (such as cytokines) or hormones (as cortisol) is the opportunity of identifying novel and not yet studied biological signatures and biomarkers associated with the disorder. This might pave the way for novel approaches and novel hypothesis able to explain the complexity of the disorder, specifically in such a vulnerable temporal window as adolescence.

Up-to-date approaches able to investigate the entire genome are represented by next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, such as RNA-Sequencing, to identify genes significantly associated with depression ( Mostafavi et al., 2014 ; Le et al., 2018 ; Chiang et al., 2019 ). In this context, also the aforementioned IDEA project might provide important steps forward the identification of genes’ transcripts and biological pathways associated with risk of developing adolescent depression ( Kieling et al., 2021 ). As a matter of fact, the IDEA project is not only aiming at understanding the environmental risk factors for adolescent depression, but also at unraveling the biological signatures underlying the disorder.

It is also noteworthy to consider that, apart from a biological approach in preventing adolescent depression, psychosocial and environmental approaches should be improved. The burden of adolescent depression is worsened by the fact that a little percentage of youths take advantage of existing mental health services together with the low prevalence of mental health service for adolescents and young adults. The study of Babajide and colleagues observed a drop in the use of psychiatric services in individuals aged between 19 and 25 years old ( Babajide et al., 2020 ). The authors blamed mainly the stigma associated with psychopathology, financial issues, and less resources available for this age group. To front the reduction in the seeking-help behaviors, the authors suggested an “integrated care” hypothesis, aimed to integrate mental health care services with general care; this union might be an important turning point for an early detection as well as for a prompt treatment of depression in adolescents and young adults. On the other hand, it is extremely desirable that the implementation of mental health services for the youngest go hand in hand with a good quality of those services. For examples, the “strengths model” on youth mental health proposed by Mendenhall and colleagues aims to provide tools to assist both youths and their families in managing mental health related disorders, also by equipping supervisors and case managers with a formal model to follow and by engaging adolescents in services designed on their own need and personal goals ( Mendenhall and Grube, 2017 ).

6. Conclusions

In conclusion, as adolescence represents a vulnerable temporal window for the development of depressive symptoms, the possibility to have a unique and comprehensive panel of biological markers able to predict the onset of the disorder would allow a prompt and focused prevention and intervention. Although several biological risk factors have been so far proposed, we still do not have clear biomarkers or biological targets to develop intervention strategies. A genome-wide approach might provide successful results in terms of biological signatures able to discriminate adolescents based on the presence or risk of developing depression, rather than focusing only on already known clinical or biological risk factors.

This manuscript has been funded by the IDEA project, which is funded by an MQ Brighter Futures grant [MQBF/1 IDEA].

Declaration of competing interest

Valentina Zonca . I am Valentina Zonca, I graduated in Pharmacy at the University of Milan and I am currently a PhD student in Psychological Medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London in collaboration with the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory at the IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli (Brescia, Italy).

I am interested in the biological mechanisms underpinning the onset of depression as well as the biological and environmental risk factors associated with the development of the disorder, such as trauma early in life. In my doctoral project, I aim to investigate the biological pathways involved in the risk of adolescent depression to early identify teen-agers at risk of developing depression, specifically in low- and middle-income setting (IDEA project, funded by MQ).

Over the years, I have acquired proficiency in a variety of experimental approaches including Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques and in vitro models (e.g. multipotent hippocampal progenitor cell line, primary fibroblast). I developed experimental skills in the management of several human tissues, in performing a wide panel of genome-wide and candidate-gene expression analysis. I have recently acquired experience in in vivo manipulations as well as in animal models' behavioral tests.

I have been engaged in the organization of informal and formal scientific and social activities (e.g. scientific seminars, conferences and soft skills courses) and I have supervised and still supervising bachelor and master students. I am also actively involved as a writer in the blog Inspire the Mind.

I am deeply committed to the cause of reducing the burden of adolescent depression, since I truly believe that understanding the biological signatures underlying the disorder can pave the way for the ambitious goal of reducing the burden of teen-agers depression and win the stigma associated with adolescent mental health.

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Affiliation

• 1 Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
• PMID: 28613597
• Bookshelf ID: NBK430847

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classifies the depressive disorders into:

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

Major depressive disorder

Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Depressive disorder due to another medical condition

The common features of all the depressive disorders are sadness, emptiness, or irritable mood, accompanied by somatic and cognitive changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function.

Because of false perceptions, nearly 60% of people with depression do not seek medical help. Many feel that the stigma of a mental health disorder is not acceptable in society and may hinder both personal and professional life. There is good evidence indicating that most antidepressants do work but the individual response to treatment may vary.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Depression — How To Overcome Teenage Depression

How to Overcome Teenage Depression

• Categories: Depression Mental Health Teenagers

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Published: Jan 28, 2021

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Works Cited

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
• World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/254610/WHO-MSD-MER-2017.2-eng.pdf
• National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression
• Mayo Clinic. (2019). Depression (major depressive disorder). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007
• Greenberg, P. E., Fournier, A. A., Sisitsky, T., Pike, C. T., & Kessler, R. C. (2015). The economic burden of adults with major depressive disorder in the United States (2005 and 2010). Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 76(2), 155-162.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2018). Depression in children and young people: Identification and management. Retrieved from https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng134/chapter/Recommendations#recommendation-6-management-of-depression-in-children-and-young-people
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• Nezu, A. M., Nezu, C. M., & Lombardo, E. R. (2019). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for individuals with depression and chronic medical illness. Oxford University Press.
• Padesky, C. A., & Greenberger, D. (2012). Clinician's Guide to Mind Over Mood (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.

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Essays on Depression

Depression essay is an important task because people call depression a plague of the twenty-first century. Studies all over the world show that depression is among the most common health issues of our time. Statistics in depression essays show that over 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression in 2020. Authors of essays on depression define depression as a psychological disorder, characterized by low mood, inhibition of intellectual and motor activity, decreased vital impulses, pessimistic assessments of oneself, and the surrounding reality. Depression is characterized by a negative outlook on one's personality, the external world, and the future. Our depression essay samples will provide various information for your essay writing. Provided samples of essays showcase characteristics of depression as well as ways to battle it.

Depression - A Serious Mental Health Issue Depression is a serious mental health issue that affects millions of people across the world. The World Health Organization ranks depression as the most prevalent cause of disability worldwide. The condition interferes with people's social functioning and if necessary interventions are not taken, it...

Words: 1881

Human beings have different behavioral patterns. This difference in their behavior is brought about by the different models that people use to develop their characters. One of the main theories that explain human behavior is the social cognitive theory. This theory of behavior explains how the environmental and cognitive factors...

Words: 1562

Men and women are both affected by depression in Australia although men are affected mostly. There is a number of variable factors that can result to depression which include; Consuming an unhealthy diet which has high sugar level, high salt level, high fat and lack of fiber. Anxiety which in...

Based on the lesson material, I think women suffer more from depression than men due to biological differences. Biologically, women are considered to have a stronger genetic predisposition depression development than men. Besides, women are subjected to fluctuating hormone levels than men, especially during childbirth and menopause periods, both of...

Postnatal depression also termed as postpartum depression (PPD) refers to a type of mood disorder that is usually associated with childbirth. This type of mood disorder is highly characterized by extremely low energy, low energy, feelings of extreme sadness and high anxiety levels, irritability, insomnia, as well as changes in...

Words: 1145

Gender is a synonym used for sex difference. It is said, depression is more common to women that men. Studies have been done all over to give women solutions on how to cope with depression. What about men? Coping with depression is a daily trauma for anyone. I settled...

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Introduction: Depression is a major mental disorder that results in a depressed mood, feeling low self-worth and lack of pleasure. Poor concentration and low energy level are also a significant effect of depression in mental health. I chose on the topic of depression since it affects all people regardless of their...

Depression and Its Impact Depression is a serious mental health issue that affects millions of people across the world. The World Health Organization ranks depression as the most prevalent cause of disability worldwide. The condition interferes with people's social functioning and if necessary interventions are not taken, it changes the lifestyle...

Words: 1855

Bipolar disorder, also known as schizophrenia, can be described as a chronic condition or syndrome of mental health that causes the affected person to experience changes in mood which are extreme. It mainly affects the behavior or psychology of the affected individual without relating to other common mood changers and...

Words: 1554

Mood Disorders Mood disorders feature a group of conditions that translate to severe mood changes. Some common sicknesses that fall in this category include bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, cyclothymia, and persistent depressive disorder. Some common symptoms of mood disorders include poor concentration, low self-esteem, fatigue, isolation, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, relationship...

Childhood depression is a condition that often affects children of all ages and significantly impairs their function, growth, and development. Although its prevalence is lower than that observed in adults, it still presents a significant disease burden and effect on the quality of life. Usually, those who suffer the condition...

Words: 1846

Complaints of anxiety and depression are very common among individuals seeking treatments in the primary healthcare centers. Psychiatrists are usually requested to assess and manage patients with depressive disorders in order to help them cope with depression.  The management strategies, used to deal with stress, are correlated with the factors...

Words: 2974

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