Depression is a severe psychological or psychiatric problem that arises due to multiple factors, and every case varies from one person to another. It is becoming a growing concern in this modern era, most especially among Millennials and the Generation Z people. Mild or chronic depression requires professional help.
In this post, you’ll learn more about the possible reasons why depression is a major concern nowadays.
Increased Attrition Rates Due to Work-Related Stress
According to a report from the American Institute of Stress or AIS, job-related pressure is the top leading source of stress among Americans. That’s why stress is also a growing concern among the business and workplace sectors, which may lead to reduced productivity, absenteeism, workplace accidents, physical sickness, depression, and increased job turnover.
Increased Incidence of Suicidal Rates
According to the World Health Organization or WHO, almost 800 000 people die every year due to suicide worldwide. This rate is equivalent to one person dying every 40 seconds. Depression is a major factor that predisposes a person to suicide, making depression a major source of concern by the healthcare sector.
Here is the statistical data cited by WHO:
- Suicide takes the second spot among the leading causes of mortality or death among people ages 15 to 29 years old.
- In 2016, 79% of suicide cases occurred in low-income and middle-income countries.
Suicide is the 18th leading cause of mortality in 2016, which accounted for 1.4% total deaths worldwide.
People Spend Too Much Time with Gadgets
The signs may not be apparent, but pediatric or childhood depression is also growing. The use of smartphones, tablets, and gadgets are linked to anxiety and depression among teenagers. Many people resort to social media conversations and online dating than working on real relationships.
However, there’s a big difference between face-to-face communication and chat or app interactions. That’s why many parents are alarmed with the increased time their children spend on gadgets than talking with them.
Here is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC statistics of suicide rates among students in the United States:
- 16% of respondents reported considering suicide
- 8% of the students reported trying to commit suicide one year preceding the survey
- Every year, approximately 157,000 people between 10 and 24 years old are treated in Emergency Departments across the United States for self-inflicted injuries
- Suicidal thoughts and feelings of hopelessness increased by 12% between 2010 and 2015
- Nearly half of children who are spending five hours or more a day on gadgets had attempted or planned suicide at least once as compared to 28% of those who spend less than an hour on gadgets daily
Note: Parents, school counselors, teachers, social workers, and clinical mental health experts should work together to identify the signs and symptoms of childhood depression. By doing so, early prevention and treatment are done accordingly to avoid incidents of suicide.
More People Are Becoming Impatient
Patience is the ability of an individual to tolerate delay or accept annoyance without getting upset or angry. An impatient response to an unpleasant situation, like a traffic jam or not getting promoted, can be a source of major stress, which may lead to depression. Because of the fast-paced lifestyle that modern people have today, the level of patience is becoming very low.
Impatience is usually associated with a short attention span. Most people in this present day have reduced interest in searching in physical libraries and exit a website with a loading time of more than three seconds. Also, many easily get upset if the queue at the bank or supermarket is long. Impatience may lead to depression when making quick major life decisions that don’t meet expectations or fail, which ends in self-blame, prolonged sadness, and suicidal tendencies.
Here are some tips to increase your patience threshold:
- Recognize that the unpleasant situation so you can assess the appropriate response.
- Assess your body and mind when dealing with a difficult situation for 3 to 5 minutes before taking any action to allow time for your logical reasoning to rule over your emotions. A sudden burst of emotions may cloud your problem-solving skills and clear thinking.
- Don’t make unrealistic expectations. You can’t expect people and the environment to conform to all of your expectations.
Conclusion
Busy lifestyles, too much time using gadgets, decreased socialization, and reduced activities or exercise are just some of the contributory factors leading to increased cases of depression. By consulting a psychologist and knowing the facts through This Life Psychology, you’ll be able to safeguard yourself and your family against the risk of depression.
