A graduate student’s thoughts on depression


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We are very lucky that so many talented young people are choosing to devote their careers to helping other people in the mental health field. Here are some ideas on “depression” from a young woman who is studying to be a New York State Certified School Psychologist:

Depression is a disorder that affects all types of people regardless of their
background, culture, socioeconomic status, gender, or age. I think of all the
disorders or problems we will run into as psychologists, this will be most
prevalent (next to anxiety). People often misconstrue depression to be nothing
more than a passing mood that will go away on its own with time. What they fail
to realize is that although this may be the case for some, depression can also
be a clinical medical condition that significantly changes the way one thinks,
acts, feels, or even responds to their environment.

Research shows that depression is commonly mistaken for other disorders such as
such as Bipolar or ADHD. Studies done on gender and depression illustrate that
women are twice as likely then men to suffer from depression. In adolescence,
girls are also more likely to suffer from depression than boys are due to
developmental issues. It is important for those working in the helping field to
be prepared and have the proper knowledge necessary to handle depression.

Depression can have some serious consequences if overlooked. Suicide is one
consequence that is strongly linked to depression. Suicide is a scary topic to
deal with and the worst case scenario for all parties involved. By
understanding and better detecting the different components of depression, we
can work towards early treatment of this disorder and help prevent further
suffering.


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