Introduction: In recent years, as the incidence of depression among young people has been rising year by year, the mental health status of young people has sparked discussions. To some extent, this trend in the incidence rate also reflects another aspect of the situation: in addition to some changes in the diagnostic criteria and statistical methods of this disease, it is also attributed to the increased awareness of depression among the Chinese people and the decrease in the stigma associated with the disease.
News reports, TV dramas, and variety entertainment programs are increasingly mentioning this illness, and news of some public figures suffering from depression has also prompted young people to discuss depression on social media.
The abundance of information related to depression may be a major driving factor in prompting young people to become aware of their own condition and subsequently seek a diagnosis. Does this really mean that more people are suffering from depression?
What are the real causes of depression, and how does “awareness of the disease” help patients overcome depression?
“Awareness of the disease” is the basis for patients to seek professional help. Simply put, it is whether the patient can recognize that their condition is depression, rather than just “poor sleep” or “bad mood.” The first step in establishing awareness of the disease is to have a correct understanding of depression, including its causes, symptoms, and ways to seek help.
“Stigma” is a major obstacle that prevents patients from seeking professional help. Stigma is also known as the “stigma” of the disease, which means that patients feel ashamed of their illness. This not only hinders patients from seeking professional help but also prevents them from seeking help from people around them, leading to behaviors such as concealing their condition and avoiding social interactions, which further exacerbate their suffering and worsen their condition.
Most physiological and mental illnesses, including depression, have a high level of “stigma,” meaning that people generally do not feel ashamed of having a cold or spraining an ankle, but they feel that having depression is very “embarrassing.”
The stigma of depression not only refers to patients feeling ashamed of their own condition but also includes the negative perceptions of patients by the public. Although the prevalence of depression is increasing, which may mean that more patients have a better understanding of depression, these perceptions need to be spread to a wider audience.
As a result, the real cause of depression is: when patients with depression mention their experience of the illness, they can generally feel the “negative labels” that the surrounding environment attaches to patients with depression. Hidden behind these “negative labels” is the “stigma” of depression held by the public, namely the belief that depression is not a medical condition but something fabricated.
This kind of “stigma” severely affects the situation of depression patients seeking professional help and recovery, especially when these views come from their family and friends: for example, the lack of support from friends for seeking professional help, the belief that “anyone who sees a doctor will be diagnosed with depression,” and family members obstructing the use of antidepressant medications, thinking that “medicine is poison.” These situations greatly intensify the suffering of depression patients and hinder the recovery process.
“Can depression heal on its own? 3 effective methods for depression”
1. Mindfulness meditation: Imagining beautiful scenes can help relieve tension in the brain, such as imagining a walk on the beach.
2. Alpha music brainwave therapy: Internationally recognized music hypnosis therapy for the brain. Brain hypnosis can deeply relieve brain fatigue and reduce the tension of the central nervous system.
3. Reading to relieve anxiety: Research by the American Mental Health Association shows that after quietly reading a book for half an hour, psychological anxiety can be reduced by 60%.
Insightful doctors have something to say: Depression is not an incurable disease, and patients with depression are not monsters. The treatment rate for depression in our country is still very low, and a considerable number of patients have not sought professional help.
It may be due to not realizing that they are ill, or it may be due to being afraid of the scrutiny of people around them and intending to “self-heal,” or even seeking help from illegal institutions based on misleading information.
Therefore, the decrease in the quality of life and work ability of patients with depression is a real issue, and raising awareness of depression among the Chinese people is a long and arduous task.
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