Depression. Why on The Rise in a Modern Wealthy World??

 Stress, anxiety, depression. How often we hear those words today.. Too often.

     Considering the Western World in particular now consists mostly of families  who have more material things than ever before....... coloured t.v.s  computers,  video games and gadgets, beautiful cars and homes, great holidays., mobile phones that seem to do everything but sing and dance...

The majority of people in developed countries have at least some , if not all of the above...We could expect nations of happy grateful people... but is that the case??

Apparently not.  Suicide rates are at their highest. Young people with their whole lives before them are all too often depressed.

Someone suffering from moderate ... to ... serious depression can own all the material things aforementioned, He or She could be looking at blue skies,  a magnificent mountain range, or blue oceans whilst listening to the crashing of waves washing onto the shore. Beautiful to most of us , yet meaning nothing to the seriously depressed person.

    Many people who have never suffered with depression can find it hard to understand.  ¨What do you have to be depressed about?¨is often heard.

The short answer to that is of course that depression comes from deep inside a person. It doesn´t matter how beautiful the surroundings are, How big the bank balance is. Depression is an illness that prevents  the the patient from appreciating any of these things.

                                     The Blues and Mild Depression

Almost everyone has had mild depression at sometime in their life. Sadness, anxiety over an incident that will pass, or that they feel they have no control over.

The death of a loved one is one of the most distressing examples, the death of a child, the most horrendous to deal with. Your children should never go first. Our brains cannot make sense of it.

However, moderate to serious depression can last for years. Clinical or manic depression can stay with a person for life.

I am not a doctor. I am only speaking from my own life´s experience.I would always advise a person to see a doctor if a little depression lasts more than a few weeks or if it comes apparently out of nowhere., for no apparent reason.

Some poor young person with a great deal of intelligence and seemingly everything to live for wrote the following. It broke my heart.

                   I´m dead inside again.

                   My senses disappeared,

                   My heart has taken flight,

                   I´m dead inside again.

                    .........................................

                   I´ve lost my love again,

                   Wish I were made of stone,

                   No feelings for a rock

                   I´ve lost my love again.

                   ................................................

                   My mind , it cannot cope

                   The final straw has landed

                    To break the camels´back,

                   My mind, it cannot cope.

                  .....................................................

                   No rhyme or reason left,

                   No promises to keep,

                   No point in having feelings,

                   No rhyme or reason left.

                     ............................................

                   I hope the key to my heart

                   Has been lost or thrown away,

                    Never to open my heart again

                    I hope the key is lost.

                  ....................................................

                    I´m dead inside again,

                    Hollow, empty, void.....

                    Maybe that´s how it´ll stay,

                     For I´m dead inside again.

                ....................................................

 Sometimes medication is the only answer, but simple things can go hand in hand with the doctors ´ help.

e.g. There is a time in the life of almost every person on earth where a happy memory is lying dormant.

Smells and music are known to bring back memories, good or bad,.

With help the depressed person can often begin to remember happier times when certain music is played.  Even unconciously certain music or songs from happier times , played in the background will have an effect on the brain. It works. I´ve seen it work. I won´t pretend it is a cure , obviously, but sometimes it can be an opening to the depressed person. He or She may finally feel able to talk with either a therapist, doctor or friend. It´s a start..............

My heart goes out to anyone depressed or dealing with a depressed person. Get help, Please.