A new study done by a charity in the UK is finding that the percent of teens experiencing depression has reached 33%. The study which surveyed 15-18 year olds finds the number of people experiencing this problem is alarmingly high. Many researchers are worried that if those experiencing this problem don’t seek out help that it will lead to more issues as this generations reaches adulthood.
The problem with depression it’s such a taboo topic, and not often discussed enough in the media or in schools. Although this study was only done in the UK, the issue affects every corner of the globe. Depression far more common than most people think. The article, which promotes seeking help, talks about the Blues Programme, an organization devoted to helping the younger generation better understand depression and how to move past it. The article takes an important step towards redefining depression itself. However, I believe the problem may not be those who are experiencing depression, but how we interact, and help those people.
Do you think this issue should be discussed more? Why is depression a taboo topic if it’s so common? How do we as a society raise awareness for this issue?
Article - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/teenagers-mental-health-problems-emotional-well-being-action-children-a8589261.html
I definitely believe that the topic of depression and mental health overall needs to be discussed much more often. So many people, especially teenagers, will experience some form of depression, anxiety, or other mental health issue at some point in their life that to not discuss this issue seems illogical. However, as a society, we tend to not talk about mental health because it is so taboo. I think that mental health has turned into a taboo topic because it's not something that is "supposed" to be an issue. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have any mental health issues and everyone would be happy. Obviously we do not live in an ideal world, but sometimes we like to pretend like we do, and to do that, we (subconsciously, as a society) hid things that make us imperfect. Additionally, because mental health is so private and personal, I also think that many people feel uncomfortable discussing it. I think that, as a society, we can bring attention to depression through programs like Erika's Lighthouse, as well as by simply discussing it at school and with people we care about. I think that, as a country, we are currently transitioning from mental health being completely taboo to mental health being widely talked about and discussed, which I believe is a very good thing.
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