Ally Heyman

English1510

Sarah Haak

16 November 2017

Perspective Analysis Essay

Mental health is a crucial issue that many people suffer with. Imagine waking up with no

feeling, your body is numb, and your mind is fuzzy, you have no motivation to do absolutely

anything, you feel hopeless and helpless. According to thiswayup.org depression is a disorder

that is evidenced by excessive sadness, loss of interest in enjoyable things, and low motivation

(1). Although we are not exactly sure what causes depression, traumatic life occurrences and

genetics may play a role. In the article Teen Depression and Anxiety: Why The Kids Are Not

Alright? by Susanna Schrobsdorff it states, In 2015, about 3 million teens ages 12 to 17 had

had at least one major depressive episode in the past year, according to the Department of Health

and Human Services. More than 2 million report experiencing depression that impairs their daily

function (1). These statistics prove that depression has become an issue in an adolescence life,

that it is becoming more common in todays society. It also discusses in the article that today

adolescences are more overwhelmed and fragile than they used to be, which could play a role in

causing one to be depressed. Since this is becoming more common people should take action and

try and prevent depression before this illness could take over someones life. But, if someone is

diagnosed with depression one could try a variety of different natural treatments and/or take

medications. This essay will consist of different aspects about the illness, depression. This will
include natural treatment, the benefits and risk factors of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

and the prevention of depression.

Although it is impossible to completely restrain from depression due to life events, it is

important to try and prevent it so one can avoid the detrimental effects of feeling hopeless and

helpless. In the article Prevention of depression: phycological and social measures by Jan

Scott, it discusses several different ways to prevent depression. Some examples it talks about is

interventions with parent- child relationships and different school programs. In discussions of

interventions with parent-child relationships, a controversial issue is whether or not a bad or

strict parent could cause a child to be depressed. While some argue that has nothing to do with it,

Jan Scott states, if parental care could be improved, or self-esteem of the child at risk enhanced,

it might have a long-term primary preventive effect (96). Basically, this is stating that if a child

is in a healthy relationship with their parents and their parents are teaching them self-love it will

help prevent the scary state of depression. But, this can only help prevent depression to a certain

degree. Even if you are coming from a loving home you can still be diagnosed with depression.

When it comes to school programs, Jan Scott argues that it is important to educate adolescence

on how to cope with different conflicts and traumas through school programs. This way it brings

a community of students together and they will be educated and will know how to better handle a

tough situation and can teach others.

In the journal article Preventing and treating child mental health problems by Alison

Cuellar it states, Successful primary prevention requires a solid understanding of what causes

mental health problems (13). In other words, it is saying that it is hard to prevent something if

you dont fully understand it in the first place. Just like the previous article, Prevention of

depression: phycological and social measures by Jan Scott, it discusses interventions and how
we can try and teach people how to cope in certain tough situations. This is because a lot of the

time you cannot control the environment you are in and different life and or social events that

may occur and cause you to be depressed. Therefore, the best way to prevent this illness is to

educate others. People should learn different strategies so when they are in a sad state of mind

they will know exactly what to do and how to promote self-love. They will be able to turn a

switch from being in a depressive state of mind to an increasingly happy mood and stable mental

health status.

There is only so much we can do to prevent depression. when someone is diagnosed,

treatment needs to be taken into place, so the illness does not get any worse and lead to life

threatening occurrences. Many people believe that medication is the only solution to demolish

depression but there are different ways you can go about treating depression. You can either stick

with taking a pill (often a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or those who prefer not to take

medication you can tryout a natural treatment. In the journal article Exercise is an all-natural

treatment to fight depression written in the Harvard Health Letter it discusses that when you

work out in a high intensity setting the body will release endorphins. Endorphins are known as

chemicals that are produced in your body that make you feel good and increase your mood. To

further explain this, in the article Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at

Harvard Medical School states In people who are depressed, neuroscientists have noticed that

the hippocampus in the brainthe region that helps regulate moodis smaller. Exercise

supports nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, improving nerve cell connections, which helps

relieve depression (1). Basically, this just states the science behind why exercise can relieve

depression naturally. It talks about the hippocampus which is known to shrink if you are

depressed. So, if you exercise, you have the ability to reverse the shrinkage. By reversing the
shrinkage, you will enable the hippocampus to its job more efficiently, which is to stabilize

mood.

Although Exercise can help naturally treat depression it is not the only way. In the article

Depression treatment by Joanna Saisan, Melinda Smith, and Jeanne Segal it discusses many

different natural treatments including social support from friends and family, asking for help

from a professional (therapy), making sure you get enough sleep, minimizing stress and

maintaining a healthy diet. The authors of this article go into detail about each natural treatment

and how it can help eliminate depression. Support from friends and family is important to help

prevent depression because it gives you someone to go to when you feel down. Having that

support system gives you comfort and reassurance that you are okay, your life is valuable and

that whatever you are going through, you are not alone. When it comes to asking for help from a

professional, that is not something someone should have to be ashamed of. This is a trusted adult

that is well educated on how to help people with this specific illness. A therapist can provide a

variety of strategies to help cope with specific depressive issues that someone is experiencing

and eventually leading to treating the depression. For minimizing stress, you can do this in many

different ways, you can start with time management to prevent stress over a work load, dismiss

stressful relationships, make a planned schedule for yourself or even try yoga! When it talks

about nutrition and maintaining a healthy diet, it states how it is important to maintain energy. To

maintain energy, it is necessary to try and not eat sugary foods that will make you feel sluggish

or cause mood swings. If one tries several of these strategies and the natural treatment doesnt

work and the depression is only getting worse or remaining the same, then that is when you

should consider taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

 A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is a type of medication that works by

blocking the absorption of serotonin to make it more available. Serotonin is a chemical in the

brain that is responsible for maintaining mood. So, when it comes to selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors there are many benefits but there can also be some detrimental effects. In the journal

article Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Pediatric Depression: Is the Balance Between

Benefits and Risks Favorable? it discusses how there are many concerns regarding

antidepressants being used as a treatment for adolescence do to the outrageous effect of

suicidality. The article specifically states, 2 patients of 100 treated with an SSRI for major

depression would be expected to have an increase in suicidality during short term treatment

attributable to the drug (7). So basically, those two people may actually be committing suicide,

attempting suicide or self-harming themselves or having thoughts of self-harming. Two out of

one hundred may not seem like a lot of people but you have to put that into perspective of how

valuable life is and how many people live in this world. So, a question that is brought up is, is it

worth the risk? To answer that question, it is said that a doctor must explain each and every side

effect with a parent (if you are under 18) and the patient to see if that medication is appropriate

for the child and if the benefits out way the risks. Also, medication can affect peoples bodies

differently, so it is very individual when trying to figure out the best medication for your child.

You have to weigh out what the childs sensitivities, how much they weigh, family background

and if they are allergic to anything. That being said, there are many different medications that are

considered selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, therefore, there are a lot of different

medications to choose from. Picking the right one is key into treating depression for everyone. In

the article Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors written by the mayo clinic argues that

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are normally safe for all people. Since serotonin is the
chemical responsible for mood, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors work to increase the

amount of serotonin in your brain to increase your mood. But some say they dont like the idea

of taking a medication, that they dont want a pill to change the way they are, that they will not

be quote on quote themselves. On the other hand, selective serotonin inhibitors have saved

several adult and childrens lives who have suffered from depression. Given all the statistic and

data medication and depression is still a very controversial topic. This is because it works for

some people and does not for others.

Depression is a very common illness that people are suffering from every single day. The

importance of how to prevent and treat depression is very close to my heart. As a teenage girl I

have struggled with this illness and I personally know how it can negatively affect someones

life. That is why I am a huge advocate for preventing depression and learning multiple solutions

to treat it. After days spent researching I have learned proficient ways on how to prevent and

treat depression (naturally and with the help of a selective serotonin inhibitor). I also learned

about the benefits and detrimental effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. I think the

best way to go about this illness is to do your best to your ability to prevent depression in the first

place but because of the uncontrollable you may be diagnosed. So, if you are diagnosed do

whatever you can to treat it naturally whether its through exercise, social support from friends

and family, asking for help from a professional (therapy), making sure you get enough sleep,

minimizing stress or maintaining a healthy diet. If the depression continues, then it is time to

search for a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that will work best for you individually.
 Work Cited

Cuellar, A. "Preventing and Treating Child Mental Health Problems." Future of Children, vol.

25, no. 1, 01 Jan. 2015, p. 111-134. EBSCOhost,

www.library.ohio.edu/ezpauth/redir/athens.php?

"Exercise Is an All-Natural Treatment to Fight Depression. Exercise Is as Effective as Drugs in

some Cases." Harvard Health Letter, vol. 38, no. 10, Aug. 2013, p. 3. EBSCOhost,

www.library.ohio.edu/ezpauth/redir/athens.php?

How To Deal With Depression and Sadness. How To Deal With Depression and Sadness |

THIS WAY UP, thiswayup.org.au/how-do-you-feel/sad/.

Saisan, Joanna Joanna , et al. Depression Treatment. Depression Treatment: Therapy,

Medication, and Lifestyle Changes That Can Treat Depression, Oct. 2017,

www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/depression-treatment.htm.

Schrobsdorff, Susanna. What's Causing Depression And Anxiety In Teens? Time, Time, 27

Oct. 2016, time.com/4547322/american-teens-anxious-depressed-overwhelmed/.

Scott, J. Prevention of Depression: Psychological and Social Measures. Advances in

Psychiatric Treatment, vol. 1, no. 4, Jan. 1995, pp. 94101., doi:10.1192/apt.1.4.9

"Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Pediatric Depression: Is the Balance between

Benefits and Risks Favorable?" Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology,

vol. 16, no. 1-2, n.d., pp. 11-24. EBSCOhost,

www.library.ohio.edu/ezpauth/redir/athens.phpthe
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical

Education and Research, 24 June 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825
 Reflection

The perspective essay was definitely my favorite so far. I have noticed that it was

easier to focus because of the fact that this is a topic I find interest in. I think it is very

beneficial to wrote about something you are interested in because it becomes less of an

assignment and more of something you enjoy. It is a great way to expand your knowledge

on a topic you are passionate about or just simply to learn more. I enjoyed doing the

research needed because depression is something I have struggled with myself, so I was

eager to learn more about it. As I started the essay I wasnt sure how to exactly make my

points into different perspectives, but I was able to do that by organizing the steps that

should be taken for the illness. A personal challenge of mine was exceeding the full two

thousand words of the essay but I was able to achieve it. Another challenge for me was

the conclusion I wasnt sure how to end it. But, I did find that the flow to my essay was

better, it wasnt as choppy. I was able to include the pitch and complaint without stating

this is what the pitch is and this is what the complaint is. So overall through the

challenges this essay brought I was able to actually enjoy writing it and focus.