Mental illness

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Depression
Mental depression is one of the biggest health problems which have been on the fore front of the public domain across the global world. Depression can be described as a form of mental disorder which affects a person’s thoughts, moods and feelings (Bowes, 2000, 16). It starts as a respond to failure in achieving personal goals and if left unattended, it propagates and can render the individual less effective in performing normal daily activities and inability to appreciate a person’s identity and self worthy. Depression is venerable to people at all stages of growth but the extent to which the impacts are felt and dealt with varies from one individual to the other (Watson, 2005, 46). The complexity of depression arises when the victims fail to realize that he or she is depressed. As a consequence therefore, they fail to seek or get the help they deserve. The impacts accumulate and the situation becomes worse and last longer. Subsequently, the victim becomes less active and rendered less capable of achieving the best out of life. In this context therefore, the issue of depression is worthy to discuss (Stern, 2003, p.23). This essay seeks to highlight why depression is one of the biggest health problems facing the world today.
Top on the list of the reasons why depression is one of the biggest health challenges in the modern society is that unlike many other health hazards, the effects of depression are felt by not only the person but also the family and friends. Interacting with a depressed person is challenging and can amount to depression which has several negative impacts to the human body. This is because it is extremely difficult to predict the actions they are capable of doing at any moment. Victims of extreme cases of depression are venerable to committing suicide and can get involved in violence, drug taking and alcohol (Watson, 2005, 47). These activities have far reaching effects to health and can amount to death.
Another worthy noting effect of depression which puts it on the lead of health hazard s is a condition termed insomnia. Insomnia is defined as the inability to get enough sleep. A depressed person experiences irregular pattern of sleep which might involve waking up at the middle of the sleep, waking up early and failing to sleep again as well as a feeling of restlessness. Failure to get enough sleep dictates that the person has not had enough rest hence he/she is incapable of executing their responsibilities and daily task. The victim is always tired and incapable of coordinating and making as well as executing sound decision (Davidson, et al, 2002, p.62). The situation worsens if left unattended and the victim can commit suicide which is a common in the modern society.
Still to be noted here is the effect of depression on body weight. A depressed person finds it difficult to stick and adopt a healthy eating habit. This is evidenced by people who fo...