This article caught my eye because I think we all struggle to some extent with even the thought of depression and I myself would like to know all I can to avoid even the slightest chance of falling victim to it. Something I found interesting in this article, they say that only 1 in 5 cases of depression are genetic, and that the others are caused by our modernized way of living. Anything from the TV dramas, our faster technologies, and how much information we take in on a daily basis are all possible causes of depression. Our fast paced lifestyle leads our minds to believe that EVERYTHING should be fast, and when it’s not, something must be wrong.
Since the mid 1900’s, we’ve been introduced to more and more advertising. It is everywhere! It’s amazing how much we just don’t realize it. That is the exact reason why our culture has become so used to skimming the surface. We don’t worry about as many details because if we stopped to think about even a small amount of them, our lives would be consumed by it! With this onset of information that we so easily skim over, we tend to pass that trait over to our regular daily lives. Even worst is when we pass that trait onto our relationships with the people we are closest to. If we are aware of this happening, we could avoid complicated discussions about what we did and did not do. The depression comes when we have to focus on those small steps which make it feel overwhelming causing us to either give up or get bogged down. Not good at all. Another interesting fact is that we are finding that as Asian countries become more “Westernized” their depression rate also rises.
This one really caught my attention because I love technology. The article says that the more we rely on technology, the more warped our sense of time becomes. We start to think that everything should be done fast and when it’s not we find ourselves asking why? This often has damaging effects on our intimate relationships as well, and we know how bad that can be! The article also talks about the affect TV has on our society. We all know that TV has some bad influences, but I personally never heard of what exactly that bad influence is. With all these popular night time dramas, we are left to think that HUGE problems can be solved in an hour or less… that’s why I watch 24… Just kidding. With more and more Americans watching TV, we can see how this might cause a problem.
Some skills needed to avoid depression are that we shouldn’t get stuck believing that there is only one right way to do things, and don’t underestimate the amount of control you have on any given situation. This is something I notice a lot in people. People are quick to feel hopeless and give up in the first sight of controversy. We have to realize our potential, and not think that our thoughts and desires are less than anyone else. The most important skill mentioned that one needs to ward off depression is good relationship skills. It has been proven over and over again that people who are not only in a relationship, but happy in a relationship, have a far less chance of becoming depressed. With a little practice, the art of avoiding depression is definitely an art, but one that can be learned.
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