Mental Health Issues: Depression and Dementia

Running head: ESSAY
Healthcare
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1ESSAY
Mental illness or disorders are typically considered as a problem related to the mind
of an individual, and also referred to as 'all in the mind' (Savy & Sawyer, 2009). The World
Health Organization (2017) has recognized depression as one of the leading causes for global
disease burden. In addition, it has also acknowledged dementia to be a public health priority
owing to the impacts that it create on the health and wellbeing of the affected people (WHO,
2012). An estimated 1 in 10 Australians suffered from dementia in the year 2016 (AIHW,
2016). In addition, 9.3% or 2.1 million Australians had also been found to suffer from
depression in 2014-2015 (ABS, 2016). This essay will elaborate on the two aforementioned
mental health issues and illustrate strategies by which they can be addressed.
Depression, commonly referred to as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental
health issue that is primarily characterised by the presentation of signs and symptoms related
to persistent low mood, loss of interest in activities, poor self-esteem, pain without definite
cause, and low energy. In addition, most people suffering from depression generally report
having false beliefs and occasionally hear or see things that are not real (Greenberg, Fournier,
Sisitsky, Pike & Kessler, 2015). This health issue contributes to health burden owing to the
fact that it exerts a negative impact on the work life, personal functioning, education,
sleeping, general wellbeing, and eating habits. According to Habtewold, Islam, Radie and
Tegegne (2016) the biopsychosocial model it has been proposed that a range of
psychological, biological, and social factors are responsible for the onset of depression. In
contrast, the diathesis-stress model emphasises on the occurrence of depression due to
activation of stressful events, under the influence of pre-existing vulnerability that can
comprise of genetic factors, environmental exposure, and childhood trauma (Colodro-Conde
et al., 2018). Results from twin studies also suggest that 44 variants are located in the human
genome, each of which significantly contribute to depression (Wray et al., 2018). Depression
occurred more in females, in comparison to their male counterparts in 2014-2015 in Australia

2ESSAY
(10.4% vs. 7.4%). Furthermore, the proportion of individuals reporting depressive feelings
showed an upsurge amid 13.7% of the population, till 55-64 years of age (AIHW, 2016).
There is mounting evidence for the fact that in the short-term, MMD increases the
likelihood of the affected person to suffer from sudden loss in body weight, loss of appetite,
and associated physical symptoms. It also results in the onset of sleeping disturbances that
commonly encompass insomnia or hypersomnia (Potter, McQuoid & Steffens, 2015). Other
significant impacts of the mental health issue include development of feelings of lethargy and
fatigue. When left untreated for a prolonged duration, the disorder contributes to
malnutrition. Gaining excess weight due to depression has also been associated with
increased risks of cardiovascular complications and diabetes (van Strien, Konttinen,
Homberg, Engels & Winkens, 2016). The impacts of depression also extend beyond the
realms of mental and emotional wellbeing. In addition, it also contributes to suicidal ideations
in the patients. The aforementioned impacts on health need to be addressed through the
implementation of necessary intervention strategies. Common treatment modalities should
include administration of antidepressant medications like selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRI) for lowering risks of recurrence (Godlewska, Browning, Norbury, Cowen &
Harmer, 2016). Moreover, subjecting the patients to different non-pharmaceutical
interventions like light therapy, psychoeducation, and counselling sessions will prove
effective. Owing to the high prevalence of the mental health issue amid adults, there is a need
to encourage the individuals diagnosed with depression to show adherence to behavioural
modifications that encompass physical activity and smoking cessation.
Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to a category of neurological diseases and
results in the decrease in capability to remember and think. Some of the most common
symptoms of dementia include disruption in memory, attention, problem-solving ability,
language processing skills, and visual-spatial skills (Jung, 2015). In addition,