HEA10001 – Introduction to Health Sciences

Running Head: ESSAY ON DEPRESSION
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Essay on depression
Student Name

ESSAY ON DEPRESSION
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Depression
If a person feels sad for several weeks on end, feeling himself or herself low on
motivation or energy, or no longer enjoying to things that were enjoyable before and used to
interest the person, he or she might be having depression. It is often a feeling more numbness
than sadness. Depression is not restricted to a specific population, community or country it is
affecting people from all around the world (McIntyre et al., 2014). In this particular essay,
depression, and its determinants will be discussed. How the depression related systems in
Australia address the issue and its determinants will also be mentioned.
Depression is a global problem and it has become a common problem that one
experience in his or her life. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008), reported
that on an average one in six females and one in eight males will experience any level of
depression in Australia and males are less likely to seek for help than females, only one in
four men who experienced depression or anxiety accessing treatment. According to a survey,
conducted by Australian Institute of Health and welfare (2018) between 2013 to 2014 among
children aged 4 to 17 found that nearly 13.9 % population were had mental health disorder
such depression or anxiety in last 12 months. The prevalence of depressive disorder is
increased from nearly 2.1 percent to 3.2 percent. Depression became the leading cause
disability and nearly 300 million people around the world suffer from depression (Legg,
2018).
There are various determinants, which can make depression complex such as
sociocultural, environmental and biological factors. Socio-economic status is the social
factor that has been a major causing factor of depression. Various studies have been
conducted on the role socio-economic factors I causing depression. According to Freeman et
al., (2016) the people with low socioeconomic status are more likely to be depressed than the

ESSAY ON DEPRESSION
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people with good economic status and the rich people are less likely to have this mental
health issues (Freeman et al., 2016). Biological determinants of depression include brain
neurotransmitters, neurotrophic growth factors, immunologic/ inflammatory factors,
epigenetic factors, and neuroendocrine factors. Depression has been associated with the
abnormalities of growth factors. The brain-derived neurotrophic factors or BDNF is the
secretory protein of neurotropic family that is associated with both anxiety and depression
and it decreases in the depressed patients. The exposure of traumatic situations results in
lower level of BDNF in the bipolar patient (Assareh, Sharpley, McFarlane, & Sachdev, 2015)
Lifestyle and environmental determinants also contribute to depressive disorders.
Individuals who engaged in unfavorable or unhealthy lifestyle such as consuming abusive
drugs and alcohol, poor sleep, lack of exercise, and poor diet (Lopresti, Hood, & Drummond,
2013). the water and water pollutions are well-known cancer and birth defects but they also
influence the mental health, for example, people with sick building syndrome tends to
develop the mental health problem. The natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes and man-
made traumatic events can contribute to the individual's susceptibility to depression (Hussain,
Weisaeth, & Heir, 2011).
There are various health systems working in order to resolve the issues related to
depression and helping the people with this mental illness such as SANE, PANDA, Beyond
blue, the department of health Australia. SANE is the national mental health charity
foundation working to support about 4 million people of Australia affected by the complex
mental sickness. Their work includes spreading the awareness, stigma reduction, research and
advocacy, and helpline to provide them expert support. They can also start the health
promotion programs to support the individuals with low socioeconomic status and educate