If you look at the statistics regarding depression it would seem that perhaps this might be a contagious disease. In the last thirty years more cases of depression have been diagnosed than there were in the previous one hundred years put together. So either life is that much more difficult, depression is a contagion, or there are people on medication for depression that might not need to be. Who knows? With our internally heated homes, modern conveniences, food at the grocery store that is already prepared, and electronic devices to help keep us connected to everyone we love I would find it hard to determine that life is harder now than it was one hundred years ago. Our modernization has simplified much of life’s hassles and allowed us to get more done in a shorter period of time.
Considering that I have seen some extremely depressed people in my life and haven’t come down with it immediately after, I would have to determine that it isn’t a contagious disease. Sure, I have suffered from periods of depression and they aren’t pleasant. I don’t like the feeling and most of us find the feeling very uncomfortable. But that doesn’t mean I have any sort of chronic condition. Situations and our lack of preparedness for those situations can invite depression, as can loss, financial pressure, and even happy changes like a new job or baby. These are not situations that can be medicated. One has to question, with depression at an all time high and growing in numbers, if the drug companies aren’t somehow more interested in finding doctors who like to diagnose depression even when it is a short term situational feeling. While depression in its clinical form can be very serious, our increase in medicating the depressed has not decreased our suicide rate. Perhaps it is time to evaluate our definition of depression.
