advice for depression essay

Essays About Depression: Top 8 Examples Plus Prompts

Many people deal with mental health issues throughout their lives; if you are writing essays about depression, you can read essay examples to get started.

An occasional feeling of sadness is something that everyone experiences from time to time. Still, a persistent loss of interest, depressed mood, changes in energy levels, and sleeping problems can indicate mental illness. Thankfully, antidepressant medications, therapy, and other types of treatment can be largely helpful for people living with depression.

People suffering from depression or other mood disorders must work closely with a mental health professional to get the support they need to recover. While family members and other loved ones can help move forward after a depressive episode, it’s also important that people who have suffered from major depressive disorder work with a medical professional to get treatment for both the mental and physical problems that can accompany depression.

If you are writing an essay about depression, here are 8 essay examples to help you write an insightful essay. For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

• 1. My Best Friend Saved Me When I Attempted Suicide, But I Didn’t Save Her by Drusilla Moorhouse
• 2. How can I complain? by James Blake
• 3. What it’s like living with depression: A personal essay by Nadine Dirks
• 4. I Have Depression, and I’m Proof that You Never Know the Battle Someone is Waging Inside by Jac Gochoco
• 5. Essay: How I Survived Depression by Cameron Stout
• 6. I Can’t Get Out of My Sweat Pants: An Essay on Depression by Marisa McPeck-Stringham
• 7. This is what depression feels like by Courtenay Harris Bond

8. Opening Up About My Struggle with Recurring Depression by Nora Super

1. what is depression, 2. how is depression diagnosed, 3. causes of depression, 4. different types of depression, 5. who is at risk of depression, 6. can social media cause depression, 7. can anyone experience depression, the final word on essays about depression, is depression common, what are the most effective treatments for depression, top 8 examples, 1.  my best friend saved me when i attempted suicide, but i didn’t save her  by drusilla moorhouse.

“Just three months earlier, I had been a patient in another medical facility: a mental hospital. My best friend, Denise, had killed herself on Christmas, and days after the funeral, I told my mom that I wanted to die. I couldn’t forgive myself for the role I’d played in Denise’s death: Not only did I fail to save her, but I’m fairly certain I gave her the idea.”

Moorhouse makes painstaking personal confessions throughout this essay on depression, taking the reader along on the roller coaster of ups and downs that come with suicide attempts, dealing with the death of a loved one, and the difficulty of making it through major depressive disorder.

2.  How can I complain?  by James Blake

“I wanted people to know how I felt, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to tell them. I have gone into a bit of detail here not to make anyone feel sorry for me but to show how a privileged, relatively rich-and-famous-enough-for-zero-pity white man could become depressed against all societal expectations and allowances. If I can be writing this, clearly it isn’t only oppression that causes depression; for me it was largely repression.”

Musician James Blake shares his experience with depression and talks about his struggles with trying to grow up while dealing with existential crises just as he began to hit the peak of his fame. Blake talks about how he experienced guilt and shame around the idea that he had it all on the outside—and so many people deal with issues that he felt were larger than his.

3.  What it’s like living with depression: A personal essay   by Nadine Dirks

“In my early adulthood, I started to feel withdrawn, down, unmotivated, and constantly sad. What initially seemed like an off-day turned into weeks of painful feelings that seemed they would never let up. It was difficult to enjoy life with other people my age. Depression made typical, everyday tasks—like brushing my teeth—seem monumental. It felt like an invisible chain, keeping me in bed.”

Dirks shares her experience with depression and the struggle she faced to find treatment for mental health issues as a Black woman. Dirks discusses how even though she knew something about her mental health wasn’t quite right, she still struggled to get the diagnosis she needed to move forward and receive proper medical and psychological care.

4.  I Have Depression, and I’m Proof that You Never Know the Battle Someone is Waging Inside  by Jac Gochoco

“A few years later, at the age of 20, my smile had fallen, and I had given up. The thought of waking up the next morning was too much for me to handle. I was no longer anxious or sad; instead, I felt numb, and that’s when things took a turn for the worse. I called my dad, who lived across the country, and for the first time in my life, I told him everything. It was too late, though. I was not calling for help. I was calling to say goodbye.”

Gochoco describes the war that so many people with depression go through—trying to put on a brave face and a positive public persona while battling demons on the inside. The Olympic weightlifting coach and yoga instructor now work to share the importance of mental health with others.

5.  Essay: How I Survived Depression   by Cameron Stout

“In 1993, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an antidepressant. Within two months, the medication slowly gained traction. As the gray sludge of sadness and apathy washed away, I emerged from a spiral of impending tragedy. I helped raise two wonderful children, built a successful securities-litigation practice, and became an accomplished cyclist. I began to take my mental wellness for granted. “

Princeton alum Cameron Stout shared his experience with depression with his fellow Tigers in Princeton’s alumni magazine, proving that even the most brilliant and successful among us can be rendered powerless by a chemical imbalance. Stout shares his experience with treatment and how working with mental health professionals helped him to come out on the other side of depression.

6.  I Can’t Get Out of My Sweat Pants: An Essay on Depression  by Marisa McPeck-Stringham

“Sometimes, when the depression got really bad in junior high, I would come straight home from school and change into my pajamas. My dad caught on, and he said something to me at dinner time about being in my pajamas several days in a row way before bedtime. I learned it was better not to change into my pajamas until bedtime. People who are depressed like to hide their problematic behaviors because they are so ashamed of the way they feel. I was very ashamed and yet I didn’t have the words or life experience to voice what I was going through.”

McPeck-Stringham discusses her experience with depression and an eating disorder at a young age; both brought on by struggles to adjust to major life changes. The author experienced depression again in her adult life, and thankfully, she was able to fight through the illness using tried-and-true methods until she regained her mental health.

7.  This is what depression feels like  by Courtenay Harris Bond

“The smallest tasks seem insurmountable: paying a cell phone bill, lining up a household repair. Sometimes just taking a shower or arranging a play date feels like more than I can manage. My children’s squabbles make me want to scratch the walls. I want to claw out of my own skin. I feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is a solitary candle about to blow out at any moment. At the same time, I feel like the pain will never end.”

Bond does an excellent job of helping readers understand just how difficult depression can be, even for people who have never been through the difficulty of mental illness. Bond states that no matter what people believe the cause to be—chemical imbalance, childhood issues, a combination of the two—depression can make it nearly impossible to function.

“Once again, I spiraled downward. I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t work. I had thoughts of harming myself. This time, my husband urged me to start ECT much sooner in the cycle, and once again, it worked. Within a matter of weeks I was back at work, pretending nothing had happened. I kept pushing myself harder to show everyone that I was “normal.” I thought I had a pattern: I would function at a high level for many years, and then my depression would be triggered by a significant event. I thought I’d be healthy for another ten years.”

Super shares her experience with electroconvulsive therapy and how her depression recurred with a major life event despite several years of solid mental health. Thankfully, Super was able to recognize her symptoms and get help sooner rather than later.

7 Writing Prompts on Essays About Depression

When writing essays on depression, it can be challenging to think of essay ideas and questions. Here are six essay topics about depression that you can use in your essay.

Depression can be difficult to define and understand. Discuss the definition of depression, and delve into the signs, symptoms, and possible causes of this mental illness. Depression can result from trauma or personal circumstances, but it can also be a health condition due to genetics. In your essay, look at how depression can be spotted and how it can affect your day-to-day life. 

Depression diagnosis can be complicated; this essay topic will be interesting as you can look at the different aspects considered in a diagnosis. While a certain lab test can be conducted, depression can also be diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Research the different ways depression can be diagnosed and discuss the benefits of receiving a diagnosis in this essay.

There are many possible causes of depression; this essay discusses how depression can occur. Possible causes of depression can include trauma, grief, anxiety disorders, and some physical health conditions. Look at each cause and discuss how they can manifest as depression.

There are many different types of depression. This essay topic will investigate each type of depression and its symptoms and causes. Depression symptoms can vary in severity, depending on what is causing it. For example, depression can be linked to medical conditions such as bipolar disorder. This is a different type of depression than depression caused by grief. Discuss the details of the different types of depression and draw comparisons and similarities between them.

Certain genetic traits, socio-economic circumstances, or age can make people more prone to experiencing symptoms of depression. Depression is becoming more and more common amongst young adults and teenagers. Discuss the different groups at risk of experiencing depression and how their circumstances contribute to this risk.

Social media poses many challenges to today’s youth, such as unrealistic beauty standards, cyber-bullying, and only seeing the “highlights” of someone’s life. Can social media cause depression in teens? Delve into the negative impacts of social media when writing this essay. You could compare the positive and negative sides of social media and discuss whether social media causes mental health issues amongst young adults and teenagers.

This essay question poses the question, “can anyone experience depression?” Although those in lower-income households may be prone to experiencing depression, can the rich and famous also experience depression? This essay discusses whether the privileged and wealthy can experience their possible causes. This is a great argumentative essay topic, discuss both sides of this question and draw a conclusion with your final thoughts.

When writing about depression, it is important to study examples of essays to make a compelling essay. You can also use your own research by conducting interviews or pulling information from other sources. As this is a sensitive topic, it is important to approach it with care; you can also write about your own experiences with mental health issues.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

FAQs On Essays About Depression

According to the World Health Organization, about 5% of people under 60 live with depression. The rate is slightly higher—around 6%—for people over 60. Depression can strike at any age, and it’s important that people who are experiencing symptoms of depression receive treatment, no matter their age. 

Suppose you’re living with depression or are experiencing some of the symptoms of depression. In that case, it’s important to work closely with your doctor or another healthcare professional to develop a treatment plan that works for you. A combination of antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy is a good fit for many people, but this isn’t necessarily the case for everyone who suffers from depression. Be sure to check in with your doctor regularly to ensure that you’re making progress toward improving your mental health.

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Amanda has an M.S.Ed degree from the University of Pennsylvania in School and Mental Health Counseling and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. She has experience writing magazine articles, newspaper articles, SEO-friendly web copy, and blog posts.

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How to Prevent and Manage Depression

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

No one is immune to depression. It can occur in those who are susceptible by virtue of family history or biology; chronic poverty, disease, or deprivation; or childhood experience that resets reactivity of the nervous system so that it overresponds to stress. It can settle in after a series of upsets or losses. But it can also catch people off guard.

Maintaining mental health is a task everyone faces. Just as most people have learned that it takes some work to stay in physical shape, so does mental health require some attention and upkeep. Most of us live fast lives in which insults and injuries accrue that need to be redressed. We may have a clever array of defenses that keep us from knowing what is roiling us below the surface—until it saps all our mental and even physical energy and starts to shut down our ability to function. As with physical health, maintaining mental health and building resilience may be more of a challenge for some than for others. But there are many measures that anyone can take to avoid or even reverse the shutdown cycle that depression imposes.

On This Page

• Can depression be prevented?
• Depression runs in my family—can I avoid it?
• What risk factors for depression can I control?
• What kinds of situations carry a special risk of depression?
• Can changing how I handle stress spare me from depression?
• How can I stop myself once I start slipping into negative thinking?
• Can meditation help ward off depression?
• Are there foods that help fight off depression?
• Are there actions I can take to ward off depresssion?
• Are there common triggers of depression that I can control?
• Is it possible to head off full-blown depression once my mood slips?
• How can I prevent a relapse of depression?

Studies consistently show that episodes of depression can be prevented even among people who have already suffered at least one episode of the disorder. Many factors contribute to bringing on a bout of depression, and it takes attention to many elements to depression-proof yourself. . There are lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, that play important biologic roles. Styles of emotion management and expression can contribute to susceptibility to depression or protect against it. Relationships carry great weight in mental life, and creating healthy relationships is one bulwark against depression. There are patterns of thinking and sets of beliefs that can pave the way for depression, and changing them—an aim of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—can put a brake on depression. Having meaningful goals in life is a powerful antidepressant, and taking practical steps towards them is an evidence-based way of not only preventing but reversing depression.

A family history of depression raises the risk of the disorder, but it does not make it inevitable or even likely. There are many steps that can be taken to minimize the risk or avoid depression . In most cases it isn’t clear exactly what it is that’s transmitted in a family that creates susceptibility. Yes, there may be patterns of genes that lower the threshold for disorder, but families also tend to transmit to their children many mental habits that later influence susceptibility to difficulty. For example, the adults may have pessimistic thinking styles and fatalistic beliefs that get transmitted with every explanation they provide; they may have a positive or negative orientation to the future, or they may have difficulty mounting an effective approach to problem-solving. So too, there might be habits of handling emotions, especially negative feelings, that could pose problems later on in life, especially in the face of difficult experiences. Of the many traits that families pass on, many can be examined and modified as needed.

There are situations and experiences that raise a person’s risk of depression. Chief among them are abusive or chronically conflicted relationships, loss of a relationship or job or anything of significance, and major setbacks or disappointments in any realm of life. While the death of a spouse or the loss of a job may not be under anyone’s control, such situations can be met with the recognition that extra self-protective measures are needed—a heavy dose of self-care, including adequate sleep and exercise; extra emotional support from others; even help with the chores of daily living. Relationships are almost always open to improvement, and professional counseling can be very helpful.

There are also individual traits that create risk for depression. Chief among them are patterns of negative thinking and coping with emotions, particularly in response to difficult experiences. All of them can be changed, with attention and practice, and doing so is one of the main goals of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy. While it may not be possible to change the amount of stress one is regularly subjected to, it is not only possible but desirable to change ways of perceiving and handling stress. Meditation has become a highly popular practice in Western countries for a reason—it is an effective way of lessening reactivity to stress.

Experiences of abuse, neglect, and loss can set the stage for depression, as can personal setbacks and disappointments, such as failure to achieve one’s goals. Any high-stress situation—conflict with the boss, financial problems—can lead to depression if it lasts for a long enough period of time, creates feelings of helplessness, and overwhelms the ability to cognitively and emotionally digest the experience. Because humans are fundamentally social creatures, relationship difficulties, social rejection, and divorce, even when it provides relief from conflict, can precipitate depression. Isolation and loneliness are major risk factors , and while they respect no age or stage of life, are special problems among the elderly. Any chronic illness carries a higher-than-normal risk of depression, and so does sudden life-threatening illness, such as a heart attack or cancer diagnosis. Any of them—or even the memory of them —can trigger the downward spiral of negativity, hopelessness, and immobility that typify depression, but depression is never inevitable in any situation.

Changing ways of handling stress can go a long way to minimizing the risk of depression. In relatively brief bursts, stress is good, fostering alertness, learning, and adaptation. Severe or prolonged stress, however, dysregulates the normal stress response and impairs memory, learning, and general brain functioning; depression is consistently associated with the number of stressors experienced in life. Because some stress is inevitable and not within human power to prevent, maintaining mental health requires a wide array of coping skills, from the ability to articulate feelings to the ability to stay focused.

In addition, it’s possible to cut stress off even before coping skills must be deployed. Attitude plays a major role in the perception of stress. People who see stress as a challenge rather than as a curse recruit positive rather than negative emotions and do not experience the harmful effects of stress hormones on body and brain. Further, learning any of various forms of meditation can enable people to interrupt the automatic response patterns to stress that prove so harmful. Changing perception of stress, curbing reactivity to it by meditation, acquiring an arsenal of coping skills—all are ways of lessening the burden of stress and protecting against depression.

It is possible to choose your thoughts, and the most effective treatment for depression, Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, is based on that proven possibility. It itemizes the kinds of self-defeating and negative thoughts that appear to be almost automatic in the wake of stress or setback and offers a number of techniques for refuting and rechanneling them. There are many kinds of negative thoughts that destroy mental energy, from all-or-nothing thinking to discounting positives to catastrophizing. For example, after getting turned down for a job you tried hard for, you might get into a funk by concluding ”I’ll never get a job.” But that is an illogical conclusion from one piece of evidence and hardly the only possible outcome. Learning how to stop negative thinking does not require therapy, but therapy offers a well-tuned systematic approach, the opportunity to catch thinking errors, and support for correcting them.

Studies show that one factor consistently associated with depression is the number and degree of major stresses experienced in life. Meditation provides a way of reducing reactivity to the stressful thoughts, feelings, and situations that are a major precipitant of depression. There are many styles of meditation, and meditation has been incorporated into many behavioral therapies for depression. Meditation slows down reaction so that it is not automatic, and it trains people to recognize that, however troubling thoughts and feelings are in the moment, they are not facts, they are transient, and they can be acknowledged without needing to be acted upon. Mindfulness is a popular form of meditation that teaches people to focus on the rhythm of their breathing while letting thoughts and feelings come and go. The goal is to detach people from their thoughts so that they can choose what to pay attention to, rather than automatically buying the negative thoughts of depression and being dragged down by them.

Increasingly, diet is recognized as an important influence on susceptibility to depression, and a recent study shows that an overall healthy diet works against even severe depression . Essentially, any diet that’s good for the heart is also good for the brain, providing a number of nutrients that play key roles in the operations of the nervous system. Numerous studies link traditional Mediterranean-type and Japanese-style diets with low risk of depression. Both eating patterns involve lots of fruits and vegetables, fish more than meat, oils rather than solid fats, and moderate to minimal dairy consumption.

In addition to a generally heathy diet, specific nutrients have been shown to confer depression resistance. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in wild-caught fatty fish such as salmon, maintain cardiovascular integrity and combat inflammation. Normally found in the brain in high concentrations, they make up the membrane of nerve cells and facilitate efficient transmission of nerve signals. They also reverse the nerve cell degeneration that is an effect of depression. Colorful vegetables provide antioxidants, which are especially needed by brain cells and also counter inflammation. Vegetables are also good sources of B vitamins, which play multiple roles in maintaining brain health and, as cofactors for enzymes involved in production of neurotransmitters , directly influence mood. Studies show that berries, with their high antioxidant content, contribute to brain efficiency and protect against neurodegeneration. Olive oil is another food that aids brain function.

Exercise is one of the most effective antidotes to depression. Engaging in simple activity such as walking immediately stimulates the growth of new nerve cell connections—the exit ramp from depression. In addition, engaging in any form of exercise restores a sense of control over one’s life. Studies show that even 15 minutes of physical activity daily can have beneficial effects on mood, energy, and sleep, and it works even in those genetically predisposed to depression. Because depression robs people of motivation and energy, it is important to start somewhere —doing anything is better than doing nothing— and to start small, beginning with a few minutes of walking. Establishing a regular sleep routine helps, as sleep normalizes many body functions disrupted by depression. Depression causes people to shut down; they lose interest in doing things and their world contracts, robbing them of needed sources of stimulation and pleasure. Therefore, doing things, including maintaining social contact—even when it goes against all instincts —brings about benefits on many levels. Sunlight is another antidepressant, and adequate sunlight exposure helps sustain mood.

While stress is a common trigger for depression, exactly what people find stressful can be highly individualistic, as is the capacity to tolerate stress. Stress tolerance is to a large degree under personal control, and the ability to withstand stress can be deliberately cultivated—from knowing how to summon resources such as social support to accessing problem-solving skills. It is also possible to down-regulate another significant trip-switch for depression—negative reactivity to negative experiences, whether romantic rejection or job loss. Such experiences may not be avoidable in life, but the downwardly spiraling patterns of negative thinking they typically set in motion, while they feel automatic and inevitable, can in fact be interrupted and countered, once awareness is drawn to them.

Depression often starts surreptitiously—a disturbance in sleep patterns, feelings of apathy or irritability, withdrawal from friends—and because these shifts all tend to worsen mood, it is the nature of the beast to beget a downward spiral of thinking and feeling and reacting until hopelessness and immobility are all-consuming. It’s possible to intervene but only by becoming aware of the early signals. Then it’s important to quickly engage some countermeasures—which often means fighting the powerful desire to do as little as possible. That is one of t he paradoxes of depression: It pulls you away from the very things that will actually make you better. Here’s where reaching out to a support network can be critical. And forcing yourself to take a 10-minute walk. If you find your mood cratering often enough, you might want to make a list of things to do when that happens and stick it on the refrigerator door, or slip it into your sock drawer for ready access when you need it.

Without exception, one of the goals of treating depression is to prevent future episodes, and that is why Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy is so effective, even for those at high risk of relapse: It teaches ways of stopping the negative thought patterns that feed on themselves to drag people down into depression. The more episodes of depression a person has, the more that negative patterns of thinking take on a life of their own and become automatic. Significantly, the same techniques that therapists teach are available for anyone to deploy—the trick is being able to step out of the thoughts as they’re occurring, becoming aware of them and their oppressive effects, and then opposing them. Studies consistently show that stopping negative rumination is one of the most powerful tools for relapse prevention . So is taking steps to resolve situations that can engender despair, such as chronically conflicted relationships.

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How To Write A Strong Essay On Depression?

Table of Contents

Looking for useful information that will help you write a powerful essay on depression? You’ve come to the right place, then!

Depression is a worldwide spread disease that negatively affects how people feel, the way they think, and how they act. It is also the leading cause of disability. There are estimates that more than 300 million people are affected by depression globally, and this condition is also one of the most common mental disorders in the USA.

No wonder depression essay is a typical assignment for high school and college students. The goal of writing about this mental condition is to increase awareness among young people about mental health and help them find solutions to this problem.

In this guide, you will find all the necessary information for writing the best essays on this topic.

Depression essay: what’s the deal?

At some point in our lives, we all may experience symptoms like sadness, loss of interest, lack of pleasure from performing daily activities, etc.

For most people, these symptoms are a completely normal response to unpleasant or stressful events that they experience, for example, romantic relationships failures or financial issues.

Negative feelings are usually painful and overwhelming, but as time goes by, they become less intense and disappear.

But if these feelings persist, they may affect people’s life substantially and result in depression.

In recent decades, clinical depression has reached epidemic proportions and is widespread in the suburbs inner cities, farms, refugee camps, boardrooms, and classrooms, and women are more likely to be depressed than man.

Recent research reveals that the United States is the most depressed country in the world.

When writing an essay about this mental illness, you need to examine different aspects. For example, you may write a postpartum depression essay or explore how this mental condition affects the brain, personality, and physical health.

The choice of topics is endless, but you should follow standard writing requirements when working on your projects. Let’s discuss some important steps of writing an essay about mental disorders in detail.

Depression research paper outline: a brief how-to

Many students skip this stage in the writing process and as a result, may waste a lot of time when doing research and actually writing.

Creating a working outline for your project is an essential step that will help you stay focused and increase your overall productivity. Never skip this crucial step if you want to succeed.

Here are some tips on how you can do it right.

• Choose a topic for your research and do some preliminary reading. Search for some interesting facts and try to think about new ways to address your topic. Scan some articles and look for knowledge gaps.
• Take notes when you see an interesting quote and create a list of your sources. You can use them as references in your essay. Keep all the information you have gathered in one place.
• Write down the objective of your essay in one sentence. Think about the outcome you want to achieve when other people read your essay.
• Look through your notes and make a list of all the important points you want to make. Use brainstorming techniques and write down all ideas that pop into your head.
• Review the points and create a thesis statement for depression research paper or essay.
• Organize the list of points to create a structure of your essay . Put the points in a logical order. Check all aspects to make sure that each of them is relevant to your objective.
• Revise all your points and try to put your outline in a standard format: numbered or bulleted list.

Depression essay introduction: how to start?

The introduction of your essay should provide some context and prepare your readers for the arguments you would present next.

Start your introduction with an attention grabber to engage your audience. It can be a provocative question, statistics, an anecdote, an interesting fact, etc.

Introduce your specific topic and provide some context to help your readers understand your paper. For example, you can define some key terms.

Finish your introduction with a strong thesis statement that clearly and concisely states the central argument or the purpose of your paper.

e.g., Students who drop out of a high school before graduation are more susceptible to depression and anxiety and have a higher risk of facing mental and physical health problems later in life.

You may also briefly outline the major points of your paper to help your audience follow your argument.

Depression essay conclusion: what should be included?

The conclusion is the last chance to impress your readers so it can be the most challenging part of an essay to write.

It should give your paper a sense of completeness and answer the question, “so what?”

You need to restate your main claim and tie that claim to a larger discussion. Don’t introduce any new ideas or subtopics here.

You can conclude your paper using one of the following strategies:

• Call for a specific action.
• Outline next steps for other researchers.
• Speak about future implications.
• Compare different situations or issues.
• Use a quotation.
• Ask a provocative question.

The use of depression essay example

A good essay example may help you understand how your project must be written. You can find a lot of essay examples online or order a well-written example from a professional writer.

You should read it and analyze what strategies and techniques are used to convey the main ideas and make an impression on readers.

Besides, you can get a better understanding of how you can structure your paper and what transitions you can use to ensure a logical flow of ideas.

Essay on depression: what to cover?

Writing about depression in college essay can involve a lot of different topics, especially those connected with the epidemic of mental disorders in teens.

For example, you may write causes of teenage depression essay and discuss multiple factors that create chemical imbalances in the human brain which may result in mental disorders and lead to such symptoms like anger, irritability, and agitation:

• Biological factors – family history of mental disorders.
• Social factors – loneliness and isolation, lack of meaningful relationships with family or peers.
• Behavioral factors – alcohol or drug abuse.
• Psychological factors – early childhood trauma, recent stressful experiences like a death in the family.

TOP-10 depression essay topics

• Effects of mood disorders on physical health.
• Causes of depression among teens.
• Compare depression and bipolar disorder.
• Neurodegenerative effects of long-term depression.
• Mental disorders and personality changes in adults.
• Impact of psychological stress on mental disorders.
• Teen depression and suicide.
• Depression symptoms in children and adults.
• Are we witnessing an epidemic of serious mood disorders?
• Digital media and mental disorders in children.

Argumentative essay on depression: how to prove you’re right?

Argumentative essay on depression is a more complex task because you need to take a stance and create a convincing argument to persuade your readers and make them accept your point of view or take a specific action.

You need compelling evidence to support your claims and main points.

Consult credible online sources, for example, a website of the American Psychiatric Association, to find some facts or statistics about mental disorders or news about current research on the topic.

Review some statistics which you can use to support your argument.

• According to estimates, about 15% of adults experience depressive episodes in their lifetime.
• About 5% of the US population experience seasonal depression every year.
• The most “depressed” countries in the world are the USA, France, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Colombia.
• Japan has one of the lowest depression rates in the world, but it has one of the highest suicide rates, which is one of the leading causes of death among Japanese teens.
• 4.8% of men and 8.5% of women suffer from depression in the USA.
• The median age of people experiencing a major depressive episode is 32.
• More than 44,000 American commit suicide each year and it’s the 2nd leading cause of death for young people aged from 15 to 24.

Argumentative essay topics about depression

• Is there any correlation between burnout, depression, and anxiety?
• How to deal with a crisis when living with mental disorders?
• Is it common to have both anxiety and depression at the same time?
• Can sleep deprivation cause mental disorders?
• Is there any relationship between the consumption of certain food and mental disorders?
• Can food help with overcoming anxiety?
• Social media obsession and mental health issues.
• Why do a lot of teens struggle with mental disorders?
• Can exercise treat mental health issues?
• How can we tell the difference between grief and depression?

Feel free to choose any of these interesting topics and write your own depression essay.

Although mental disorders are a complicated thing to write about, you are much likely to successfully cope with this challenging task if you follow our easy guidelines.

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7 Depression Research Paper Topic Ideas

Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be.

Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter.

In psychology classes, it's common for students to write a depression research paper. Researching depression may be beneficial if you have a personal interest in this topic and want to learn more, or if you're simply passionate about this mental health issue. However, since depression is a very complex subject, it offers many possible topics to focus on, which may leave you wondering where to begin.

If this is how you feel, here are a few research titles about depression to help inspire your topic choice. You can use these suggestions as actual research titles about depression, or you can use them to lead you to other more in-depth topics that you can look into further for your depression research paper.

What Is Depression?

Everyone experiences times when they feel a little bit blue or sad. This is a normal part of being human. Depression, however, is a medical condition that is quite different from everyday moodiness.

Your depression research paper may explore the basics, or it might delve deeper into the  definition of clinical depression  or the  difference between clinical depression and sadness .

What Research Says About the Psychology of Depression

Studies suggest that there are biological, psychological, and social aspects to depression, giving you many different areas to consider for your research title about depression.

Types of Depression

There are several different types of depression  that are dependent on how an individual's depression symptoms manifest themselves. Depression symptoms may vary in severity or in what is causing them. For instance, major depressive disorder (MDD) may have no identifiable cause, while postpartum depression is typically linked to pregnancy and childbirth.

Depressive symptoms may also be part of an illness called bipolar disorder. This includes fluctuations between depressive episodes and a state of extreme elation called mania. Bipolar disorder is a topic that offers many research opportunities, from its definition and its causes to associated risks, symptoms, and treatment.

Causes of Depression

The possible causes of depression are many and not yet well understood. However, it most likely results from an interplay of genetic vulnerability  and environmental factors. Your depression research paper could explore one or more of these causes and reference the latest research on the topic.

For instance, how does an imbalance in brain chemistry or poor nutrition relate to depression? Is there a relationship between the stressful, busier lives of today's society and the rise of depression? How can grief or a major medical condition lead to overwhelming sadness and depression?

Who Is at Risk for Depression?

This is a good research question about depression as certain risk factors may make a person more prone to developing this mental health condition, such as a family history of depression, adverse childhood experiences, stress , illness, and gender . This is not a complete list of all risk factors, however, it's a good place to start.

The growing rate of depression in children, teenagers, and young adults is an interesting subtopic you can focus on as well. Whether you dive into the reasons behind the increase in rates of depression or discuss the treatment options that are safe for young people, there is a lot of research available in this area and many unanswered questions to consider.

Depression Signs and Symptoms

The signs of depression are those outward manifestations of the illness that a doctor can observe when they examine a patient. For example, a lack of emotional responsiveness is a visible sign. On the other hand, symptoms are subjective things about the illness that only the patient can observe, such as feelings of guilt or sadness.

An illness such as depression is often invisible to the outside observer. That is why it is very important for patients to make an accurate accounting of all of their symptoms so their doctor can diagnose them properly. In your depression research paper, you may explore these "invisible" symptoms of depression in adults or explore how depression symptoms can be different in children .

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

This is another good depression research topic because, in some ways, the diagnosis of depression is more of an art than a science. Doctors must generally rely upon the patient's set of symptoms and what they can observe about them during their examination to make a diagnosis. 

While there are certain  laboratory tests that can be performed to rule out other medical illnesses as a cause of depression, there is not yet a definitive test for depression itself.

If you'd like to pursue this topic, you may want to start with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The fifth edition, known as DSM-5, offers a very detailed explanation that guides doctors to a diagnosis. You can also compare the current model of diagnosing depression to historical methods of diagnosis—how have these updates improved the way depression is treated?

Treatment Options for Depression

The first choice for depression treatment is generally an antidepressant medication. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most popular choice because they can be quite effective and tend to have fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is another effective and common choice. It is especially efficacious when combined with antidepressant therapy. Certain other treatments, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), are most commonly used for patients who do not respond to more common forms of treatment.

Focusing on one of these treatments is an option for your depression research paper. Comparing and contrasting several different types of treatment can also make a good research title about depression.

A Word From Verywell

The topic of depression really can take you down many different roads. When making your final decision on which to pursue in your depression research paper, it's often helpful to start by listing a few areas that pique your interest.

From there, consider doing a little preliminary research. You may come across something that grabs your attention like a new study, a controversial topic you didn't know about, or something that hits a personal note. This will help you narrow your focus, giving you your final research title about depression.

Remes O, Mendes JF, Templeton P. Biological, psychological, and social determinants of depression: A review of recent literature . Brain Sci . 2021;11(12):1633. doi:10.3390/brainsci11121633

National Institute of Mental Health. Depression .

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition . American Psychiatric Association.

National Institute of Mental Health. Mental health medications .

Ferri, F. F. (2019). Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2020 E-Book: 5 Books in 1 . Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences.

By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be.  

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Depression — The Best Way to Help Someone Who is Depressed

The Best Way to Help Someone Who is Depressed

• Categories: Depression

About this sample

Words: 597 |

Published: Apr 11, 2019

Words: 597 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
• Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. International Universities Press.
• National Institute of Mental Health. (2022, January). Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
• Nemeroff, C. B., & Vale, W. W. (2005). The neurobiology of depression: Inroads to treatment and new drug discovery. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(Suppl 7), 5–13.
• O’Connor, R. C., Nock, M. K., & Pirkis, J. (Eds.). (2021). The Routledge handbook of suicide and self-injury. Routledge.
• Parker, G. (2000). Classifying depression: Should paradigms lost be regained? American Journal of Psychiatry, 157(8), 1195–1203.
• Salkovskis, P. M. (1996). Frontiers of cognitive therapy. Guilford Press.
• Serani, D. (2019). Depression in later life: An essential guide. Routledge.
• Solomon, A., & Greenberg, J. (1996). Pyszczynski, T. A terror management theory of social behavior: The psychological functions of self-esteem and cultural worldviews. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 28, 93–159.
• Trivedi, M. H., Rush, A. J., Wisniewski, S. R., Nierenberg, A. A., Warden, D., Ritz, L., Norquist, G., Howland, R. H., Lebowitz, B., McGrath, P. J., Shores-Wilson, K., Biggs, M. M., Balasubramani, G. K., Fava, M., & Team, S. S. (2006). Evaluation of outcomes with citalopram for depression using measurement-based care in STAR*D: Implications for clinical practice. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(1), 28–40.

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What my parents did that made the biggest difference in my struggle with depression

At just 13 years old, I had been in and out of the hospital for major depressive disorder and entered treatment. I was consumed by hopelessness in every aspect of my life. I remember being most overwhelmed when I fought against the emotions I was feeling. The longer I avoided addressing the negative emotions that plagued me, the more intense they became.

It was difficult to connect with my parents. My dad couldn’t understand the emptiness, loneliness and hopelessness I felt. Though he could see that I was in pain and suffering — and he acknowledged that. After recognizing the degree to which I was struggling, my parents worked tirelessly to get me help. We participated in inpatient, outpatient, individual and family therapies to try and shift my depressive moods, but nothing seemed to work.

Health & Wellness How to find mental health support when you need it

With few options left, I began what would become a year and a half of intensive treatment. The first four months of this journey took place at a residential program just outside of Boston. The clinicians here recognized that depression and anxiety don’t occur in a vacuum and it’s important for the entire family to be involved in the healing process. During those six weeks, my parents learned the same skills alongside other parents and visited me every week to practice these new relationship dynamics.

The biggest shift came after we learned the skill validation. My parents were able to create space for what I was feeling, allowing me to feel accepted and safe in our relationship. From there, we had enough of a foundation to work through conflicts, miscommunications and other things that had pushed us apart.

Validation can be a complex concept, but boiled down, it’s the practice of creating space and appreciating someone else's thoughts, feelings, beliefs and experiences. Simply put, acknowledging that someone's (or your own) feelings are valid.

I experienced an equal shift in my relationship with myself when I began to practice self-validation. Each time I thought to myself: " You shouldn’t be feeling depressed. Why aren’t you getting better by now? You don’t deserve this support," I rewired these beliefs. Instead, telling myself, “ It's OK that I’m feeling this way. Healing takes time and I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be in my journey. I am deserving of love and support in life. ” Slowly but surely, I taught myself that emotions were OK and safe to experience. I was able to recover from that depression because I was no longer fighting two battles — one debating the validity of my emotions and one to break free from my suffering.

All in all, validation is all around a game-changer for everyone involved.

How to support a teen who is struggling

For anyone supporting a teen navigating a mental health challenge and looking for advice — I direct you to validation. This will improve your relationship making it more likely your teen will go to you for support. It will allow your teen to feel seen, heard and loved, making them feel less isolated and helpless. And lastly, it creates a foundation to navigate further challenges together.

My parents and I followed the guidelines of dialectical behavioral therapy, as outlined in a DBT skills workbook by Marsha M. Linehan :

• Pay attention: Look interested in the other person (don't look at your phone while listening). Be alert to facial expressions, body language and more.
• Reflect back: Say back what you have heard the other person say or do, to be sure you understand exactly what the person is saying. No judgmental language or tone of voice!
• Understand: Look for how what the other person is feeling, thinking or doing makes sense based on the person’s past experiences, present situation and/or current state of mind of physical condition.
• Acknowledge and validate: Note that the person’s feelings, thinking or actions are valid and understandable responses because they fit current facts.
• Show equality: Don’t "one-up" or "one-down" the other person. Treat them as an equal, not as fragile or incompetent.

Like I mentioned, I tried multiple treatment options for my depression and anxiety before I reached recovery. The reason nothing stuck was that I was going through the motions to appease others — my parents, therapists, community members and more. I didn’t believe it was possible for me to get better so I wasn’t invested in my growth.

I believe this is true for any goal an individual is pursuing. The results will be much more long-lasting if it’s intrinsically driven. This is why validation is such a great resource. You can create the space for a teenager to feel safe enough to ask for help, voice their struggle and begin their journey of growth without forcing them into this process. So if you’re looking to start this conversation with a teen, start by describing and expressing the situation: “I’ve noticed you acting differently recently and I’m worried. I love you so much and want the best for you. If you need support or want to talk, I’m here for you.” Even if they don’t initially open up, you’re laying a foundation for this later conversation. Once they come to you, then you’ll insert validation: "I see you’re really struggling, that must be so overwhelming to navigate," and offer to help find further resources.

Advice for teens on how to support their mental health

A common feeling among teens is anxiety surrounding posting on social media. If you were to practice self-validation on this, it would sound a bit like: “I’m feeling anxiety right now. It makes sense because I care about being accepted and supported by my friends and community. It’s OK that I’m feeling anxious,” and so on and so forth. While this seems like a small skill, we can’t expect to change anything in life without first accepting our reality, and validation allows us to do this through a compassionate, non-judgmental lens.

From here you can implement a whole host of other skills. Through the social media lens, you can:

• Be mindful of your thoughts and emotions as you scroll — without judgment, paying attention to them.
• Be a critical consumer and unfollow or block accounts that are harming your mental health.
• Practice self-care (examples: read a book, go on a walk, bake cookies or listen to music) and unplug from social media to decrease feelings of anxiety.
• Ask for help from a trusted adult if you’re feeling that the intensity or duration of your emotions aren’t serving you.

In addition to these tips, I manage my relationship with social media by cultivating an awareness of my consumption: How much am I scrolling? Why am I scrolling (boredom, avoiding)? What emotions come up? This awareness helps me decide if it’s an experience I want to shift to be more positive. If so, I’ll take a day off, unfollow individuals that aren’t making me feel good on social media, and follow creators that make me feel happy and inspired. We have so much power to be a critical consumer on social media and cultivate our feeds so they're more uplifting.

Although we all experience very similar emotions, we’ll never understand exactly what others are feeling. However, we can bridge this gap in understanding through validation and use this as a foundation to improve our own mental health or support someone else.

Sadie Sutton is a college student from the Bay Area. After receiving a year and a half of intensive treatment for severe depression and anxiety, she was inspired to share her story with fellow teens going through their own personal growth. She started the podcast "She Persisted" in 2019 and has accumulated over 70 episodes reaching over 50,000 listeners. Sutton is a psych major at the University of Pennsylvania and hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology to further her impact in the mental health field.

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My Depression in My Life

Depression is something that shows itself differently for everyone. There is no one person, or one story, or one experience that can make someone universally understand truly how depression alters the lives of those of us who suffer from it. I can’t make anyone understand how it is for everyone, but I can tell you how it alters my life, and maybe that will help people understand how all-encompassing it really is.

For me there are two main ways that my depression manifests itself when it breaks through the barriers I have set with the help of years of therapy and medication. There is the gut wrenching loneliness and near constant anxiety and then there is the checking out, the feeling nothing at all, the numbness. Sometimes I don’t know which is worse, but I will try to explain both.

The Loneliness and Anxiety:

In some ways I consider this step one of when my depression spikes because it always seems to come first. But I don’t consider it step one in levels of horribleness. Like I said above I really think that both ways my depression hits me are pretty awful and I couldn’t say which is worse.

You know that feeling you have in your gut when you are about to and/or really need to cry. While that is what it is like. All the time. I could be laughing and having a great time with my friends, which I often am because my friends are great, and yet in the back of my mind I feel more alone than ever and I just want to curl up into fetal position and cry. But I never can. I can’t go home and cry and then feel better, because it’s not like there is something to cry about, or really anything to be sad about. And it isn’t really sadness. It is complete solitude. It’s when my brain tells me that I am alone, that I can’t be loved, that no one really wants me around, and worst of all that no one will understand me.

That is worst of all because at the place I am in my life, no matter what I have been through in the past, or what my depression tries to make me believe I know that I can be loved, that I’m not alone and that I am wanted. And I know that because of the hard work I have done to get to that place in my life, and because of some of the amazing people in my life who make sure that I know that they are there for me, that they love me, and that they want to spend time with me.

But the idea that no one will ever truly understand who I am, or any of that. That is a little harder to dissuade myself from believing. Because as much as I can tell people what I went, and still go through and what goes through my mind, who can really understand me other than me. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the way my depression tells me it, it is a bad thing.

So there I am surrounded by people, very possibly having some of the best experiences of my life, feeling like I need to bawl, completely unable to, and nearly having an anxiety attack because I just want it to end.

And it is here where two things happen. It is here where I wish for and welcome the numbness because I don’t want to feel the all-encompassing loneliness and anxiety. It is also where I think about cutting.

I have not cut myself in three and a half years. And I know that it doesn’t solve my problems. I know that I shouldn’t and I don’t want to. Even when I want to I don’t want to.

But here, when I am feeling the all-encompassing loneliness which is the very last thing that I want to feel, I think about cutting because it lets me feel something else.

The physical act of cutting gives me something to think about and focus on, something other than that loneliness. And when I am not physically cutting, instead of thinking about how lonely I am and how that feeling will never end I think about the next time I can cut, or the most recent time I did.

And Then The Numbness:

I don’t really know how to explain this numbness. It is simply a period of time where I feel literally nothing. I fake happiness/normal emotion around friends, not always very well, and when I am alone I just don’t care about anything.

This is when my grades often fall because I don’t care about anything, including school, and therefore school work.

And then, sometimes I just want to feel something, anything, and so that is when I think about cutting. I think about cutting because it gives me something to feel, something I can control, but still feel.

The numbness comes because I can’t handle what I’m thinking and feeling, because it is too much for me to deal with, so I shut everything off so I don’t have to feel it.

In some ways, cutting transitions me back into feeling. But again, cutting, NOT A SOLUTION, NOT HEALTHY.

And something that I no longer do.

Now, for the past three and a half years, whenever I think of cutting, which I still do. It is still my first thought in either of these situations, I instead do one of the many things that I have come to know to help me cope.

For example, I force myself to spend more time with my friends, because I know that the loneliness will pass and I can talk myself out of feeling lonely when I am not physically alone.

I read/watch anything romantic. I pretend that I am one of the characters, and then I feel what they feel instead of what I am feeling (or preventing myself from feeling).

I belt along to old school Taylor Swift. Because what is more beautiful than a summer romance in a small country town with Chevy trucks and Tim McGraw?

And though my schoolwork does still sometimes fall through the cracks, I always make myself do some work.

Basically I force myself to live my life, because well, it is my life, and I refuse to live it feeling alone when I’m not, and numb when I could be great.

So even though I do feel those things far more often than I would like it is something that I live with, because I have depression.

Because depression is a disease, and I will always have it.

Because my depression is a part of who I am.

And most of all, because I only have one life, and I want to live it. Because even though when my depression spikes it makes me want to not live sometimes, I refuse.

Because I am the author of my own life and I choose to put a semicolon instead of a period at every point that my depression tells me otherwise.

So that is how my depression affects my life. That is how I deal with it. Like it or not I always will.

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Important Advice On Coping With Depression (From A Clinical Psychologist)

Hanna Silva

Lic. Psychologist

May 29, 2022

In this article, you’ll learn effective ways of coping with depression using essential techniques from Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT can basically be described in two steps: 1) identify what is important to you 2) take concrete steps in that direction. ACT teaches us how to cope with depression by choosing our actions and by not letting negative thoughts and feelings take control of our behaviour. The commitment part of ACT refers to the idea that we can achieve mental health by committing to actions that are consistent with our values. No matter how we feel, we can try to do the things that are most important to us, the things that give life meaning.

A common symptom of depression is experiencing life, or certain aspects of life, as meaningless or hopeless. Unfortunately, the voice of depression can be very convincing and actually make us believe that this is true. So, whenever you think life is pointless or meaningless, say to yourself:

ACT can give us powerful, realistic tools for coping with depression and the experience of hopelessness. First of all, we need to understand how it works. The next section aims to explain why hopelessness and other symptoms of depression make it so difficult to do important things and live according to our values.

The difficulties of coping with depression

There are many things you can do at home to cope with depression, for example:

• Exercising – Regular exercise is as effective as psychotherapy or antidepressant medication for treating depression.
• Changing your diet – The Mediterranean diet is antidepressant.
• Changing your sleeping habits – A good night’s sleep is like overnight therapy.
• Meditating – Mindfulness will help you handle strong emotions.

Read more about 5 treatments for depression without medication .

Evidently, there are many natural cures for depression, but why is it so difficult to do all this?

Why is it so difficult to make changes when coping with depression?

As you’ve probably noticed, being depressed means feeling down all the time, having little energy and having difficulty enjoying the things you usually like. These common symptoms of depression can get you stuck in a vicious cycle. Because you don’t feel like doing anything, you stop doing the things that usually make you feel better. Then, you start missing out on positive experiences, which makes you feel even worse. And the cycle keeps spinning. Before we go on, please understand that this is not your fault. You get stuck in this cycle because that is how depression works. It’s not about laziness or being unambitious, it’s depression. Luckily, you can reverse this vicious cycle once you understand it. 

Take a look at this 3.5-minutes video, explaining the cycle of depression and how to cope with depression by reversing it:

What can you do to cope with depression?

One of the best ways to cope with depression is to start doing important things, even though you don’t feel like doing them. Starting doing the things that are actually important, perhaps the most important things in life, will stop symptoms from worsening and help you get out of depression. It probably won’t be enjoyable at first, but with time, feelings of pleasure and enjoyment will grow stronger. The tricky thing about depression is that you can’t wait for feelings of interest or pleasure to emerge before you do something. You do first , and positive feelings will come later. The next few paragraphs will show you how to cope with depression in 3 steps:

• Step 1: Exploring your values; your guides out of depression
• Step 2: Coping with depression by finding your #1 value
• Step 3: How to cope with depression by creating value-based goals

STEP 1: EXPLORING YOUR VALUES

– your guides out of depression

Coping with depression is about doing meaningful and important activities, no matter how you feel (if this seems confusing to you, go back and watch the video). It’s a big challenge and it’s important not to take on too much at the beginning.

One of the best ways to to cope with depression is to do it one small step at a time. Values help us make sure those steps are on the right path. Values are the most important aspects of life. They give us directions that we can strive for, so we don’t waste energy doing stuff that really doesn’t matter to us. We can never fully ‘live up to’ a value, but we can always try to get closer and closer to it. Values can be things such as:

• ‘Being a good parent’
• ‘Learning new things’
• ‘Taking care of my health’
• “Contributing to society”
• “Treating other people with kindness”

So, when coping with depression, you practice taking small steps in the direction that your values are pointing at. The activities you choose to start with should be based on what’s important to you. Easy, right? Well, it can be a difficult task to decide what are the most important things in life or the things that make life meaningful, especially when going through depression. We are constantly reminded of other people’s opinions, what our family members or society think is the right thing to do. Sometimes we’re trying to live up to an ideal that’s not even our own.

To help you cope with depression and find your values, ask yourself these questions:

• What do I want to do with my time on the planet?
• What sort of person do I want to be?
• What activities made me feel happiness and pleasure before getting depressed?
• Before becoming depressed, what made life meaningful? 
• What are the most important things in life? (Family, friends, painting, writing, nature, work, politics, football etc.)

Good work. The next step includes a visualization exercise to help you explore your values in further detail and find out the meaning of your life.

STEP 2: COPING WITH DEPRESSION BY FINDING YOUR #1 VALUE

The next step towards breaking the negative cycle and coping with depression, is an exercise called the 100th Birthday party. It’s frequently used in Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and it will help you formulate your #1 value.

This exercise is 8 minutes and you’ll need a pen and paper:

To help yourself break the negative pattern of depression, choose one area of life to start with. Something that seems important to you or that used to feel important to you. For some people, close relationships are the most important and for some it’s creative activities, such as painting/building/singing/playing. For others, it can be politics or working with something meaningful. Based on your reflections from the 100th Birthday party, what area do you think is most important or relevant in your life right now?

Life areas:

• Family 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦
• Creative/recreational activity 🎷
• Education 📚
• Spirituality🧘‍♀️
• Political engagement 🌍

Difficult to choose? It usually is. Luckily, there’s an exercise to help you proceed. The following steps will help you create your own Life Compass:

1.Take a look at your life areas, one at a time, and ask yourself: What is the most important thing about this? For example, what is the most important thing about having a family? What is the most important thing about playing football? Why is it important? Write it down. One or two sentences is enough.

Here’s an example of what it might look like:

Life Compass

• Again, look at every one of your life areas (family, friends, recreational activities, health and so on). Rate how important every area is on a scale from 1 to 10. 10 is extremely important and 1 is not important at all. For example, you might think that spirituality is very important (a 9 or 10), but could easily live a life without an active political engagement (a 1 or 2), or maybe it’s the opposite.

Here’s an example:

• For every life area, rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how often you have moved in your desired direction over the past week. Did you do the things that you think are important regarding family, health, work etc, or not? For example, how much of this important spiritual stuff did you actually do over the past week? Maybe you engaged in daily meditation exercises or visited a religious building or maybe you cancelled your prayer group? Did you attend a political meeting or talk to your friends about how to improve society? Has it been years since you last demonstrated for human rights? 

1 means no committed actions at all and 10 means that you devoted almost all of your time and energy to it. This rating is very subjective. Still, try to rate how often or how much you committed to actually doing something important over the past week. Do this for every one of your life areas and try to treat yourself kindly during this exercise. Let the ‘inner critic’ rest for a while. 

This is an example of a completed Life Compass:

• Pay close attention to the life areas where you find a large discrepancy between how important it is and your recently committed actions. It’s usually a good idea to start making changes in one of those areas. In the example above, we can see that health is very important (rating: 10), but that the person hasn’t taken much action in that desired direction over the past week (rating: 2). Maybe this means that she/he cancelled the weekly therapy session and ended up on the couch instead of taking walks? Because this is a life area with a high rate on importance, the person would probably benefit from making some changes in this area.

Sometimes we spend too much energy on a life area that is not very important. In the example above, we can see that the person spent most of her/his time and energy on work (rating: 9), but doesn’t consider it to be the most important thing in life (rating: 6). Maybe this person has worked overtime during the week or taken on too many projects at work? If this is the case, she/he might benefit from lowering the ambitions at work and spending more time with the family.

The key to coping with depression is to make changes in small steps. That’s why we choose only one life area to start with. So, based on your recent reflections, choose one area that seems most important or relevant in your life at the moment. 

Now, ask yourself these questions:

• What stands in the way of you living out your value? What are the barriers? For example, what’s stopping you from doing things together with the family? Perhaps it’s stress from work, anxiety or worry about what will happen, negative thoughts that pop up out of nowhere, painful memories, fear of failure or change. Whatever the barriers may be, write them down so that you can keep an eye on them. There’s always a reason for why we don’t live life to the fullest. Reflecting on your barriers prepares you for the task. Now you know what you’re up against. 
• Is there anything you can do to get more of the important stuff? (For example, calling an old friend, spending more time talking to your kid, visiting a religious building more often or kicking a ball around with your friends on weekends.)

Good work. Now, let’s have a look at step number 3 and turn your value into a concrete goal. 

STEP 3: HOW TO COPE WITH DEPRESSION BY CREATING VALUE-BASED GOALS

Let’s continue steering your life in a more meaningful direction. To prepare for this section, you have chosen one specific life area and reflected on why this is important to you. Perhaps you have also realized that this is an area that has been neglected in some way. It happens to all of us and is especially common when coping with depression. Living according to your values can be difficult to achieve, unless you create specific, relevant and timebound goals. So, let’s turn your values into long-term and short-term achievable goals. 

Values are different from goals. We can never fully ‘live up to’ a value, but a goal is something we can measure and achieve. Take a look at these examples:

• A value might be: ‘To stay healthy’
• A goal is: ‘Exercising for 30 mins every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday’
• A value might be: ‘Spending quality time with my friends’
• A goal is: Call Sandra on Wednesday at 17.00 and ask if she wants to go to the movies. 

In other words, values give us direction and goals help us stay on the path. Now, let’s try to set a long-term goal based on one of your values

A long-term goal can be a routine you’d like to achieve in 6 months, for example eating a salad for lunch 6 times a week, or playing the piano for 10 minutes every day. Formulate your long-term goal by answering this question:

• Take a look at the most relevant life area that you reflected on in Step 2 . Based on what’s important to you, what would you like to achieve in 6 months? (Write it down!)

Nice work. Now, you have a direction and a 6-month milestone on the road to getting out of depression. 

Let’s continue with the short-term goal. It’s something you can do today or within the next few days to take a step closer to your long-term goal. Remember, it’s supposed to be something quite small. When coping with depression, it’s important not to take on too much at the beginning. It could be something like ‘washing the dishes immediately after dinner tonight’, ‘spending 15 minutes playing with my son today at 18.00’ or ‘eating a salad from my favourite restaurant at lunch today’. Ask yourself this question:

• What can I do today to take a small step closer to my long-term goal? (Write it down!)

It’s important to make your short-term goal specific and measurable. Whenever we fail to achieve a goal, it’s usually because we didn’t make it specific enough. So, to help yourself follow through with this short-term goal, ask yourself these questions and write down your answers:

• On what day will you do it?
• And for how long?
• How will you remind yourself? (set an alarm right away)
• Are you doing this alone or with a friend? When can you tell your friend about it?
• What could stop you from doing this? (For example thoughts, work assignments, kids, anxiety, feeling tired, etc.)
• So, what’s plan B?
• How will you reward yourself after completing the short-term goal?
• How will you remember to reward yourself?

Setting value-based goals is one way to cope with depression and start reversing the vicious cycle. Hopefully, you’ll find it helpful. It’s a big challenge to take on when most things might seem meaningless or pointless, but remember: That’s depression talking. Depression is a treatable condition and people recover from it every day. Just continue to set up specific goals and you’ll be amazed by how rewarding it can be to live according to your own values. 

Free app-based treatment programme for depression

If you want more help coping with depression, download the free depression app from Flow Neuroscience. It’s based on the latest research on depression and includes a complete treatment programme about how to cope with depression by making lifestyle changes at home. 

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Essay On Depression: Causes, Symptoms And Effects

Our life is full of emotional ups and downs, but when the time of down lasts too long or influences our ability to function, in this case, probably, you suffer from common serious illness, which is called depression. Clinical depression affects your mood, thinking process, your body and behaviour. According to the researches, in the United States about 19 million people, i.e. one in ten adults, annually suffer from depression, and about 2/3 of them do not get necessary help. An appropriate treatment can alleviate symptoms of depression in more than 80% of such cases. However, since depression is usually not recognized, it continues to cause unnecessary suffering.

Depression is a disease that dominates you and weakens your body, it influences men as well as women, but women experience depression about two times more often than men.

Since this issue is very urgent nowadays, we decided to write this cause and effect essay on depression to attract the public attention one more time to this problem. I hope it will be informative and instructive for you. If you are interested in reading essays on similar or any other topic, you should visit our website . There you will find not only various essays, but also you can get help in essay writing . All you need is to contact our team, and everything else we will do for you.

Depression is a strong psychological disorder, from which usually suffers not only a patients, but also his / hers family, relatives, friends etc.

General information

More often depression develops on the basis of stress or prolonged traumatic situation. Frequently depressive disorders hide under the guise of a bad mood or temper features. In order to prevent severe consequences it is important to figure out how and why depression begins.

Symptoms and causes of depression

As a rule, depression develops slowly and insensibly for a person and for his close ones. At the initial stage most of people are not aware about their illness, because they think that many symptoms are just the features of their personality. Experiencing inner discomfort, which can be difficult to express in words, people do not ask for professional help, as a rule. They usually go to doctor at the moment, when the disease is already firmly holds the patient causing unbearable suffering.

Risk factors for depression:

• being female;
• the presence of depression in family anamnesis;
• early depression in anamnesis;
• early loss of parents;
• the experience of violence in anamnesis;
• personal features;
• stressors (parting, guilt);
• alcohol / drug addiction;
• neurological diseases (Parkinson's disease, apoplexy).

Signs of depression

Depression influences negatively all the aspects of human life. Inadequate psychological defense mechanisms, in their turn, affect destructively not only psychological, but also biological processes.

The first signs of depression are apathy, not depending on the circumstances, indifference to everything what is going on, weakening of motor activity; these are the main clinical symptoms of depression . If their combination is observed for more than two weeks, urgent professional help is required.

Psychological symptoms:

• depressed mood, unhappiness;
• loss of interest, reduced motivation, loss of energy;
• self-doubt, guilt, inner emptiness;
• decrease in speed of thinking, inability to make decisions;
• anxiety, fear and pessimism about the future;
• daily fluctuations;
• possible delirium;
• suicidal thoughts.

Somatic symptoms:

• vital disorders;
• disturbed sleep (early waking, oversleeping);
• eating disorders;
• constipation;
• feeling of tightness of the skull, dizziness, feeling of compression;
• vegetative symptoms.

Causes of depression

It is accepted to think in modern psychiatry that the development of depression, as well as most of other mental disorders, requires the combined effect of three factors: psychological, biological and social.

Psychological factor (“Personality structure”)

There are three types of personality especially prone to depression:

1) “Statothymic personality” that is characterized by exaggerated conscientiousness, diligence, accuracy;

2) Melancholic personality type with its desire for order, constancy, pedantry, exessive demands on itself;

3) Hyperthymic type of personality that is characterized by self-doubt, frequent worries, with obviously low self-esteem.

People, whose organism biologically tends to depression development, due to education and other social environmental factors form such personality features, which in adverse social situations, especially while chronic stress, cause failure of psychological adaptation mechanisms, skills to deal with stress or lack of coping strategies.

Such people are characterized by:

• lack of confidence in their own abilities;
• excessive secrecy and isolation;
• excessive self-critical attitude towards yourself;
• waiting for the support of the close ones;
• developed pessimism;
• inability to resist stress situations;
• emotional expressiveness.

Biological factor:

• the presence of unfavorable heredity;
• somatic and neurological head injury that violated brain activity;
• changes in the hormonal system;
• chronobiological factors: seasonal depressive disorders, daily fluctuations, shortening of REM sleep;
• side effects of some medications.
• Heredity and family tendency to depression play significant role in predisposition to this disease. It is noticed that relatives of those who suffer from depression usually have different psychosomatic disorders.

Social factor:

• the presence of frequent stress situations, chronic stress;
• adverse family relationships;
• adverse childhood experience, the absence of tenderness from parents, ill-treatment and sexual harassment, interpersonal loss, severe methods of education, negative childhood memories;
• urbanization;
• significant changes in the life;
• population migration;
• increased lifetime.

People in a state of chronic stress suffer from depression more often. If some acute stress situation happens during the period of chronic stress, the probability of depression symptoms development increases.

If you decide to fight the depression, remember that you are not alone! Every fifth person in the world at least once in the life experienced depression. If you notice the signs of depression that disturb you for more than two weeks, you should go to the specialist.

Do not delay visit, in this case time does not heal. The professionalism of the doctors and a complex program of treatment will help to get rid of any kind of depression.

Where to go for help

If you do not where to go for help, ask your family physician, obstetrician, gynecologist or the clinic. In an emergency situation, the emergency doctor can provide temporary help for patients with emotional problems and give them an advice where and how they can ask for the further help.

Here is the list of people and organizations that can diagnose and suggest a course of treatment, or can give a direction to the examination and treatment.

• Family doctors.
• Such specialists as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and consultants on mental health.
• Health maintenance organizations.
• Local centers for the treatment of mental illness.
• The Department of Psychiatry in hospitals and outpatient clinics.
• Programs at universities and medical schools.
• Family assistance services and social services departments.
• Private clinics and institutions.
• Care centers in the workplace.
• Local health and (or) mental health communities.

It is very important in depressive episode treatment to understand that this is depression of a certain person, do not make attempts to excessive generalization of symptoms and factors of disease development. It requires personal approach to each patient.

So, as you can see, depression is a serious disease that requires professional treatment. If you manage to recognize the signs of depression at its early stage and ask for professional help, you can successfully overcome this problem. I hope this essay about depression was useful for you, and you got what you were looking for.

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Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression

Are you feeling suicidal, coping with depression.

• Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): How to Cope with Severe PMS
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• Depression Types and Causes: Clinical, Major, and Others
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What is teen depression?

Signs and symptoms of teen depression, coping with suicidal thoughts, why am i depressed, overcoming teen depression tip 1: talk to an adult you trust, tip 2: try not to isolate yourself—it makes depression worse, tip 3: adopt healthy habits, tip 4: manage stress and anxiety, how to help a depressed teen friend, dealing with teen depression.

No matter how despondent life seems right now, there are many things you can do to start feeling better today. Use these tools to help yourself or a friend.

The teenage years can be really tough and it’s perfectly normal to feel sad or irritable every now and then. But if these feelings don’t go away or become so intense that you feel overwhelmingly hopeless and helpless, you may be suffering from depression.

Teen depression is much more than feeling temporarily sad or down in the dumps. It’s a serious and debilitating mood disorder that can change the way you think, feel, and function in your daily life, causing problems at home, school, and in your social life. When you’re depressed, you may feel hopeless and isolated and it can seem like no one understands. But depression is far more common in teens than you may think. The increased academic pressures, social challenges, and hormonal changes of the teenage years mean that about one in five of us suffer with depression in our teens. You’re not alone and your depression is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw.

Even though it can feel like the black cloud of depression will never lift, there are plenty of things you can do to help yourself deal with symptoms, regain your balance and feel more positive, energetic, and hopeful again.

If you’re a parent or guardian worried about your child…

While it isn’t always easy to differentiate from normal teenage growing pains, teen depression is a serious health problem that goes beyond moodiness. As a parent, your love, guidance, and support can go a long way toward helping your teen overcome depression and get their life back on track. Read Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression .

It can be hard to put into words exactly how depression feels—and we don’t all experience it the same way. For some teens, depression is characterized by feelings of bleakness and despair. For others, it’s a persistent anger or agitation, or simply an overwhelming sense of “emptiness.” However depression affects you, though, there are some common symptoms that you may experience:

• You constantly feel irritable, sad, or angry.
• Nothing seems fun anymore—even the activities you used to love—and you just don’t see the point of forcing yourself to do them.
• You feel bad about yourself—worthless, guilty, or just “wrong” in some way.
• You sleep too much or not enough.
• You’ve turned to alcohol or drugs to try to change the way you feel .
• You have frequent, unexplained headaches or other physical pains or problems.
• Anything and everything makes you cry.
• You’re extremely sensitive to criticism.
• You’ve gained or lost weight without consciously trying to.
• You’re having trouble concentrating, thinking straight, or remembering things. Your grades may be plummeting because of it.
• You feel helpless and hopeless.
• You’re thinking about death or suicide. (If so, talk to someone right away!)

If your negative feelings caused by depression become so overwhelming that you can’t see any solution besides harming yourself or others, you need to get help right away . Asking for help when you’re in the midst of such strong emotions can be really difficult, but it’s vital you reach out to someone you trust—a friend, family member, or teacher, for example. If you don’t feel that you have anyone to talk to, or think that talking to a stranger might be easier, call a suicide helpline . You’ll be able to speak in confidence to someone who understands what you’re going through and can help you deal with your feelings.

Whatever your situation, it takes real courage to face death and step back from the brink. You can use that courage to help you keep going and overcome depression.

There is ALWAYS another solution, even if you can’t see it right now. Many people who have survived a suicide attempt say that they did it because they mistakenly felt there was no other solution to a problem they were experiencing. At the time, they couldn’t see another way out, but in truth, they didn’t really want to die. Remember that no matter how badly you feel, these emotions will pass.

Having thoughts of hurting yourself or others does not make you a bad person. Depression can make you think and feel things that are out of character. No one should judge you or condemn you for these feelings if you are brave enough to talk about them.

If your feelings are uncontrollable, tell yourself to wait 24 hours before you take any action. This can give you time to really think things through and give yourself some distance from the strong emotions that are plaguing you. During this 24-hour period, try to talk to someone—anyone—as long as they are not another suicidal or depressed person. Call a hotline or talk to a friend. What do you have to lose?

If you’re afraid you can’t control yourself, make sure you are never alone. Even if you can’t verbalize your feelings, just stay in public places, hang out with friends or family members, or go to a movie—anything to keep from being by yourself and in danger.

If you're thinking about suicide…

Please read Are You Feeling Suicidal? or call a helpline:

• In the U.S.: 988
• UK: 116 123
• Australia: 13 11 14
• To find a helpline in other countries, visit IASP or Suicide.org .

Remember, suicide is a “permanent solution to a temporary problem.” Please take that first step and reach out now.

Despite what you may have been told, depression is not simply caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be cured with medication. Rather, depression is caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors . Since the teenage years can be a time of great turmoil and uncertainty, you’re likely facing a host of pressures that could contribute to your depression symptoms. These can range from hormonal changes to problems at home or school or questions about who you are and where you fit in.

As a teen, you’re more likely to suffer from depression if you have a family history of depression or have experienced early childhood trauma, such as the loss of a parent or physical or emotional abuse .

Risk factors for teen depression

Risk factors that can trigger or exacerbate depression in teens include:

• Serious illness, chronic pain, or physical disability .
• Having other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, an eating disorder , learning disorder , or ADHD.
• Alcohol or drug abuse.
• Academic or family problems.
• Trauma from violence or abuse.
• Recent stressful life experiences, such as parental divorce or the death of a loved one.
• Coping with your sexual identity in an unsupportive environment.
• Loneliness and lack of social support.
• Spending too much time on social media .

If you’re being bullied…

The stress of bullying—whether it’s online, at school, or elsewhere—is very difficult to live with. It can make you feel helpless, hopeless, and ashamed: the perfect recipe for depression.

If you’re being bullied, know that it’s not your fault. No matter what a bully says or does, you should not be ashamed of who you are or what you feel. Bullying is abuse and you don’t have to put up with it . You deserve to feel safe, but you’ll most likely need help. Find support from friends who don’t bully and turn to an adult you trust—whether it’s a parent, teacher, counselor, pastor, coach, or the parent of a friend.

Whatever the causes of your depression, the following tips can help you overcome your symptoms, change how you feel, and regain your sense of hope and enthusiasm.

Depression is not your fault, and you didn’t do anything to cause it. However, you do have some control over feeling better. The first step is to ask for help.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Talking to someone about depression

It may seem like there’s no way your parents will be able to help, especially if they are always nagging you or getting angry about your behavior. The truth is, parents hate to see their kids hurting. They may feel frustrated because they don’t understand what is going on with you or know how to help.

• If your parents are abusive in any way, or if they have problems of their own that makes it difficult for them to take care of you, find another adult you trust (such as a relative, teacher, counselor, or coach). This person can either help you approach your parents, or direct you toward the support you need.
• If you truly don’t have anyone you can talk to, there are many hotlines, services, and support groups that can help.
• No matter what, talk to someone, especially if you are having any thoughts of harming yourself or others. Asking for help is the bravest thing you can do, and the first step on your way to feeling better.

The importance of accepting and sharing your feelings

It can be hard to open up about how you’re feeling—especially when you’re feeling depressed, ashamed, or worthless. It’s important to remember that many people struggle with feelings like these at one time or another—it doesn’t mean that you’re weak, fundamentally flawed, or no good. Accepting your feelings and opening up about them with someone you trust will help you feel less alone.

Even though it may not feel like it at the moment, people do love and care about you. If you can muster the courage to talk about your depression, it can—and will—be resolved. Some people think that talking about sad feelings will make them worse, but the opposite is almost always true. It is very helpful to share your worries with someone who will listen and care about what you say. They don’t need to be able to “fix” you; they just need to be good listeners.

Depression causes many of us to withdraw into our shells. You may not feel like seeing anybody or doing anything and some days just getting out of bed in the morning can be difficult. But isolating yourself only makes depression worse. So even if it’s the last thing you want to do, try to force yourself to stay social. As you get out into the world and connect with others, you’ll likely find yourself starting to feel better.

Spend time face-to-face with friends who make you feel good —especially those who are active, upbeat, and understanding. Avoid hanging out with those who abuse drugs or alcohol, get you into trouble, or make you feel judged or insecure.

Get involved in activities you enjoy (or used to). Getting involved in extracurricular activities seem like a daunting prospect when you’re depressed, but you’ll feel better if you do. Choose something you’ve enjoyed in the past, whether it be a sport, an art, dance or music class, or an after-school club. You might not feel motivated at first, but as you start to participate again, your mood and enthusiasm will begin to lift.

Volunteer. Doing things for others is a powerful antidepressant and happiness booster. Volunteering for a cause you believe in can help you feel reconnected to others and the world, and give you the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a difference.

Cut back on your social media use. While it may seem that losing yourself online will temporarily ease depression symptoms, it can actually make you feel even worse. Comparing yourself unfavorably with your peers on social media , for example, only promotes feelings of depression and isolation. Remember: people always exaggerate the positive aspects of their lives online, brushing over the doubts and disappointments that we all experience. And even if you’re just interacting with friends online, it’s no replacement for in-person contact. Eye-to-eye contact, a hug, or even a simple touch on the arm from a friend can make all the difference to how you’re feeling.

Making healthy lifestyle choices can do wonders for your mood. Things like eating right, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep have been shown to make a huge difference when it comes to depression.

Get moving! Ever heard of a “runner’s high”? You actually get a rush of endorphins from exercising, which makes you feel instantly happier. Physical activity can be as effective as medications or therapy for depression, so get involved in sports, ride your bike, or take a dance class. Any activity helps! If you’re not feeling up to much, start with a short daily walk, and build from there.

Be smart about what you eat. An unhealthy diet can make you feel sluggish and tired, which worsens depression symptoms. Junk food , refined carbs, and sugary snacks are the worst culprits! They may give you a quick boost, but they’ll leave you feeling worse in the long run. Make sure you’re feeding your mind with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Talk to your parents, doctor, or school nurse about how to ensure your diet is adequately nutritious.

Avoid alcohol and drugs. You may be tempted to drink or use drugs in an effort to escape from your feelings and get a “mood boost,” even if just for a short time. However, as well as causing depression in the first place, substance use will only make depression worse in the long run. Alcohol and drug use can also increase suicidal feelings. If you’re addicted to alcohol or drugs , seek help. You will need special treatment for your substance problem on top of whatever treatment you’re receiving for your depression.

Aim for eight hours of sleep each night.  Feeling depressed as a teenager typically disrupts your sleep. Whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood will suffer. But you can get on a better sleep schedule  by adopting healthy sleep habits.

For many teens, stress and anxiety can go hand-in-hand with depression. Unrelenting stress, doubts, or fears can sap your emotional energy, affect your physical health, send your anxiety levels soaring, and trigger or exacerbate depression.

If you’re suffering from an anxiety disorder , it can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Perhaps you endure intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, get panicky at the thought of speaking in class, experience uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts, or live in a constant state of worry. Since anxiety makes depression worse (and vice versa), it’s important to get help for both conditions.

Tips for managing stress

Managing the stress in your life starts with identifying the sources of that stress:

• If exams or classes seem overwhelming, for example, talk to a teacher or school counselor, or find ways of improving how you manage your time.
• If you have a health concern you feel you can’t talk to your parents about—such as a pregnancy scare or drug problem —seek medical attention at a clinic or see a doctor. A health professional can guide you towards appropriate treatment (and help you approach your parents if that’s necessary).
• If you’re struggling to fit in or dealing with relationship, friendship, or family difficulties, talk your problems over with your school counselor or a professional therapist. Exercise, meditation , muscle relaxation, and breathing exercises are other good ways to cope with stress.
• If your own negative thoughts and chronic worrying are contributing to your everyday stress levels, you can take steps to break the habit and regain control of your worrying mind.

If you’re a teenager with a friend who seems down or troubled, you may suspect depression. But how do you know it’s not just a passing phase or a bad mood? Look for common warning signs of teen depression:

• Your friend doesn’t want to do the things you guys used to love to do.
• Your friend starts using alcohol or drugs or hanging with a bad crowd.
• Your friend stops going to classes and after-school activities.
• Your friend talks about being bad, ugly, stupid, or worthless.
• Your friend starts talking about death or suicide.

Teens typically rely on their friends more than their parents or other adults, so you may find yourself in the position of being the first—or only—person that your depressed friend confides in. While this might seem like a huge responsibility, there are many things you can do to help :

Get your friend to talk to you. Starting a conversation about depression can be daunting, but you can say something simple: “You seem like you are really down, and not yourself. I really want to help you. Is there anything I can do?”

You don’t need to have the answers. Your friend just needs someone to listen and be supportive. By listening and responding in a non-judgmental and reassuring manner, you are helping in a major way.

Encourage your friend to get help. Urge your depressed friend to talk to a parent, teacher, or counselor. It might be scary for your friend to admit to an authority figure that they have a problem. Having you there might help, so offer to go along for support.

Stick with your friend through the hard times. Depression can make people do and say things that are hurtful or strange. But your friend is going through a very difficult time, so try not to take it personally. Once your friend gets help, they will go back to being the person you know and love. In the meantime, make sure you have other friends or family taking care of you. Your feelings are important and need to be respected, too.

Speak up if your friend is suicidal. If your friend is joking or talking about suicide, giving possessions away, or saying goodbye, tell a trusted adult immediately. Your only responsibility at this point is to get your friend help , and get it fast. Even if you promised not to tell, your friend needs your help. It’s better to have a friend who is temporarily angry at you than one who is no longer alive.

Depression support, suicide prevention help

Depression support.

Find  DBSA Chapters/Support Groups  or call the  NAMI Helpline  for support and referrals at 1-800-950-6264

Find  Depression support groups  in-person and online or call the  Mind Infoline  at 0300 123 3393

Call the  SANE Help Centre  at 1800 18 7263

Call  Mood Disorders Society of Canada  at 519-824-5565

Call the Vandrevala Foundation  Helpline (India)  at 1860 2662 345 or 1800 2333 330

Suicide prevention help

Call  988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline  at 988

Call  Samaritans UK  at 116 123

Call  Lifeline Australia  at 13 11 14

Visit  IASP  or  Suicide.org  to find a helpline near you

More Information

• Depression: What You Need to Know - Depression in teenagers, including symptoms, remedies, and how to talk to your parents. (TeensHealth)
• Depression in Teens - Recognizing and treating adolescent depression. (Mental Health America)
• How to Talk to Your Parents About Getting Help - Speaking up for yourself is the first step to getting better. (Child Mind Institute)
• Petito, A., Pop, T. L., Namazova-Baranova, L., Mestrovic, J., Nigri, L., Vural, M., Sacco, M., Giardino, I., Ferrara, P., & Pettoello-Mantovani, M. (2020). The Burden of Depression in Adolescents and the Importance of Early Recognition. The Journal of Pediatrics, 218, 265-267.e1. Link
• Hallfors, D. D., Waller, M. W., Ford, C. A., Halpern, C. T., Brodish, P. H., & Iritani, B. (2004). Adolescent depression and suicide risk: Association with sex and drug behavior. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 27(3), 224–231. Link
• Merikangas, K. R., He, J., Burstein, M., Swanson, S. A., Avenevoli, S., Cui, L., Benjet, C., Georgiades, K., & Swendsen, J. (2010). Lifetime Prevalence of Mental Disorders in U.S. Adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication–Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 980–989. Link
• Bhatia, S. K., & Bhatia, S. C. (2007). Childhood and Adolescent Depression. American Family Physician, 75(1), 73–80. Link
• NIMH » Major Depression. (n.d.). Retrieved July 26, 2021, from Link
• Depressive Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association. Link

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Exercise calms the brain: Can it help depression, heart health?

S tressed and depressed? A new study suggests that exercise can help by muting stress signals and “calming” the brain — and it reduces the risk of heart disease as it does so.

In a study of 50,359 adults, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that physical activity reduced the brain’s stress-related activity. And the cardiovascular benefits were especially strong for those with depression. The study was just published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology .

It’s well-established that depression and heart disease can be a two-way street, the presence of one increasing the risk of the other. The opposite is also true: Reducing risk of one can reduce risk of the other, as well.

Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, told Medical News Today that cardiovascular disease and depression have a “symbiotic” relationship. Stress-related conditions can ramp up heart disease.

“There is a close relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease, a relationship that runs both ways. About a quarter of people with cardiovascular disease experience depression, and many people with depression develop heart disease,” said Chen, who was not part of the study.

“Exercise can counter depression and stress-related brain activity in a number of ways, by affecting brain chemistry naturally: regulating appetite hormones, reducing inflammation, reducing stress, and increasing metabolism,” per that article.

How much exercise helps?

For the study, the researchers delved into medical records from the Mass General Brigham Biobank to examine surveys on physical activity. They also imaged the brains of 774 study participants to look at stress-related brain activity. At a median 10-year follow-up, they found that slightly fewer than 13% of patients developed cardiovascular disease. But those who achieved recommended levels of physical exercise had 23% less risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who were not that physically active.

“Physical activity was roughly twice as effective in lowering cardiovascular disease risk among those with depression,” study senior author Dr. Ahmed Tawakol, investigator and cardiologist in the Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center at Mass General, said.

For those without depression, the maximum heart-health benefit of exercise peaked at about 300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. For those who had depression, additional time added extra benefit.

Those who exercised more also had lower stress-related brain activity, driven by improved function in the prefrontal cortex, the executive function part of the brain where impulse control, decision-making and other key functions occur. Notably, per the researchers, the prefrontal cortex also “restrains” the brain’s stress centers. The reduction in stress signaling helped account for exercise’s heart benefits.

Pick your exercise and do it

The World Health Organization says heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and as many as 17.9 million people died in 2019 from heart-related causes, mostly stroke or heart attack.

The Mass General study didn’t show causation, but rather a relationship between exercise levels and the reduction in both stress and cardiovascular disease. Tawakol said that more studies are needed to show causation. “In the meantime, clinicians could convey to patients that physical activity may have important brain effects, which may impart greater cardiovascular benefits among individuals with stress-related syndromes such as depression,” added Tawakol, who is also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard, in a written statement .

That lifestyle changes such as taking up exercise, which are often free, have great impact on health is something people should really notice and act on, Dr. Andrew Freeman, who directs cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, told CNN . He was not involved in the study.

“These are incredibly cost-effective, the magnitude of improvements are amazing — often better than any medications — and we should be putting these tools in our arsenal for ready use,” he said.

Freeman told CNN that which activity one chooses matters less than the requirement that it’s somewhat hard. You should feel breathless and not be able to speak in full sentences.

“If you don’t enjoy walking or biking or swimming or whatever it is, don’t do it. But figure out a way to get a physical activity in that you truly enjoy,” he said.

Other studies have found many benefits to exercise, including a study with similar findings on depression. In February, a study published in the journal The BMJ found that exercise is valuable when battling depression. It suggested exercise should be part of the treatment plan.

Deseret News has reported on diverse benefits from exercise that include better sleep and less insomnia , lower blood pressure , lowered risk of dementia and more.

Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom Essay

Symptoms of depression, depression and suicide, causes of depression, interventions.

Michael is a 14-year-old boy in the eighth grade from an intact, professional family. He has a 16-year-old brother and a 10-year-old sister who do very well in school and demonstrate no problems. Michael is considered to be very bright, as shown by past grades and achievement test scores. Over the past few months, however, teachers have reported that Michael will not complete his homework or may complete it and not turn it in.

He has a history of inconsistent performance over the past 2–3 years, which seems to have worsened these past few months. In the classroom he sits in the back, does not participate, doodles on his papers, and shows little interest in the activities. He is not disruptive or attention-seeking and seems to want to avoid interacting with others.

When asked why he is not doing his work, he says that, “I don’t know,” “I don’t care,” “It’s not important,” or “No one cares, anyway.” Other students view him as “odd” and a “geek,” and report that they do not want to be around him. Over time, he becomes more socially isolated. Now, he has only one or two friends who are not part of the social mainstream. He does show occasional irritability or anger when pushed, but he is not aggressive or overtly noncompliant. Most of the teachers describe him as “lazy” and “unmotivated” and show little interest in trying to help him.

Michael’s story is based on a real student and reflects characteristics of some children who are depressed. These behaviors are not unique to depression, and some students with depression may have some different characteristics. Teachers often have depressed students in their classrooms, and they have difflculty recognizing them or knowing what to do to increase performance. These students often are seen as lazy and they do not respond to typical methods of discipline, including suspensions, penalties, or encouragements. Most depressed children are not being deliberately deflant and uncooperative, but cannot muster the personal resources to perform as well as they are able.

They may think in non-productive ways, such as, “I did poorly on a test because I am a stupid person,” rather than, “I did poorly because I did not study hard enough” or in all-or-none, “I am terrible at everything,” rather than, “I am good at some things and not as good at other things.” Working with depressed children and adolescents requires that educators know about depression, its characteristics and effects on school performance, and what can be done to help these students in the classroom.

Depression in the classroom

Depression is a term we are hearing more often regarding children and adolescents. For many years, it was believed that young people could not experience depression, but we now know that they can and do become depressed, sometimes to a serious level. With sufflcient information, teachers can detect depression and are in a good position to identify it and seek help for the student. In the classroom, depressed students may appear unmotivated and uncaring about their work when, in fact, they are unable to function to their level of ability. Often, they have difflculty with sustaining attention, effort, performance, and social relationships. Coaxing, cajoling, punishment, and reinforcement typically have little effect on behavior and achievement.

Left untreated, depression can lead to continued academic and social problems, substance abuse, social alienation, risk-taking behavior, and suicidal thinking and behavior, perhaps into adulthood. Although students with depression may need counseling and therapy, teachers, school psychologists, counselors, and administrators in collaboration with parents can do much to help them in the classroom by knowing what to look for and learning how to be helpful.

Depression is one of the most common, but unrecognized, conditions of childhood and adolescence, and often is mistaken as a motivation or behavior problem. It is estimated that 8–10% of students experience depression serious enough to require intervention, and up to 20% of all adults may have a depressive disorder at some time in their lives. Adolescent girls and women are twice as likely to develop depression as are adolescent boys and men. However, there is no difference in frequency of depression between pre-adolescent girls and boys. A teacher in a middle school or high school may have as many as 3 students in a class of 30 who have mild to serious depression, with most of them likely to be girls.

Depression is not the same as the occasional adolescent mood swings or feelings of frustration and anger that accompany daily hassles, such as arguments with friends or complaints about school. Those events usually do not last long and do not affect social and school performance. Depression, on the other hand, is a constant mood of feeling down, blue, sad, or down in the dumps that impairs the ability to function. Moreover, the student does not seem to be able to do much to change the mood and does not respond to suggestions to snap out of it.

No two people with depression show it in the same way. Different circumstances and problems cause or contribute to it. However, there are some behaviors that may be signs of depression:

• Depressed mood for more than 2 weeks
• Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities
• Irritability or anger
• Changes in appetite or weight (weight loss not due to dieting or exercise)
• Sleeping too much or too little (sometimes, people seek help for sleeping problems that turn out to be signs of depression)
• Decreased energy or physical activity; even small tasks seem overwhelming and require too much effort (e.g., students may complete homework at a level less than they can do and/or may not turn in completed work)
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and low self-esteem
• Difflculty thinking, concentrating, or remembering
• Difflculty getting necessary things done, such as homework
• Difflculty making decisions, often unable to make relatively minor decisions
• Negative thoughts about self, the world, or the future
• Repeated thoughts of suicide, including planning or attempting
• Tired and listless
• Feeling blah and seeming to have no feelings at all (i.e., feeling empty)
• Reports “Not caring about anything”
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Interpret minor day-to-day events as personal failures or defects
• Blaming self for things that are not his or her fault
• Statements that others would be better off if he or she were dead
• Believes that he or she is ugly and unattractive
• Decreased personal hygiene and self-care efforts
• Excessive crying or weepiness over relatively small things

Not all depressed people will show all of these signs or to the same degree. If you see several of them in a student, however, they may indicate depression.

A frequent concern about depression is the increased risk of suicide. A small proportion of depressed students show serious thoughts of planning or attempting it. Although depressed youth are at higher risk for thinking about suicide, the vast majority do not attempt it. Most people considering suicide give several indications of their plans, but others may not pick up on them. Some attempters do not show obvious signs of depression, making detection difflcult.

Predicting suicide is challenging because of its relatively low frequency and the lack of an accurate proflle of potential attempters. Thoughts of suicide occur more often when the person begins to feel that nothing will help to improve the situation. Feelings of hopelessness that things will never change and the pain will not end may lead to an increased risk of suicide. Behavioral signs of suicidal planning may include giving away personal or prized possessions, making statements like, “I won’t be around,” visiting friends and family not seen in a while, taking care of personal matters (e.g., repaying debts, completing unflnished tasks), and talking about how he or she will like to be remembered.

The causes of depression are complex. Some people have a greater likelihood of developing depression, such as those who have first-degree relatives with depression (e.g., parent), living in highly stressful and demanding environments, or suffer traumatic events (e.g., loss of a loved one). Depression may be a long-term condition that has persisted over several weeks, months, or years or it may be of recent onset, such as in trauma. Long-term depression is more difficult to treat and most often requires professional help. Recent or sudden onset depression may subside more quickly, but may require professional help to show the best improvement. Most experts agree that depression is associated with changes in the chemistry of some neurotransmitters in the brain, and this can be chronic.

Some evidence indicates that children who believe that others do not view them as competent are more likely to develop depression. This view has particular salience in schools. That is, if teachers and peers view a student as not being academically or socially capable, there may be a greater risk of development of depression. Similarly, because schools can be stressful places for children who are not successful, they can be at increased risk for depression. Many children who have not been successful at school relate feelings of sadness and depression because they do not do well or fit in.

Depression is associated with other conditions seen in children and youth. For example, approximately 50% of children with depression also have problems with anxiety. Some of the same symptoms are shown in anxiety and depression, which makes it difficult to identify the primary problem. Perhaps surprisingly, depression co-occurs with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and substance abuse problems at levels ranging from 17 to 79% of cases. Therefore, many students who have acting out problems also may be depressed, requiring intervention for both affective and behavior problems. As depression worsens in children and youth, there is an increased likelihood of developing some of these behaviors.

Depression is complex, particularly when it co-exists with other emotional and behavioral problems. Often, there are family problems, making a difficult situation even more challenging. The good news is that, with proper intervention, most children and youth can overcome depression and lead happy and productive lives. In some cases professional therapy and medications may be needed, which may be beyond the purview of the school. Although a student might need some direct counseling or therapy, there are many things that teachers and others can do to help the depressed student. Some suggestions include:

Develop a relationship

Approach the depressed student and try to develop a working and collaborative relationship. Do not be afraid to talk with the student. Many times, depressed students are seeking someone who cares about them, although it might not seem that way. Above all, don’t give up on them. Use positive approaches. Do not use punishment, sarcasm, disparagement, punishment, or other negative techniques. They are not effective and likely will only further reinforce feelings of incompetence and low self-esteem, which may deepen the depression.

Remember that these students are not choosing to be depressed

They want to feel better and to do well just as you want them to do well. When depressed, they lack the personal resources to do their best work. As an analogy, we would not expect someone with a reading disability to read at grade level. Punitive approaches are not recommended in these cases and, instead, it is best to give extra help or support. The student with depression needs to receive extra support and caring, as well, not criticism, punishment, or indifference. Consider ways to give the extra support and attention they need, while recognizing that the student may be doing the best he or she can do at the time.

Consider making adjustments or accommodations in assignments or tasks

This approach does not mean that expectations are lowered or that the student with depression should be given unearned grades. However, give more time, break assignments into smaller pieces, offer extra help in setting up schedules or study habits, or pair the student with others who express an interest in helping. Accommodations like these are provided often for students with learning disabilities. There is no reason that the student with depression cannot receive similar considerations.

Provide opportunities for success

To the extent possible, arrange experiences so that the student can be successful and be recognized for successes. Schedule pleasant activities and provide opportunities for successful leadership. It is very important that depressed students feel accepted as a part of the school and that teachers believe in their competence.

Seek help from support personnel

Consult with your school psychologist, counselor, or social worker to get suggestions of what to do for specific students. Each case is different and requires individual planning.

School personnel can have significant, positive impacts on improving the academic, social, and emotional development of children with depression without being professional therapists. Learning about depression and implementing methods to help can make the difference between a student’s success or continuing down a path of underachievement.

Koplewicz, H. S. (2002). More than moody: Recognizing and treating adolescent depression. New York: Putnam. ISBN: 039914918X.

Merrell, K. (2001). Helping students overcome depression and anxiety: A practical guide. New York: Guilford. ISBN: 1572306173.

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IvyPanda. (2024, March 11). Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-helping-students-in-the-classroom/

"Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom." IvyPanda , 11 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/depression-helping-students-in-the-classroom/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom'. 11 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom." March 11, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-helping-students-in-the-classroom/.

1. IvyPanda . "Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom." March 11, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-helping-students-in-the-classroom/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Depression: Helping Students in the Classroom." March 11, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-helping-students-in-the-classroom/.

• Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents
• Handling a Depressed Youth
• Mad and Depressed Women in America
• Physical Exercise for Depressed People
• Depression in female adolescents
• Teen Suicide and Depression
• Factors That Lead to Suicides in Adolescents
• Diagnostics: Adjustment Disorder With Depressed Mood
• Cognitive Therapy for the Prevention of Suicide
• Adult Depression Sufferer’s and Withdrawal From Family and Friends
• Attachments Disorders: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
• From Projection to Attachment
• TV Is Extremely Harmful to Children
• 4-Years-Old's Behavioral and Developmental Assessment
• Exceptional Child in Early Childhood Settings

Dr. Roach: Low iron levels might affect blood donor’s depression

Dear Dr. Roach:  I am wondering if there is any link between low iron and depression/anxiety. I am a 37-year-old woman, and I started taking Lexapro a few years ago. I upped my dose last year because I wasn’t feeling great, and my doctor and I decided that it was a good step to take.

During the years that I have been taking Lexapro, I have also been a regular blood donor. I am CMV-negative, so I have blood suitable for newborns. The Red Cross says I am a “hero for babies,” and I enjoy doing something good.

I haven’t donated in about five months, and I am feeling significantly better regarding my depression. I know that donating blood affects iron levels, but does it also affect the concentration of Lexapro in my body? If not, can low iron be contributing to my depression? I would love to know the answer so that I can possibly continue to donate, perhaps less frequently.

Dear J.M.:  First off, thank you for donating so regularly. CMV is a virus most people have been exposed to, and like most herpes viruses, it stays in the body forever. Newborns and premature babies, as well as organ transplant recipients, need CMV-negative blood, and there aren’t many CMV-negative people who can donate.

Depression and anxiety are both tightly linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Lexapro doesn’t increase serotonin, but it does make the transmission of serotonin from one nerve cell to another more effective, by reducing the reuptake of serotonin at the nerve junction. Low iron levels have been shown to reduce serotonin levels, so this may be part of why your depressive symptoms have been worse.

However, there are many reasons, both inside and outside of your body, that can make depressive symptoms worse. Still, if you do have low iron levels, you can replace iron faster (and keep it normal, despite blood donation and menstruation) with an iron supplement. (It would be best to check on this with your doctor.) If your depression then gets better, this would be pretty good evidence that the low iron does affect your mood. (Note: You can have low iron and not have an anemia at all.)

Find the right donation frequency so you can still help without putting your mental health in danger.

Dear Dr. Roach:  I am an 86-year-old male in good health. Several years ago, I had about a third of my prostate removed because I couldn’t urinate. After the surgery, all was well with a steady stream until about two weeks ago. During one of my many trips to the bathroom, I noticed that I had a hard time trying to start urinating, and the stream was stop-and-go. This continues to this day, but it isn’t a problem during the day.

Any thoughts on my sudden change in urinating?

Dear D.S.:  A sudden change in urination should prompt an evaluation for a urine infection. These are quite common in men in their 80s, especially those with prostate problems, even if they have undergone surgical treatment. Your first stop should be your regular doctor for a urine test, and if this doesn’t reveal the problem, it is time to visit your urologist.

Some medicines can dramatically worsen the ability to urinate in men, especially decongestants and antihistamines. Some people use these at night, which might explain why you only experience problems at night.

Readers may email questions to [email protected].

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Prediction Models and Clinical Outcomes—A Call for Papers

• 1 Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle
• 2 Deputy Editor, JAMA Network Open
• 3 Epidemiology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
• 4 Statistical Editor, JAMA Network Open
• 5 Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
• 6 Editor, JAMA Network Open

The need to classify disease and predict outcomes is as old as medicine itself. Nearly 50 years ago, the advantage of applying multivariable statistics to these problems became evident. 1 Since then, the increasing availability of databases containing often-complex clinical information from tens or even hundreds of millions of patients, combined with powerful statistical techniques and computing environments, has spawned exponential growth in efforts to create more useful, focused, and accurate prediction models. JAMA Network Open receives dozens of manuscripts weekly that present new or purportedly improved instruments intended to predict a vast array of clinical outcomes. Although we are able to accept only a small fraction of those submitted, we have, nonetheless, published nearly 2000 articles dealing with predictive models over the past 6 years.

The profusion of predictive models has been accompanied by the growing recognition of the necessity for standards to help ensure accuracy of these models. An important milestone was the publication of the Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis ( TRIPOD ) guidelines nearly a decade ago. 2 TRIPOD is a reporting guideline intended to enable readers to better understand the methods used in published studies but does not prescribe what actual methods should be applied. Since then, while the field has continued to advance and technology improve, many predictive models in widespread use, when critically evaluated, have been found to neither adhere to reporting standards nor perform as well as expected. 3 , 4

There are numerous reasons why performance of models falls short, even when efforts are made to adhere to methodologic standards. Despite the vast amounts of data that are often brought to bear, they may not be appropriate to the task, or they may have been collected and analyzed in ways that are biased. Additionally, that some models fall short may simply reflect the inherent difficulty of predicting relatively uncommon events that occur as a result of complex biological processes occurring within complex clinical environments. Moreover, clinical settings are highly variable, and predictive models typically perform worse outside of the environments in which they were developed. A comprehensive discussion of these issues is beyond the scope of this article, but as physicist Neils Bohr once remarked, “it is very difficult to predict—especially the future.” 5

Although problems with accuracy are well documented, hundreds of predictive models are in regular use in clinical practice and are frequently the basis for critically important decisions. Many such models have been widely adopted without subsequent efforts to confirm that they actually continue to perform as expected. That is not to say that such models are without utility, because even a suboptimal model may perform better than an unaided clinician. Nevertheless, we believe that a fresh examination of selected, well-established predictive models is warranted if not previously done. JAMA Network Open has published articles addressing prediction of relatively common clinical complications, such as recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding. 6 We think there remains considerable opportunity for research in this vein. In particular, we seek studies that examine current performance of commonly applied clinical prediction rules. We are particularly interested in studies using data from a variety of settings and databases as well as studies that simultaneously assess multiple models addressing the same or similar outcomes.

We also remain interested in the derivation of new models that address a clear clinical need. They should utilize data that are commonly collected as part of routine care, or in principle can be readily extracted from electronic health records. We generally require that prediction models be validated with at least 1 other dataset distinct from the development dataset. In practice, this means data from different health systems or different publicly available or commercial datasets. We note that internal validation techniques, such as split samples, hold-out, k -fold, and others, are not designed to overcome the intrinsic differences between data sources and, therefore, are not suited to quantifying performance externally. While the population to which the models apply should be described explicitly, ideally any such models should be applicable to patients from the wide range of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds commonly encountered in clinic practice. Most importantly, we are interested in examples of models that have been evaluated in clinical settings, assessing their feasibility and potential clinical benefit. This includes studies with negative as well as positive outcomes.

Please see the journal’s Instructions for Authors for information on manuscript preparation and submission. 7 This is not a time-limited call for studies on this topic.

Published: April 12, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.9640

Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License . © 2024 Fihn SD et al. JAMA Network Open .

Corresponding Author: Stephan D. Fihn, MD, MPH, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Ave, Box 359780, Seattle, WA 98104 ( [email protected] ).

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Berlin reported receiving consulting fees from Kenvue related to acetaminophen outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

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Fihn SD , Berlin JA , Haneuse SJPA , Rivara FP. Prediction Models and Clinical Outcomes—A Call for Papers. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e249640. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.9640

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