Melinda Sordino was just a young teenage girl trying to have some fun. Now, she is loathed by afar for something nobody understands. During a summer party, Melinda drunkenly fumbled for the phone and dialed the cops. As she enters her freshman year of high school, her friends refuse to talk to her, and she escapes into the dark forests of her mind. “I am Outcast” (Anderson 4). But something about that party was not right. Something she tried not to relive but to forget. “I have worked so hard to forget every second of that stupid party, and here I am in the middle of a hostile crowd that hates me for what I had to do. I can’t tell them what really happened. I can’t even look at that part of myself” (Anderson 28). Depression is a serious mental disorder. The duration and symptoms vary from person to person, and some even have a genetic inclination to develop this illness (Bruce). Depression is not simply a chemical imbalance but a disease caused by several factors. Depression does not have a lone cause. An individual gene cannot handle mood or spur up depression. However, genes can influence the way nerve pathways perform. Multiple genes cooperate to evolve a susceptibility to depression. In addition to the biological aspect of depression, neurotransmitters and hormones are chemicals that allow nerve cells to communicate. Not only do they control mood and emotions, but the way these chemicals are broken down may add to the growth of depression. Human development also plays a big role. Growing up, including relationships with people, influences mood. Melinda’s friends, who she has known for nine years, despise her. “Her eyes meet mine for a second. ‘I hate you,’ she mouths silently” (Anderson 5). Additionally, early loss su... ... middle of paper ... ...s showed up in the rats who suffered from a mix of depression and severe anxiety (Healy). This proves to show that we are making great advances in figuring out the secrets of depression. Laurie Halse Anderson did an exceptional job of portraying depression in a high school student in her book Speak. Suddenly, Melinda finds herself trapped in a closet with IT. She does not deserve to be punished for spilling her secret, but there he is. He moves in closer and then, “The only sound I can make is a whimper. He fumbles to hold both my wrists in one hand. He wants a free hand. I remember I remember. Metal hands, hot knife hands. No. A sound explodes from me. ‘NNNOOO!!!’” (Anderson 194). She pushes a shard of glass to his neck. Outside the door, much awaited help is coming. After a miserable year of struggling and silence, Melinda finally learns the importance of speaking.
	Lisa Shilling starts off as any normal teenager, attending school, going out with friends, and even dating. As the novel progresses, Lisa slips into dark, depressive moods on occasional days, and then into depression altogether. Lisa’s friends notice her change and take it into their own hands to give her "therapy" because Lisa’s parents are not willing to accept her sickness. As the depression progresses, many frightening incidents happen, but Lisa’s friends stick with her, helping to give strength to Lisa as well as themselves.
“Well, Alice, my father said, if it had to happen to one of you, I’m glad it was you and not your sister” (57). Even though Alice was the victim of the horrid crime, she had to stabilize her own emotions, so that she could help her sister cope with this tragedy. Throughout Alice’s childhood, Jane struggled with alcoholism and panic attacks. “I wished my mother were normal, like other moms, smiling and caring, seemingly, only for her family” (37).
Depression has a major effect on a person life. The accumulation of hidden emotion could cause difficulty in life. The consequences could be irrational thinking, suffering in ceased emotion or lead to a total disaster. In “Horses of the night” by Margaret Laurence and “ Paul’s case” by Willa Cather, both authors introduce the concept of depression. Although both selections offer interesting differences, it is the similarities that are significant.
...l and emotional signals can be influenced at several different levels in the brain, by a myriad of chemicals. The sole cause of depression seems to be the simultaneous breakdown of neurochemical pathways across the nervous systems. It is true that treating depression in all of its forms is much easier today with the advent of new antidepressants, but these drugs are correcting a neurochemical imbalance which is not specific to depression. There may exist and someday be discovered a particular mood regulation flaw which is responsible for depression, but given the research presented today, I would say there is not.
It is not common knowledge, but people can be genetically predisposed to develop depression during their lives. Depression runs in families. It can be passed d...
Through my extensive research on depression I have learned a lot of new things. I have learned about the many forms of depression and treatment for depression. I have also learned a little about what is believed to go on chemically in the brain of a clinically depressed person. I was also able to partially determine what sort of role genetics, chemicals and personal influences in the brain. Though I was unable to determine exactly how environmental and personal stress can cause a chemical imbalance in a person, I was even able to speculate about this issue and determine some theories of my own on why and how this may happen.
Milo and Maggie Dean fulfill the criteria for major depressive disorder. The twin’s depression is heavily influenced biologically as well as psychologically. Some causal factors and influences include genetics, stress from parent’s suicide, lack of support, failure in career, and higher-risk sexual activity, (Butcher, Mineka, & Hooley, 2014). The movie makes evident that the main characters have struggled from this disorder ever since childhood. Evaluating back to Maggie and Milo’s stressful event that formed dysfunctional beliefs clarifies the possible causes to major depression.
Depression affects teens everywhere, some teens are upset about home life, school life, or just personal issues in general. Jessica states, “Running aired out my soul. It made me feel alive. And now? I’m stuck in this bed, knowing I’ll never run again” (Van Draanen 6). Jessica is one of the most determined athletes on her track team, the one thing she wants to do most in the world is run, and she can’t do it anymore because of her leg. Jessica says, “So I am getting used to it, and I am gaining confidence but I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever race again. It almost doesn’t matter, though. I can run” (Van Draanen 279). The author makes it aware that Jessica is depressed, but eventually she becomes the happy girl who can run again. The author wants people to know that sometimes things are hard and you get upset, but everything will get better it just takes time. I know that depression is a very serious issue to deal with, and I think time really does fix all
Depression affects teens everywhere; some teens are upset about home life, school life, or just personal issues in general. Jessica states, “Running aired out my soul. It made me feel alive. And now? I’m stuck in this bed, knowing I’ll never run again” (Van Draanen 6). Jessica is one of the most determined athletes on her track team, the one thing she wants to do most in the world is run, and she can’t do it anymore because of her leg. Jessica says, “So I am getting used to it, and I am gaining confidence but I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever race again. It almost doesn’t matter, though. I can run” (Van Draanen 279). The author makes the reader aware that Jessica is depressed, but eventually she becomes the happy girl who can run again. The author wants people to know that sometimes life can be bitter and leave people feeling upset, but everything will get better it just takes time. I know that depression is a very serious issue to deal with, and I think time really does fix all
The exact causes of depression seem to differ immensely, but there are some who believe that it maybe caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, or that it may even be hereditary. Still there are others who believe that it is a combination of social, biological, emotional, psychological, and economical influences that may cause someone who has no family history of depression to develop even a mild case of depression.
Depression is a serious mental health illness which affects an individuals’ mind, body and mood. It is a chronic and lifelong health condition (NICE, 2006) thought to be caused by a number of biological factors including neurotransmitter disturbances in the brain and an element of genetic vulnerability; these are often in addition to psychosocial factors such as the occurrence of undesirable life events, limited social network options, poor self esteem and the occurrence of any adverse life events during a persons’ lifetime (Bernstein, 2006). Depression can have an impact on a persons’ ability to do many things including working, engaging with others, participating fully in family life or maintaining relationships, and it can also impact on a person...
She continues in this sequel to talk about the abuse she faced and the dysfunction that surrounded her life as a child and as a teen, and the ‘empty space’ in which she lived in as a result. She talks about the multiple personalities she was exhibiting, the rebellious “Willie” and the kind “Carol”; as well as hearing noises and her sensory problems. In this book, the author puts more emphasis on the “consciousness” and “awareness” and how important that was for her therapeutic process. She could not just be on “auto-pilot” and act normal; the road to recovery was filled with self-awareness and the need to process all the pieces of the puzzle—often with the guidance and assistance of her therapist. She had a need to analyze the abstract concept of emotions as well as feelings and thoughts. Connecting with others who go through what she did was also integral to her
Depression is quiet. I had learned that at the beginning of high school when all of the sudden, my self-depreciating thoughts had gone silent. The feeling of elation I had experienced that moment was mighty. I felt that it was too good to be true, that there was no way that I had freed myself of the depression I experienced since my childhood. And I was right. I learned that silence was deafening, it was louder than any of the hateful words I told myself.
Coming out of the Great Depression, this generation was encouraged to be anything but depressed. In this book these two characters, although distinct in background, must deal with their problems, and face the consequences. The pressure to move on, as is human nature, eventually leads to a sadly fatal conclusion.
Marano, Hara Estroff. “The Season of SADness?” Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, LLC. Psychology Today, 1 July 2002. Web. 26 November 2011.