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Opinion

Stigma surrounding depression hurts sufferers

Robyn Morrow
Opinion Columnist 

Clinical depression, characterized as a sadness that lingers for more than two weeks, affects 16 percent of the population on at least one occasion in their lives, according to an entry on Wikipedia.com. Although much of the population suffers from depression, many people still ostracize or even disregard those who are mentally ill.

The stigma associated with depression needs to be lifted, and more people need to be made aware of this often paralyzing illness in order to better understand themselves and others.

Although public awareness of mental illness has increased in the past 30 years, discrimination against sufferers has continued to rise, Patrick W. Corrigan, who has a doctorate in psychology, said in an article on www.stigma.org. Current research shows that employers are less likely to hire those perceived as mentally ill; landlords are less likely to rent apartments to such people, and people are less likely to interact freely with those they consider mentally unstable, Corrigan said.

Many depressed people who need treatment fear seeking help because of the stigma that surrounds this disease. Often when people here the term "depressed," they think of a crazed lunatic running around screaming or someone who sits alone and cries incessantly. No one wants to be perceived in such a negative manner, and many will often forgo treatment to avoid embarrassment.

Pushing these feelings aside does not make them go away. Repressed feelings often resurface at the most inopportune times and can seem worse than they really are. Untreated depression is one of the most disabling mental conditions, according to the World Health Organization.

While some people may view depression as a state of mind, some research has shown that depression is a chemical imbalance within the brain and can be based in genes, said Kara Gavin in an article on the University of Michigan Health System's Web site. Instead of ignoring or ridiculing the mentally ill, we need to help them overcome the effects of this disease. 

A 2001 survey of counseling centers by Robert Gallagher of the University of Pittsburgh showed that 85 percent of colleges reported an increase during the past five years in students with severe psychological problems. Depression is not a problem that seems to be disappearing, yet we consistently underestimate its seriousness or hide it behind closed doors. Though information about the disease is abundant, most are ignorant of the facts at hand. 

While doing research on a paper on anti-depressants for a class, I encountered many individuals who feared sharing their stories with me for fear that their identities would be discovered and lead to rejection by peers, employers and educators. 

Had these individuals been able to share their stories, they could help many others who also suffer. 

Sharing your experiences with this disease will not only help you release negative feelings but can also benefit others who suffer and are afraid to admit it. 

Morrow, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at ramorrow@uh.edu.