The World Health Organization and the Harvard Medical School have conducted a study, which found that 9.6% of Americans suffer from depression or bi-polar disorder, the highest of all the 14 nations surveyed. This represents a higher level of depressed people than Lebanon (6.6%), currently partly obliterated by Israel, Mexico (4.8%),where there are so few jobs they have to migrate to the US, Japan (3.1%) and Nigeria (0.8%) of all wretched places.
A caveat should be placed on these figures. General practitioners routinely prescribe pills for everything in sight. In other countruies thay haven’t been so brainwashed into doing this, and maybe cannot afford it either. However, even if some of the depression is only temporary misery one has ask what role the economic system and the lack of community spirit play in this matter. Whether you are clinically depressed or not is not the point – you go to the doctor because you think you are, and you have your reasons for being in this state of mind.
The Wall Street Journal opines that the better figures from poorer countries can be accounted for by the “fact” that if you are struggling for the basics of life you do have not time to worry about existential despair. They would, wouldn’t they. The opinion writers are a uniquely cruel and heartless bunch.
But The Wall Street journal has a point, Bob. Studies have shown that the theory that humans have a ‘Heirarchy of Needs’ is supported over and over.(Maslow) Basic biological needs such as food and shelter ‘need’ to be met before safety then belonging, then esteem needs.more existential ones can then be coped with, ultimately self actualisation.
There are two further points. One you allude to – the west has a culture of recognising and treating depression – women in particular are;more ready to acknowledge it – whereas men are more likely to drown their misery in alcohol.
Thirdly, there is a gentic factor to consider. I am sure this has been studied but I dont know what the genetic prevelence of Depressionis in third world countires compared with the West… Can anyone out thre comment?
If you are right, we might then be better off living as peasants in Bangla Desh.
What then is it all about and what is the point of it?