Is Depression Really On The Rise? If So, Why? November 2016 - Ifyou look at depression statistics spread over several years, a veryworrying trend becomes immediately apparent. Cases of depressionbegin to rise extremely sharply in around 2005, and continue toescalate at an alarming pace. Should the problem continue in thisvein, it seems that everyone in the world will before long besuffering from depression, or some form of anxiety disorder. Notgood. Science and psychiatry are, it seems, a little divided on theissue. Various theories as to the source of the problem have beenput forward, but there is as yet no real consensus. Some do noteven believe that the problem is real, attributing the statisticalrise to diagnostic improvements and a change in culture. So what,if anything, is going on? What do people think is behind thisproblem? The Internet One of the most common theories holds thatthe rise in internet usage has - directly or indirectly - brought ahost of mental health problems in its wake. The theorized abilitiesof the internet to change our brains and trigger neurosis aremultiform, and a whole book could be written on the phenomenon.Briefly, however, here are some of the more common points made: Theinternet causes addiction. Many scientists, particularly in Asia(where it's a big problem) believe that the dopamine surge causedby receiving information, validation, and 'rewards' throughgameplay via the internet can cause pathological usage andaddiction. This naturally alters the brain's chemistry,predisposing many heavy internet users to anxieties and depressivestates. It's an as-yet little understood phenomenon, but people aretaking it seriously - so much so that many health insurers areadding internet addiction to the list of things they cover. Theinternet reduces our 'mental downtime'. Instead of relaxing when weget home, we log immediately into the internet, over-stimulatingour brains with both work and leisure, and effectively preventingthem from getting the vital rest they need to start processing theemotions and experiences of the day. This ultimately leads tomental health problems like depression. The internet feeds us a lotof depressing news, and makes us periodically angry (more on thatlater). The internet (and social media in particular) puts us undersubliminal pressure to achieve a standardized 'perfection' -showing us the carefully tailored social media streams of ourfriends, which appear to show a 'perfect' life to which we cannotpossibly live up. This is all of course heavily edited and a'glossy' version of the actual (more mundane) truth, but itnonetheless causes a good deal of insecurity and feelings ofworthlessness. Urbanization The world has reached an unprecedentedlandmark. By 2017, it's thought that the majority of people will beliving in urban areas. In the past, the majority of peopleworldwide have always lived in small rural communities - with urbancentres making up a significant population proportion, but nevergreater than the whole sum of humanity. Now, however, the citiesare expanding and more people are moving to them. This, it isthought, increases depression risk in a number of ways: Lack ofaccess to 'green spaces'. It's by now well known that our mentalhealth is significantly boosted by time spent outdoors, preferablyin green, leafy spaces. The urban environment and lifestyle makesdoing this much harder - and even those who regularly enjoy parksmay lack the kind of distraction-free experience gained by those inthe countryside, due to the presence of lots of other people.Anonymity. In small, rural communities, people are known to oneanother, and are often cared for by the community should things gowrong. While many urban communities are very cohesive, it isnonetheless more common to experience 'anonymity' in cities. Whennobody really knows who you are, and you lack a sense of 'place','tribe', or general human connection, it is easy to succumb tofeelings of worthlessness and depression. Stress. Everyday urbanlife tends to be more 'high powered' and stressful than rural life.Negotiating traffic, constant noise, enhanced crime rates, busyjobs... all of these enhance an urban-dweller's risk of stress,which in turn raises their risk of developing depression. LifestyleIt's no secret that we're becoming increasingly sedentary, andeating an increasingly poor diet. Without good cardiovascularhealth (as is bestowed by regular exercise), our brains are lessable to receive nourishment from the blood. And without the rightkind of diet, that nourishment which they do receive is sub-par andunable to fulfil all of the brain's requirements to keep our mentaland emotional health at a reasonable equilibrium. It's thought thatdietary and general lifestyle improvements could make an enormousdifference to the global mental health situation. Fear There hasbeen much talk recently about the 'politics of fear'. Media andpolitical campaigns designed to elicit sales and votes byscaremongering have become much more common in recent years, andthe stress, hatred, and anger provoked by these can have anextremely negative effect on mental health. What is more, theinternet provides us with access to negative news stories inunprecedented amounts. All of this serves to make us more anxious,and renders our ruminations rather more negative than wouldotherwise be the case. Statistics Some, however, believe that allof the above is simply an illusion, and that the real problem isnot a problem at all. In recent years, we have become far better ataccepting, seeking help for, and diagnosing mental health problems- all over the world. Perhaps we've always been this depressed -it's just that we're more self-aware about it now... I need tosummarize the above article in one page