Anxiety and depression is more common now than ever. Is society better equipped to handle it than in the past?
By Alex Gallagher
Web Master
Mental illness has a long history of being stigmatized in society, as spotlighted in another Patriot Press Article. However, in current years, it has become increasingly mainstream to seek treatment for mental health struggles like depression and anxiety. Medication has been fine-tuned in recent years to suit the needs of those who struggle with these mental illnesses without causing severe side effects as they had when first developed. Combining the consistent use of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy is shown to be particularly effective in treating mental illness. Despite seemingly finding a consistent solution to mental health struggles, society may still be facing a crisis: anxiety and depression is alarmingly more prevalent than ever.
Originally, the medications developed for treating anxiety disorders were created with the intention to sedate those afflicted instead of help them navigate the world around them. From 1864 to the 1960s, barbiturates, like Amytal and Butisol, were prescribed to treat anxiety and seizure disorders. These drugs are central nervous system depressants, meaning they slow down the nervous system which causes sedation. While this sedation was intentionally used to incapacitate those with anxiety, many people experienced heavy addiction to the drug, as not taking the drugs led to severe withdrawal symptoms. In addition to a danger of addiction, barbiturates are also easy to overdose on, with a very narrow margin between a typical dose and a deadly dose. In response, the medical industry replaced these highly-addictive barbiturates to less-addictive benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, etc.), which are still in use for similar disorders today. The effects of benzodiazepines are about the same, as both medications are central nervous system depressants, but the margin between a regular dose and a deadly dose is far larger.
With regard to depression, psychiatrists prescribed similar remedies. The history of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) is very similar to that of barbiturates, as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) replaced these TCAsdue to the side effects caused by the former. TCAs, like Amitriptyline and Doxepin, caused noticeable sedation, weight gain, and even heart damage. According to Mayo Clinic, patients under the age of 25 that were also prescribed these TCAs typically experienced an increase ofsuicidal thoughts, which complicated the effects of the medication. Today, SSRIs are very commonly prescribed for depression, with less of a focus on sedation while narrowing in on boosting serotonin levels as a means to assist with mood regulation. However, the key aspect of this medication is the fact that those experiencing depression must become dependent on them in order for them to begin working. The National Institute of Health (NIH) uses the mnemonic device, FINISH, to describe the symptoms of SSRI withdrawal, also known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome: Flu-like symptoms, Insomnia, Nausea, Imbalance, and Sensory disturbances (shock-like symptoms are particularly common disturbances). Because of this syndrome, a missed pill can cause an extreme amount of distress. Even upon starting the medication, tremors and nausea are very common, making SSRIs–though seemingly effective–very difficult and at times stressful to manage.
Beneath the pros and cons of treatment, there is a clear underlying issue that medication fails to address: the causes of anxiety and depression. Statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness show that around 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 7 children aged 6-17 experience mental illness in the United States each year. Additionally, NIH states that suicide is now the second leading cause of death between ages 10-34. The statistics are clear, but there must be a cause for this evidence. One commonly accepted cause is the use of social media, however there are other factors. The Child Mind Institute describes the relationship between mental illness and social media as more of a correlation, and not a causation. The concept of social media in and of itself is not causing this extreme spike in depression and anxiety, but the relationship people have with social media may be a major factor in this steep increase. San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge observes that young girls experience a particularly high increase in depression in conjunction with screentime. However, this study and various others fail to address other factors. Having a solely parasocial relationship with people on the internet as opposed to having consistent and healthy face-to-face relationships certainly has an impact on the study. Throughout the majority of research done on the impacts of social media on mental health, one phrase tends to stand out: FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out. Ironically, this common fear tends to take people out of the moment, due to the stress that missing a message or a notification causes. Social media addiction is just like any addiction: moderation is very valuable, and navigating an individual relationship with social media should be navigated as one’s relationship with alcohol or controlled substances–not because social media itself can directly harm you, but the effects it has on self-esteem is proven to cause harm.
Speaking upon medication as a treatment in general, there will always be side effects with something
that is intended to alter your brain chemistry. Choosing which option to pursue for any treatment involves
an important discussion between an individual and their psychiatrist and general doctor to see what best
suits their needs. Despite the disadvantages to using a medication that one must become dependent on,
the benefits of the medication may outweigh the doubts. However, some mental illnesses don’t have
such a straightforward solution; illnesses such as autism and personality disorders only have treatments
for certain aspects of them, not the overall damage caused. This topic will be explored in a future Patriot
Press article, so stay tuned.