Major depression, commonly known as ‘depression’, has become increasingly prevalent today. According to the latest research published by the World Health Organization, it is seen in 17% of the population worldwide. Despite its global prevalence, it is evident that there is a lot of misinformation about depression. This condition not only affects individuals’ emotional health but also their physical health and social relationships, so let’s dive a bit deeper into it.
Depression, which negatively impacts a person’s daily functionality and reduces quality of life, is not merely sadness, irritability, or not feeling well. The earliest descriptions of depression, related to the effects on the mind, have been found in cultures such as Ancient Egypt, Babylon, Sumer, and China. Along with these observations, in the 400s BC, Hippocrates defined this condition as “the effect of black bile on the brain, causing the darkening of the soul.” This was the first connection made between the brain and mental illnesses.
After this connection was established, Arataeus described the criteria for mania, and Jarvis conducted the first epidemiological study. The research on prevalence began in the 19th century, during World War II in the USA, with soldiers who expressed feeling mentally distressed, pessimistic, and had complaints similar to those attributed to hysterical women at that time. As we move closer to today, the link between depression and the brain has been increasingly emphasized. The serotonin-depression relationship, still a topic of debate today, has been studied. A. Michael Mann examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and found lower levels of certain metabolites in individuals who committed suicide. This study paved the way for further research into CSF, and studies have continued in subsequent years. In the 1980s, Bessel Van Der Kolk compared the CSF of people who died by suicide and those who died normally, discovering that people who committed suicide had 15 times less serotonin, establishing a relationship between serotonin and depression. These studies demonstrated that depression is not merely a symptom or weakness, but a treatable illness. It is something that can happen to anyone, but when does it require treatment? When should support be sought?
In Turkish, the closest term for depression is “çökkünlük”, which involves a decrease in interest and energy, the inability to derive pleasure, along with sleep, appetite, forgetfulness, and concentration problems, leading to a state of pessimism about life and frequent suicidal thoughts. Not every sadness or feeling of not being well is depression. A condition that lasts for more than two weeks, with symptoms visible in the left frontal lobe, and meets the primary criteria along with other additional criteria could be depression that requires intervention and support. It is advised that individuals with these symptoms continue to seek help.