I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like that!

[sidious618]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

A tip: Don't start from the assumption that Americans are more depressed. Start from a question, like how does depression amongst Americans compare to other industrialized countries? When you're writing a newspaper article, you should strive to eliminate bias wherever possible.

So unless you're writing a piece that would be intended for an opinion section, don't set out trying to prove a point. Instead, set out with the intent of learning more about an issue. It's generally impossible to eliminate bias completely, but the more you can do so, the better.

I am, actually, I just thought phrasing the OP that way would give way to better discussion.

 

[Jadzia]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

Holdfast's erudite and informed response has me reluctant to even offer an opinion! But it does seem to me that modern society, and all it's new technologies that bring us together electronically, have had the effect of separating us physically. Face-to-face interactions have been replaced by cold, remote keyboard typing, which is what I do now several hours each day. I can't imagine this is good for us. But I could be wrong.

I can imagine there being an element of guilt in this feeling, stemming from our childhood, where one hour of computer use was a privilege granted by our parents when we've been good little girls and boys. But now we're inclined to cast judgement upon ourselves, in that what was a treat we automatically assume is an unhealthy indulgence.

But whether or not it is truely bad for us? First recognize that all people have differing degrees of need for social contact. Introverted people for example are more easily satisfied. Extraverted people may feel a greater dissatisfaction with the filtered interactions of the internet.

On the other hand, some people are more sense oriented than others, and have a greater need for their experiences to be tangible in order for them to be satisfying.

I think ultimately, people will use the internet for social interaction to the extent that satisfies them.

I'd concede that for much of the time, the internet is an easy/lazy choice. What is unhealthy is when we habitually make that easy/lazy choice, even when it isn't adequately satisfying.

 

[TheBrew]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

I've been asked for a serious answer to this and after some consideration and reading the replies in this thread, I wanted to offer this opinion. I should preface this by saying that the following assumes the OP is true (Americans are more depressed) and goes on basic assumptions of European cultures that could be wildly inaccurate. Therefore there are probably at least a few fallacies in the argument I am presenting.

The United States' is still a relatively young country compared to the members of the EU and its cultural identity has been gained by the assimilation of other cultures. It has become a hodge-podge of what each wave of immigrants has brought. In essence, it is much more malleable and subject to more influence than our cousins across the Atlantic. That has made us more susceptible to cultural 'suggestion'. To that end, a lot of our culture comes from the media. The perfect car, the perfect woman/man, the perfect life is being dictated to the media consumers. This homogeneous set of 'wants' is rarely attainable by the common person. In a sense, it is a form of class warfare where one small group with lots of influence has positioned itself as superior to the larger group.

While the EU is by no means a strangers to class warfare, they do have their strong cultural identity to fall back upon. Since the American cultural identity is so malleable, what is happening is that the 'superior class' is able to change it so that Americans have no identity to fall back upon. When they don't achieve what they are told they should be achieving, Americans get depressed. Americans live in a cultural where their expectations for a 'good life' are skewed.

Of course, this does not apply to all Americans, but I think that the increased malleability of our culture with the louder voice the media has might lead to a more depressed society as a whole.

P.S. Again, this is just a theory that is not backed up by data of any kind, so I make no claims to it being even remotely true.

 

[1001001]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

Consumerism is, ultimately, a hollow existence. Our entire economy is based on having you borrow money you don't have to buy things you don't need.

Or as The Fixx used to say.... "How much is enough, when your soul is empty?"

So do you feel that the core issue is a cultural problem, as in poor values being imprinted upon each generation by their elders. (What we might call a pernicious nurturing.)

More so than individuals being maladjusted to these cultural norms.

That's an excellent question. Truthfully, I didn't think it through that far. My response more of a "gut reaction" than a clinical analysis.

I do think we are bombarded with messages that we're not good enough/wealthy enough/beautiful enough...all in the name of commerce. The make-up industry is probably the prime example. The spend billions making you feel ugly, while simultaneously selling you "the cure", as it were.

So I suppose yes my instinct is that, assuming for the moment the original thesis is correct (which I don't know whether it is or not), we're referring to some sort of cultural condition, rather than a statistical anomaly of grouped genetic chemical imbalances.

Experience/environment has a lot to do with the development of depression. Remember the "dogs in electric cages" experiment? If we have more than our share of depression, one can reasonably ask what experiences are contributing to that?

 

[TheBrew]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

I think that's what I just said, but in about 1/3 of the words.

Man, I need to work on my brevity sometimes.

 

[scotpens]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

Do Americans really have a high rate of depression compared to other industrialized countries? I've heard that Sweden has a high suicide rate. Well, there must be an awful lot of depressed Swedes. Have you seen their movies?

A common perception is countries with individualistic cultures are less happy than collectivist cultures. It's not too hard to figure out why.

Perception and reality are two different things.

 

[thumbtack]

Re: I need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist... but not like th

Despite their defensiveness on the subject, America remains an "every man for himself" sort of country, with none of the social safety nets that Europeans take for granted. (See their recent health care "debate"). As such, Americans are under more stress, with a greater feeling of helplessness should anything disastrous (i.e. job loss, loss of pension, etc.) appear in their lives. Many Americans freely admit to feeling as if they are living "on the brink". Elevated stress and anxiety levels, in turn, lead to depression. Indeed, many experts posit that America's obesity epidemic has more to do with depression than their perceived laziness.