Is depression manufactured?
Introduction
“Depression”, is the name of a disease, which is almost the initiator of an industry where Pharma biggies have invested in great amounts to create those pills that can get them revenue in the current and the coming decades. Before we move on to understand the views of Greenberg, Lehrer or Menand, it is important to first understand how depression impacts an individual. The fact that makes the situation of depression adverse is the involvement of family members in this situation, the impact on social relations, productivity and life of a person suffering from it.
It is important to understand the link between depression and sadness, as sadness is the first and the initial phase which, in future may gave rise to the situation of depression in case if it sustains itself within the person's heart. Though this definition does not use any fancy medical terms however still it is more than enough to explain the situation of depression. Greenberg has provided a detailed account of situations relating to depression, the kind of alternatives and medication available and how this problem has gradually developed itself into a disease and has given rise to an entirely new industry or division in pharmacology, which includes the manufacturing of antidepressants.
The development of health care and medication has overpowered our internal resistance, which means that health situations which never used to be very serious for our previous generations and were handled using basic natural remedy are now being considered very serious and there are a lot of people who would seek immediate medical supervision and would be happy to take the prescribed pills for every small health issue that they face. Greenberg mentioned in his article that till the second half of 80s, depression was not considered a disease however there has been a drastic change in the past two decades making depression one of the situations where medicines are available without any hesitation and the so-called patients are also willing to try the medication in order to get rid of the adverse situation as soon as possible.
Greenberg's comparison of depression with Wal-Mart, shows us the intensity by which this industry has actually grown in the past few years, and the most important factor that we have to discuss over here is that whether the medication which is being prescribed and provided is working on not and what is the reason behind a sudden increase in the number of people who are suffering from depression. Two basic questions that we will look at in the coming section are, a) Are there medications which can actually help to eradicate depression permanently? b) in case if the people suffering from depression do not see a doctor, will they be able to handle the situation on their own?
Depression: A problem with a solution and no solution . . .
Greenberg presented a case study of Barbara that actually changed his view of looking at depression as a disease, it is not that this is a medical situation where treatment is a mandate and a chemical reaction of the pills are the key to solve the issue, there are a lot of times that the medication actually becomes the cause of disease and therefore the medication process and the nomenclature of the disease in itself is quite ambiguous.
Depression is painful, not only for those who are suffering from it but also for those who are dead near and dear ones and therefore it is not only the person suffering from it who has to take apart in the medication process but the ones who are close to him so have to participate equally. One more thing, that Greenberg has highlighted over here is that this disease is not caused by any bacteria or virus which can be killed with the help of a pill, it is actually initiated by a thought which has sustained and created a sort of sad impression on that person, till the time that thought sustains, no pill no solution will work hence the concept that Greenberg introduces before us is ‘eradication of sadness’, which is nothing but a solution to the though which has resulted finally into depression.
Eradication of Sadness: Greenberg’s Views
Greenberg has very interestingly pointed out that the current perception that the antidepressant manufacturers have created among people is that depression is an effect of a biochemical reaction which can be resolved with the help of a pill or a medicine, however this perception is baseless and actually cause of manufacturing depression for people so that the industry may enjoy revenue for years and years.
There are psychological dimensions that need to be considered after the diagnosis of the situation, Greenberg has discussed in detail about the views presented by Kramer, in his article however the basic issue that has to be understood over here is that whether there are alternatives to create that situation where the sadness that results into depression does not sustain, may be a little bit of counseling from doctor, literature or friends can do that however the information gathered from sources may be arranged coherently to understand the dimensions that have ultimately caused this situation and the same may also help in the eradication of sadness.
Psychiatry Vs Medical Science by Menand . . .
There's a whole lot of different idea that Menand has presented in an article, there are views that initially talk about the success factor behind, antidepressants and the way they are found after many placebo experiments which are conducted in order to find the success of the medicine. He also explains that, the medicine is launched out on the market, after several experiments and the only reason why they are prescribed is because they actually provide relief to the patients. Now another view which is presented in regards to the use of antidepressants is that the placebo experiments might be conducted without the knowledge of participants or the doctors however the side-effects of the medicine make it possible for both of them to know that which broke has been given the medicine and which group has been given placebo.
Greenberg very positively mentioned that depression is not a disease, it is just a situation and similar to that Menand also presented his views saying that like fever is symptom of a disease, and it may have several reasons associated to it, insomnia, irritability and lack of interest are a few symptoms which result in a disease called at ‘depression’, and also it has a dedicated medicine which can actually help to relieve that particular condition. Menand also criticises the idea that depression is only a condition of the situation and it may not result in any other adverse double health situation, he clearly explained that according to Kramer, depression can actually the chances of a heart disease.
Overall Menand produced various points that have highlighted the fact that depression is actually a biological condition, he also mentions that people also like to understand this logic and believe that since it is a biological problem the solution must also be an biological and that is how the current methodology of treatment has evolved and helps the people suffering from it. The primary motive of Menand is to explain this fact that antidepressants and other medical solutions to depression might not be considered feasible by the students and researchers of psychology however psychiatry is no solution to the same as well.
Is it really the Upside of depression that’s mentioned by Lehrer . . .
Lehrer starts by saying that depression has been over exaggerated, specifically by the medicines and doctors. There are people like Darwin who have explained that depression has let them focus towards their problem and even achieve success. He believes that it's a common and costly disorder; still the way it is being handled by psychiatry is dangerous because there is an analysis done to study the same problem which at the end of the day extends the negative moves. Ruminative cycles are not helpful in cases of depression whether a person suffering from it has a valid reason to think and be worried about something; in those cases going back to the same thought again and again will do nothing but will enhance the period of depression.
Lehrer explains that there are various examples and several studies that talk about the increased mental activity during depression phases, and there are people like Aristotle who have claimed that depression has helped them perform better in their work. Though the above are a few examples that are discussed in this article, the actual issue is that most of the people suffering from depression complain about cognitive deficits and explain that they are extremely busy thinking about their real-life problems and therefore there is no way that even an increased mental activity can help them to perform their work properly.
Lehrer closes the discussion after giving various arguments in the favor of depression, as a tool to enhance the productivity of a person and he mentioned in the end that depression is similar to the saying that pain is useful, as the urge to escape from the pain remains the most powerful instinct of all.
Conclusion
Greenberg, Lehrer and Menand have presented their views on depression, and we have already discovered that there are various differences in the concepts that they explain however one thing is common that they all agree that depression is a situation which must be avoided as soon as possible. Greenberg believes in the role of psychiatric however Lehrer considers it to be pain which would provide the power to get rid of itself, lastly Menand kept his point by saying that psychiatric is not a science that could help to treat the biological condition like depression and therefore a medical treatment is something which could ultimately help to resolve the issue.
References
Greenberg, G. (2010). Manufacturing Depression. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Lehrer, J. (2010, Feburary 28). Depression’s Upside. The New York Times Magazine , pp. 1-8.
Menand, L. (2010, Feburary 28). Head Case: Can Psychiatry be a Science? The New Yorker , pp. 1-8.
