Ally tosses and turns in bed all night. She feels worried and anxious all the time. There’s plenty to do, yet she has no time and the work just piles up. Her friends make rude comments and think it’s a joke. She doesn’t want to do anything fun and can’t concentrate on anything. Every time she looks in the mirror, she hates herself. She got sucked into a black hole and now has a hard time getting out. This is what is known as depression, a mental disorder that causes a person to feel guilty, worthless, and miserable. Depression occurs in people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Two common reasons of depression are the death of a loved one and conflict within the family, which can lead to temptations of drinking or even suicide.
Feeling down for a few weeks because of the loss of a loved one is a normal part of life. When emptiness and misery take over and don't go away for months, that is when depression starts. Activities aren’t interesting anymore; exhaustion becomes more common; and getting through the day gets very overwhelming. “The process can be aggravated by events that remind the bereaved individual of their loved one or the circumstances surrounding their loss.” (Dryden-Edwards). It feels like the sadness will never let up. Questions are left unanswered. He or she knows something is wrong, they just don’t know how to deal with it. A significant loss can make a person experience many different emotions such as; shock, anger, or even guilt. It is very important to let out the feelings, whether it’s by crying or gathering with family members and talking about the situation. Talking about it may bring back good memories and make the bereaved individual think more positive. It takes time to beat depression. Depending on how serious it is, the person may need to seek professional help. “Don’t fall into the trap of pretending everything is fine when you know it isn’t.” (The Board of Wisdom). The longer one waits, the harder it is to beat. When symptoms such as; loss of appetite, weight, and concentration occur, that is when the individual should start taking things seriously and doing something about it.
Depression may also result from personal conflicts with friends or family members. An example of that would be two parents getting a divorce. Often times the children are the ones most affected and receive the least amount of attention. “The most damaging effect of divorce on children is the emotional trauma caused by parents who fight or belittle each other in front of their children. Children feel expected to take sides but cannot do this without being disloyal to the other parent.”(Mackenzie). After one parent leaves, they miss the comfort of having both parents at home. They start feeling lonely and question themselves if it was their fault. Concentrating gets harder and relationship between friends becomes more distant. All of this triggers depression, and some parents might not even realize that. It’s really important that the parent who the child resides with gives them the attention they need and makes sure that the child knows it’s not their fault. Not only does the conflict affect the child, but also the parent. “Almost one out of every two marriages today ends in divorce, and many divorcing families include children and teenagers.” (Chisholm). After a divorce the individuals become insecure and miss the feeling of having someone there to help and support them. Emotional and financial problems may arise. In some cases, one parent may not have enough money to pay for financial problems which can also cause chaos. Losing the custody of the child causes stress that also triggers depression.

The more severe the illness is, the greater the effect. Individuals who suffer a mild form of depression can still continue doing their daily activities but with greater efforts. If there’s an increase in symptoms, then the effects are progressed. Sometimes depression can cause the individual to start drinking. That could as well affect the person’s health. “Depression is a prison where you are both the suffering prisoner and the cruel jailer.” (Rowe). As time goes by, they don’t know what to do anymore. They feel like there’s nothing that will ever make them feel the way they used to, whether it’s because of losing their significant other or trying to recover emotionally after the divorce. After a while they start to think their life will never be the same. Thoughts of worthlessness and hopelessness cause the person to think they’re not important. This leads to suicides. “A 15 percent suicide rate means that of six patients diagnosed with depression, one will commit suicide during his or her lifetime.” (Holmes). At this point there’s nothing anyone can do. It is really important that everyone is aware of how serious depression is. With more knowledge about the illness, anyone can help prevent a close relative or friend from the terrible effects.

To sum this up, depression is a common and serious disorder. Some people try to avoid it but it’s not something that you can avoid. The effects can be very dangerous and can affect not only the person themselves but also the people around them. “Depression is not sobbing and crying and giving vent, it is a plain and simple reduction of feeling...People who keep stiff upper lips find that it's damn hard to smile.” (Guest). Many can overcome the loss or death of a loved one easily but for some it takes a little more time. That does not mean they should give up.





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Work Cited

Chisolm, Ken. Divorce in the Family. 16 Jul. 2009.

< http://www.livestrong.com/article/14249-divorce-in-the-family/>
Dryden-Edwards, Roxanne. Loss, Grief, and Bereavement. 1996.


<http://www.medicinenet.com/loss_grief_and_bereavement/article.htm>
Guest, Judith. ThinkExist.com. 1999.
<http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/Judith_Guest/>
Holmes, Leonard. Suicide Rates Overstated in People with Depression. 6 Dec.

2003. <http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/depression/a/suiciderates.htm>




















Mackenzie, Caroline. Emotional Effects of Divorce on Children. 2007.
<http://www.dealwithdivorce.com/effects-divorce/emotional-effects-divorce-children/30/>
Rowe, Dorothy. Depression Quotes and Inspiration. 2009.


<http://www.all-on-depression-help.com/depression-quotes.html>
The Board of Wisdom. 31 Oct. 2009.


<http://www.boardofwisdom.com/mailquote.asp?msgid=246424>