Some argue depression is a necessary evil, a critical counterpoint to that often-elusive state of happiness. Carl Jung said it best: “The word ‘happy’ would lose meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” But how much sadness is too much sadness?
Blue skies up ahead
A new study on depression hopes to tackle the difficult and multi-faceted problem of depression. According to the Blue Sky Project—led by doctors Kate Harkness, of Queen’s University, and Michael Bagby, director of clinical research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto—much of the major research focuses primarily on people well into their adulthoods who have experienced several depressive episodes. The Blue Sky Project, by contrast, studies adolescents and young adults between the ages of 18 and 29, with the belief that depression’s causes can be addressed if discovered at first onset, and potential recurrences can be avoided.
Dr. Harkness explained the nature of depression: “60 to 90 per cent of people who experience their first episode of depression in young adulthood will go on to suffer more episodes. So, depression really is a recurrent disorder.” This recurrent nature often leads to a host of problems later in an individual’s life, underachieving in school and work compared to depression- free people. Depression-prone individuals also tend to have more physical health problems later in life, and those with recurring episodes tend to die at a much earlier age.
People within the 18 to 29 age range are just as likely to experience their first depressive episode as they are to not receive treatment of any kind. University students are particularly vulnerable, because of the number of stressors that they are prone to. For students, especially those in their first year, the adjustment to university life—leaving home for the first time, living in residence , and being under more academic pressure than ever before—can be traumatic. Dr. Bagby explained: “Just learning how to balance class work and social life is very new for them at the university setting, and living away from home, that is a combination that makes it very stressful.” At home, students are more likely to be surrounded by a familiar social support system to help them get through a significant event like a break-up. Leaving that behind makes a university student more vulnerable, as they have to deal with emotional issues on their own.
Diagnosing depression
As with most mental disorders, it can be tricky to nail down a diagnosis for depression. The Blue Sky Project has created a list of subjective statements—including “I used to be happy,” “I don’t have fun seeing my friends,” “I’m not getting anything done,” and “I just don’t feel like myself anymore”—that sound generic, but can be key to diagnosis if experienced for a prolonged period of time. It is normal to have periods of minor depression in response to stresses, such as after doing poorly on a difficult test. One red flag that doctors look for is if this distress becomes debilitating to the point that it starts affecting concentration and memory, at which point it can easily start negatively affecting other facets of life, like academic performance.
Environment versus genetics
The two risk factors examined with depression amongst young adults are genetic vulnerability and major stressful events.
Depression is known to have a genetic component, which the study is investigating via a particular gene in the serotonin system, responsible for the regulation of emotions. Harkness and Bagby expect that people with a genetic variant will not experience as much stress—whether originating early or late in life—compared to those without the genetic vulnerability to induce the onset of depression. Individuals not genetically vulnerable are more likely to cope with stress since they have more psychological resources at their disposal. “These people are the lucky ones who are born with the resilient genetic profile,” said Harkness.
But being born with faulty genes does not necessarily mean you are doomed to gloom. In terms of environmental stressors, some people are lucky to be born into less stressful conditions. Conversely, people who have a lot of stress in their lives or have experienced trauma can get psychologically worn down even if they have a stronger genetic makeup. There are a variety of approaches in treating depression, ranging from psychotherapy to cognitive behaviour therapy to medication. After extensive screening, the Blue Sky Project administers an antidepressant that increases serotonin levels, thereby increasing pleasurable moods. This is ideal for participants who are experiencing their first episode of depression. This treatment works quicker than cognitive behavioural therapy in improving concentration and memory, which is beneficial to students who are experiencing trouble in school.
The cost of sadness
Depression is predicted to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020. Harkness hopes the project will raise awareness about the cost of early-onset depression.
“In Canada we spend about $16 billion a year on depression in costs of direct treatment and indirect costs through loss of productivity. Most of this cost is borne by people with recurrent chronic depression. So, again, if we can figure out how depression occurs early on, we can help to intervene, which will save all of us a lot of heartache and money,” said Harkness.
Understanding what causes depression’s onset could help refine treatment, which is currently only 60 to 70 per cent effective. Harkness and Bagby believe that this number can be bettered with increased research on young adults through early detection, adequate provision of treatment, and prevention of future recurrences.
After that, nothing but blue skies
Blue Sky Project contact Information
Telephone: (416) 979 – 4294 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.blueskyproject.ca
