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Many people in this world have had some type of mental illness. One of the main types of

mental illness is depression. The definition of depression can be referred to as a feeling of

constant sadness. People constantly have thoughts of suicide, even if there are no signs of

depression being present. The amount of people who have died due to suicide with depression or

another type of mental health illness is at a high with 48,344 deaths in 2018. Research conducted

by The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, say that the annual suicide rate increased

24% during the years of 1999 to 2014, from 10.5 to 13.0 suicides per 100,000 people, the highest

rate recorded in 28 years. After all these years, how can we even start to try and prevent suicide?

To answer the question, we need to investigate how mental illnesses could be caused. The

topic of mental health has always been a controversial one in the United States because many

argue the government isn’t doing enough to help its citizens. Mental Health issues can often be

passed down through genetics. Nearly 1 in 5 adults live with a mental illness and to put that into

perspective that is nearly 52.9 million in 2020 alone. About 25.8% of those that have a mental

illness are female while the other 15.8% are male. The time that they can become prominent is in

the mid-teens or about three-fourths into the mid-20s. If you look at those who are affected the

most, they are descended from two or more races. Every mental illness has many different

conditions that can change the level of how severe a disorder could be from mild to moderate or

even to severe. If you have a late onset of a condition, it is most likely to be the secondary kind.

It has been determined that most severe disorders could start off as less and aren’t normally

brought to clinical attention. To help calm the mental health debates, many doctors have been

trying to prescribe antidepressants to teens that may start showing the symptoms of depression or

an appropriate drug for their disorder. There is also the practice of interpersonal psychotherapy

as well as cognitive behavioral interventions. Under these conditions, the treatments work about
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50-60% of the time. Beneficial ways to help prevent mental illnesses include working out,

having a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest, having the support of your friends and family, or just

by learning how to relax. When you exercise your brain releases chemicals called endorphins.

When endorphins are released into your body, they begin to interact with your pain receptors.

These endorphins are also known to trigger a positive response in the body, just like that of

morphine. It is also known to help boost your self-esteem. 

While the effects that social media has on our mind isn’t a much talked about topic there

is a clear connection between the two. Multiple studies have shown that social media usage has a

huge connection with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and

even suicidal tendencies and thoughts. On social media, we see so many different things that can

affect the way we view our self-worth. We see people with pretty bodies and faces, rich people

showing off their wealth, people living their dream lives, etc. When we see this, we begin to

compare our lives and worth to them which would ruin our ability to be able to enjoy what is

happening right in front of us. The more we engage in the acts of social media, the more likely it

is for our mental health rates to deteriorate. Kids today could get cyberbullied, become self-

absorbed, (FOMO) fear of missing out on something, and even depression, anxiety, and

isolation. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “Our findings suggest that the ways

that people are using social media may have more of an impact on their mental health and well-

being than just the frequency and duration of their use” (Bekalu). The relationship that social

media has with mental health is negative due to the known increased risk of depression and

anxiety which is common among the younger populations. In which we can see that someone’s

education level, income, racial background, and ethnicity may have an influence on people’s

access or ability to get onto the internet to read the latest news on health. The concern is that
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social media may perpetuate those differences for everyone. There are many ways in which you

can work to prevent or lower mental illnesses caused by social media. For example, budgeting

your time wisely by setting a time limit. This provides you with an amazing way to lessen your

dependency. One of the most effective ways to stop using social media is the out of sight out of

mind mindset. Turn off your notifications, remove any of the apps from your line of sight, and

enjoy the real world for a change. Hearing that ding for notification may cause a release of

dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that your brain releases when it sees something that you

associate as positive or pleasurable in which it could make it harder for you to stick to quitting or

taking a break from social media. Furthermore, if you ever have the want or need to use social

media try focusing on self-care. Some great examples of this can just be hanging out with

friends, going on a hike or bike ride, doing your favorite hobby whatever that may be, exercising,

etc. To see the best results, try finding activities that make you feel good without needing the use

of technology.

Second, without finding an outlet away from the use of technology, mental illnesses are

more likely to occur. There are women who develop depression during or after pregnancy. This

usually occurs if they have had a history of depression as well as taking antidepressants

Antidepressant medications are commonly used for the prevention of depression recurrence

during the perinatal period. There is an unknown list of vulnerability markers that may play a

role within the recurrence period. This was shown in Ontario, Canada from 1994 to 2008.

Researchers looked through administrative databases and coroner death records that helped to

identify the rate of the perinatal suicide per capita. The variables that were looked at were the

clinical data of women who complete perinatal suicide. Then were compared in age, living

women who are pregnant, and was also compared to women who completed suicide but were not
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pregnant or had just given birth. The common time of perinatal suicide is 9 to 12 months after

the birth of their child. The women who commit suicide after giving birth have been seen using

unorthodox and more harsh methods. Some examples could include hanging, jumping, or falling

when compared to women who completed suicide that weren’t pregnant or had just given birth.  

The statistics on women that had just committed perinatal suicide versus those who didn’t

seek proper help 30 days prior to their death are saddening. The women that had committed

perinatal suicide or were going to helped us to determine whether they would try to seek help. It

was found that the women would rather seek treatment from their primary physician than a

professional about a year before their

deaths when it’s compared to the

deaths of those who weren’t

pregnant. It concluded that it is less

than 40%. This was determined by a

Dr. Kathryn Zagrabbe in which she

states, “While psychiatrists regularly

screen for suicide, the findings from

this study highlight how important it is to screen perinatal women for suicide in primary care or

obstetric offices… women who go on to complete suicide may never see a psychiatrist….

Reducing the rate of perinatal suicide will undoubtedly be an interdisciplinary effort, and this

study raises possible starting points for intervention” (Zagrabbe). It was concluded that over 5%

of women who died from suicide it was connected perinatally. The researchers looked at the data

to help in which they found that 9 to 12 months into postpartum can be the time when the women

are the most fragile and are the most at risk.  Zagrabbe has the belief that once there’s a reduction
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to the rates of suicide from perinatal complications that there could be the chance that better

points that could be made for intervention. 

Third, a study was conducted trying to provide descriptive overviews of the

characteristic’s women show that are associated with the experience of perinatal recurrence of

their depression despite the ongoing antidepressant use. The beginning of the study showed that

there were 85 pregnant women that had a history of depression and were on Antidepressants.

They gave the women antidepressants like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or Serotonin

and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors. The information on the women’s psychiatric history as

well as the antidepressant use was collected throughout the perinatal period. The study consisted

of women who were 12 weeks pregnant until three months after postpartum. There were women

who claimed to experience the recurrence of their depression. To find the recurrence of their

depression, the researchers performed an exploratory univariable logistic regression analysis.

After the study was completed, it was shown that eight of the women experienced a recurrence

of depression. Two of the women had the recurrence during the pregnancy. The other six had

their experience in the first 12 weeks postpartum. The women that had the recurrence of

depression had depression during their childhood or adolescence. 

After some research, they found that the markers associated with the recurrence of

depressive symptoms were around 16 weeks into pregnancy. The use of implementing an

improved risk assessment in pregnant women that have taken antidepressants allows us to

identify predictors for the recurrence of depression in future studies. This will ultimately lead to

the improvement of care for perinatal patients. There are ways that postpartum complications can

be prevented or improved. It’s better to keep an eye out for the signs of depression or any mental

illness when you are pregnant. When you stay alert on your mental health, you could catch any
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mental illness early by talking to your doctor about your symptoms. This can be seen as an

extremely beneficial practice given that if you are diagnosed, you can start treatment plans as

soon as possible and stop the effects of the mental health issue from worsening. Some examples

include counseling, group counseling, or as stated before, taking medicines. It is important to do

this throughout your pregnancy and maybe even after as well. 

Once the baby comes, you will want to surround yourself with people that are there to

support you and help you recover. A baby is a big responsibility so there is a lot of work that

must go into it. Through it all, it is important that you find ways to stay rested, eat healthy, and

try to get exercise. It may also be beneficial to schedule a follow up appointment with your

doctor after giving birth, so you can have a professional evaluate your state of mental health. It’s

vital to the health and well-being of the mother that she stays patient along the process of

recovery. It will take time, but in the end, the outcome will be amazing. Just like everything

takes time, so does the healing process which is why it’s okay to accept that postpartum

depression is a real thing, and it deserves more attention than it gets.

Fourth, we can examine war veterans. Many veterans who have been to war or some

types of battle have developed mental issues. One of the most common illnesses would be PTSD,

posttraumatic stress disorder. This disorder can occur in people who have experienced or

witnessed a traumatic event. This disorder doesn't occur to just veterans, but rather anyone

regardless of race, nationality, or age is prone to suffering from it. This disorder affects

approximately 3.5% of United States adults. With its many symptoms, PTSD can hinder a

person’s life. This disorder can give you intense, disturbing thoughts, and feelings that are

related to the experience that was experienced which can happen to last long after the event has

even occurred. The person can also have flashbacks or nightmares about the experience which
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could feel like you’re reliving it. Those who suffer from this disorder experience sadness, fear,

anger, and may feel detached or estranged from other people. Victims of PTSD try to avoid

things that could trigger a response. A loud noise to an accidental touch could set off a response.

The suicide rate of those who have PTSD is proven to be 5.3 times higher than those without.

The Veteran suicide rates have been sorted by age, gender, methods, and more. After seeing the

painful statistics, many organizations have been trying to help bring some attention to the

prevention of veterans committing suicide. The organization that is well known among veterans

is Veteran Affairs. The VA has tried to stay on top of the suicide rates of veterans that every year

they conduct a Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report that keeps track of how much the rates

have changed as well as how they compared to the last years data before. On page 33 of the

report, it goes into details about the steps that are being taken now and then a 2.0 version. Some

of the Clinical and Community Preventions services that we have now are to enhance the suicide

risk screenings, assessment, and a follow-up with doctors. The VA wants to support the Suicide

Prevention Program by enhancing its care. At the time of this report, COVID was rapid, so they

created an outreach program, same day mental screenings, record patients that are high risk for

suicide. The 2.0 version has the same goal, but with a broader spectrum. The National Suicide

Prevention Telehealth Clinical Hubs plans to add 100 trained mental health care professionals as

well as offer evidence-based psychotherapies for the Veterans at risk of suicide. By discovering

new ways to help our Veterans, we can keep more people alive and can have a greater

turnaround for those who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. 

Fifth, if we look the other direction to the rates of celebrities, we can see that there have

been many celebrities that have mental illnesses in which they ended their lives. The rate of

celebrities committing suicide is significantly higher than in non-celebrities. As a celebrity, they

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have a higher chance of mental illnesses due to the pressures that were put upon them. If a

celebrity commits suicide, the rate of suicides would go up among other celebrities and the

general population. Some research was gathered by Columbia University that said there was an

increase of suicides by 18,690 just four months after Robin William’s death back in 2014. The

suicide rates were proven to rise 10% based just off previous months data. This has also

happened after the death of world-renowned chef Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer Kate

Spade. After the death of these two celebrities, the suicide prevention hotline calls have jumped

up 25%. When a celebrity dies due to suicide whether you liked them or not it will cause a

reaction within you, but the media can use it for a positive outcome. The media could talk about

the celebrity’s death and try to bring awareness. The media could show educational or

preventative information that could make someone reach out for help. We may not be able to

prevent celebrity suicide, but we can help prevent suicide among the general population after

their death. 

Sixth, for years people didn’t really believe that others can have mental health issues.

This is a sad thought because depression is a major public health concern within the United

States and globally. Although, when receiving an early diagnosis and treatment this can lead to a

positive health and behavioral outcomes to depression. Although, depression goes undiagnosed,

untreated, or undertreated due to several reasons like denial of having the illness as well as the

stigma that comes from the people socially and culturally. High amounts of people who are

depressed, are also those who engage in social media. Nowadays there are millions of people that

are using the platforms of social media to express their thoughts, moods, emotions, and the daily

struggles of having a mental illness. This is important because this is providing an outlet for

someone to talk about their experience to maybe help someone who is in their shoes now. 
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Mental Illnesses can be triggered by a way of stress from work, burnouts, or even fatigue.

According to an article called “Depression and Fatigue are Workplace Safety Issues” states,

“Workplace injury is often seen as a physical health problem, but as these studies show, mental

and behavioral health play a role in the prevalence of employees getting hurt at work” (Mitchell).

There is a rough amount of 60% of women who have gone through a work-related injury. It has

been reported that 60% of women were going through mental or behavioral issues before the

injury. While for men it was only 33%. This was proven by a study that was conducted by

researchers from The Colorado School of Public Health's Center for Health, Work and

Environment. The research that was conducted also gave us the information to see that the men

in the study were more likely to have a work-related injury than women. However, the mental

and behavioral health challenges like depression and having poor sleeping habits did not affect

the rate at which the men became injured because the relationship between them is different.

There are some ways in which you can prevent mental illnesses or injuries that could be caused

by your workplace. A great example of this is by attending stress management. Attending stress

management can be associated with living an easier life, as it allows you to get rid of the stress

that could be potentially taking over your life. Stress has a way of adding itself onto more stress

in which at one point it can blow. At that point, you can have many complications. On the

medical side, you could have high blood pressure, heart diseases/issues, and strokes. With high

stress levels, your brain is used to an increased level of hormone called cortisol. Due to the

increased levels within your brain, it could weaken your immune system, could develop

depression or anxiety, sleep and maybe substance use problems. Some other great examples of

decreasing mental illnesses caused by stress is by finding an effective outlet(s). You can get a

journal, try out yoga, meditate, and even reaching out to others can help your mental state. Just
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by supporting or by promoting the use of stress relieving technology at work can help lower that

rate. 

Many people in this world have or had some type of mental illness. There are many ways

in which they could’ve been caused or be triggered within us. Whether it’s genetic or

environmental, we should provide better care to our citizens for their mental health. For teens,

one way is to get them involved in activities that pull them away from their phones and social

media, while also reducing their stress levels. Many have found exercising to be an effective tool

as well as cutting down on the usage of social media as it can bring up more negative effects than

positive. In the lives of pregnant women, they can be greatly affected due to the higher chance of

mental illnesses when pregnant due to all the hormones. Our military veterans can be greatly

affected by mental health issues, like PTSD, when returning home from high stress situations

which could be prevented or cured with proper care.

The pressure that many have upon themselves can be deafening at times. For celebrities

that are in the spotlight, they have a higher chance of committing suicide which could affect the

general population alone. This can also be within workplaces. When stress isn’t released

properly, it could have a greater impact on not just the body but on the mind as well. In all the

research and statistics of suicides and mental illnesses affecting the population, the United States

has always prioritized our physical health more than our mental. Even with the rates going up

each year we need to create a better environment for those who are suffering. By finding how

mental illnesses are caused we can lower the rates of mental illnesses. In conclusion, after doing

all this research, by looking at how mental illnesses may be caused, we can lower the chances of

these illnesses and be able to provide a more direct and proper care to those that need it most. 
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