THE IMPACT OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

ON YOUNGSTER DUE TO SOCIETAL

PRESSURE
RESEARCH
NIMRA AKRAM (MED-20F-017)
Introduction

Depression & Anxiety

 Depression and anxiety is defined as mental health conditions causes feeling of
sadness, hopelessness, nervousness and worry.

Societal Pressure
 Societal pressures, i.e. academic, career, arranged marriages and economic
pressures are being faced and are very common in youngsters especially age
group of 15 to 25.

 Approximately 10 References Used

Literature Review
 Depression and anxiety correlate to each other however depression seems a
critical situation in case of facing by any individual that may lead to death. Both
the depression and anxiety have been referred as the common cold of mental
illness (Turnbull, 1991) also defined as a social problem in history. It is stated that
when the individual is young, he / she faces many changes in their life, i.e.
emotional, economic, educational, social and behaviour that further results a
major impact in their personality. It impacts student academic performance that
leads to low grades because of having symptoms of mental health (Wechsler, et
al., 2000).

 Approximately 20 References Used

Objectives

 To examine the effect of depression and anxiety on overall well-being of

youngsters
 To assess the prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety among youngsters
due to academic, career, arranged and economic
 To identify specific societal pressures and their influence on youngsters' mental
health
Hypothesis

 Societal pressures are significantly contributing factor to depression and anxiety

among youngsters.

 Those individuals are aware of depression and anxiety have no clue to save their
lives.
Methodology
 Participants
 A total of 50 respondents completed the questionnaire via online google forms
whereas 45 respondents have been the part of the research.
 The age range of the respondents was between 15-45 years where 48% were women
and 51% were men.
 It was aimed to specifically at students of any educational background.
 Materials
 The research tool was a questionnaire that was carefully developed by myself in order
to check the impact of anxiety and depression on youngsters due to societal pressure.
 The questionnaire had closed ended questions in order to make the data quantifiable.
The questionnaire consisted of 30 questions designed to evaluate the impact of
depression and anxiety on youngsters due to societal pressures. Data were recorded by
google form database and ethical approval was obtained by Dr. Asif Malik, SMI
University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Cont…

 Design
 This was a random and survey based descriptive study.
 The data was gathered through convenient sampling.
 The duration of the study was only one month.
Results & Analysis

 Gender: Out of fifty responses, 52% were by males while 48% females responded
to my survey.
 Age: About 08% of my responses were received from people aged 35-44 years
old, 04% of my responses were received from people aged 45 years. 36%
responded from the age bracket of 25-34 years. While 52% response was gathered
from the age bracket of 15-24 years.
 Educational Background: About 66% of my responses were received from
people who are either enrolled for bachelor’s degree or in final year of their
degree. 12% responded from the educational bracket to be completed high school
diploma. While 22% response was gathered from those who have been either in
final year of their master’s degree or got enrolled.
Question 01
 Is depression or anxiety common in youngsters?
Question 02
 Do youngsters face social pressure and expectations?
Question 03
 Do youngsters feel depression and anxiety due to societal pressure or social
expectations?
Question 04

 Do anxiety or depression impacts negatively youngsters daily life and

activities?
Question 05

 Do youngsters experience the most common societal pressures, i.e. arranged

marriage or economic challenges?
Question 06

 Do youngsters experience the most common societal pressures, i.e. academic

or career?
Question 07

 Do Societal pressures have a significant impact on youngsters’ mental health?

Question 08

 Do depression and anxiety symptoms disrupt overall well-being of

youngsters?
Question 09

 Should youngsters seek treatment or therapy for depression and anxiety

symptoms?
Question 10

 Is society more understanding or supportive for youngsters dealing with

mental health?
DISCUSSION
 It was indeed interesting to analyse the questionnaire, where many people may be
going through some mild form of anxiety or depression and are aware of, but unable
to express openly or find solution(s) by themselves.
 Depression and anxiety are increasingly common among youngsters, with factors such
as academic pressures, societal expectations influencing their choices in education,
career, personal life, and the influence of media especially social media contributing to
their prevalence but at the same time it helping out as well.
 The stigma surrounding mental health issues often hinders open discussions,
highlighting the need for awareness and support systems to address these challenges
early on. Early intervention and fostering an open dialogue can play a crucial role in
mitigating the impact of these mental health concerns in the younger population.
 Since, this study was only survey based, and only about fifty questionnaires were
collected, this study could not be generalised. We did not have scientific data such as
psychological data confirming the presence of the said syndromes due to time
constraint and resources limitation.
CONCLUSION / RECOMMENDATIONS
 This study is significant and vital to our society.
 In our society, where going to a psychologist is still a taboo, this survey could help a
significant number of people to deal with their situations without medicines.
 Though, it is not claimed to be an alternative to a professional psychological help, this
still is a great alternative to psychotherapeutic medicines, which are accompanied by
myriad of adverse effects. Although not much work has been done in this parameter,
especially in Pakistan, this could hold a great future prospect.
 It shall not only encourage people to eat healthy, but also may encourage them to
revert back to basic and organic food to stay healthy.
Cont…

 Media should provide awareness through channels.

 Biologically and nutritionally, a balanced diet rich in nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty
acids, antioxidants, and vitamins, can support mental well-being and play a role in
alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.
 Incorporating whole foods like yogurt, fatty fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
may contribute to a positive impact on mental health. Individuals have awareness
should consult with psychologist.
 In schools, mental health education should be provided, communities to increase
awareness and understanding of the impact of societal pressure.
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 World Health Organization. Mental Health. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2022.


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THANK YOU