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Essays About Depression

Depression essay topic examples.

Explore topics like the impact of stigma on depression, compare it across age groups or in literature and media, describe the emotional journey of depression, discuss how education can help, and share personal stories related to it. These essay ideas offer a broad perspective on depression, making it easier to understand and engage with this important subject.

Argumentative Essays

Argumentative essays require you to analyze and present arguments related to depression. Here are some topic examples:

• 1. Argue whether mental health stigma contributes to the prevalence of depression in society.
• 2. Analyze the effectiveness of different treatment approaches for depression, such as therapy versus medication.

Example Introduction Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay: Depression is a pervasive mental health issue that affects millions of individuals worldwide. This essay delves into the complex relationship between mental health stigma and the prevalence of depression in society, examining the barriers to seeking help and the consequences of this stigma.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay: In conclusion, the analysis of mental health stigma's impact on depression underscores the urgent need to challenge and dismantle the stereotypes surrounding mental health. As we reflect on the far-reaching consequences of stigma, we are called to create a society that fosters empathy, understanding, and open dialogue about mental health.

Compare and Contrast Essays

Compare and contrast essays enable you to examine similarities and differences within the context of depression. Consider these topics:

• 1. Compare and contrast the symptoms and risk factors of depression in adolescents and adults.
• 2. Analyze the similarities and differences between the portrayal of depression in literature and its depiction in modern media.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Essay: Depression manifests differently in various age groups and mediums of expression. This essay embarks on a journey to compare and contrast the symptoms and risk factors of depression in adolescents and adults, shedding light on the unique challenges faced by each demographic.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Essay: In conclusion, the comparison and contrast of depression in adolescents and adults highlight the importance of tailored interventions and support systems. As we contemplate the distinct challenges faced by these age groups, we are reminded of the need for age-appropriate mental health resources and strategies.

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays allow you to vividly depict aspects of depression, whether it's the experience of the individual or the societal impact. Here are some topic ideas:

• 1. Describe the emotional rollercoaster of living with depression, highlighting the highs and lows of the experience.
• 2. Paint a detailed portrait of the consequences of untreated depression on an individual's personal and professional life.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay: Depression is a complex emotional journey that defies easy characterization. This essay embarks on a descriptive exploration of the emotional rollercoaster that individuals with depression experience, delving into the profound impact it has on their daily lives.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay: In conclusion, the descriptive portrayal of the emotional rollercoaster of depression underscores the need for empathy and support for those grappling with this condition. Through this exploration, we are reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of compassionate understanding.

Persuasive Essays

Persuasive essays involve arguing a point of view related to depression. Consider these persuasive topics:

• 1. Persuade your readers that incorporating mental health education into the school curriculum can reduce the prevalence of depression among students.
• 2. Argue for or against the idea that employers should prioritize the mental well-being of their employees to combat workplace depression.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay: The prevalence of depression underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to address mental health. This persuasive essay asserts that integrating mental health education into the school curriculum can significantly reduce the prevalence of depression among students, offering them the tools to navigate emotional challenges.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay: In conclusion, the persuasive argument for mental health education in schools highlights the potential for early intervention and prevention. As we consider the well-being of future generations, we are called to prioritize mental health education as an essential component of a holistic education system.

Narrative Essays

Narrative essays offer you the opportunity to tell a story or share personal experiences related to depression. Explore these narrative essay topics:

• 1. Narrate a personal experience of overcoming depression or supporting a loved one through their journey.
• 2. Imagine yourself in a fictional scenario where you advocate for mental health awareness and destigmatization on a global scale.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Narrative Essay: Personal experiences with depression can be transformative and enlightening. This narrative essay delves into a personal journey of overcoming depression, highlighting the challenges faced, the support received, and the lessons learned along the way.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Narrative Essay: In conclusion, the narrative of my personal journey through depression reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of compassion and understanding. As we reflect on our own experiences, we are encouraged to share our stories and contribute to the ongoing conversation about mental health.

A Narrative About Depression: Navigating The Abyss

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Depression, known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a psychological condition characterized by enduring feelings of sadness and a significant loss of interest in activities. It is a mood disorder that affects a person's emotional state, thoughts, behaviors, and overall well-being.

Its origin can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where melancholia was described as a state of sadness and melancholy. In the 19th century, depression began to be studied more systematically, and terms such as "melancholic depression" and "nervous breakdown" emerged. The understanding and classification of depression have evolved over time. In the early 20th century, Sigmund Freud and other psychoanalysts explored the role of unconscious conflicts in the development of depression. In the mid-20th century, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was established, providing a standardized criteria for diagnosing depressive disorders.

Biological Factors: Genetic predisposition plays a role in depression, as individuals with a family history of the disorder are at a higher risk. Psychological Factors: These may include a history of trauma or abuse, low self-esteem, pessimistic thinking patterns, and a tendency to ruminate on negative thoughts. Environmental Factors: Adverse life events, such as the loss of a loved one, financial difficulties, relationship problems, or chronic stress, can increase the risk of depression. Additionally, living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area or lacking access to social support can be contributing factors. Health-related Factors: Chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic pain, are associated with a higher risk of depression. Substance abuse and certain medications can also increase vulnerability to depression. Developmental Factors: Certain life stages, including adolescence and the postpartum period, bring about unique challenges and changes that can contribute to the development of depression.

Depression is characterized by a range of symptoms that affect an individual's emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being. These characteristics can vary in intensity and duration but generally include persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed. One prominent characteristic of depression is a noticeable change in mood, which can manifest as a constant feeling of sadness or emptiness. Individuals may also experience a significant decrease or increase in appetite, leading to weight loss or gain. Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or excessive sleepiness, are common as well. Depression can impact cognitive functioning, causing difficulties in concentration, decision-making, and memory recall. Negative thoughts, self-criticism, and feelings of guilt or worthlessness are also common cognitive symptoms. Furthermore, physical symptoms may arise, including fatigue, low energy levels, and a general lack of motivation. Physical aches and pains, without an apparent medical cause, may also be present.

The treatment of depression typically involves a comprehensive approach that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of the condition. It is important to note that the most effective treatment may vary for each individual, and a personalized approach is often necessary. One common form of treatment is psychotherapy, which involves talking to a mental health professional to explore and address the underlying causes and triggers of depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a widely used approach that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors associated with depression. In some cases, medication may be prescribed to help manage depressive symptoms. Antidepressant medications work by balancing neurotransmitters in the brain that are associated with mood regulation. It is crucial to work closely with a healthcare provider to find the right medication and dosage that suits an individual's needs. Additionally, lifestyle changes can play a significant role in managing depression. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and stress reduction techniques can all contribute to improving mood and overall well-being. In severe cases of depression, when other treatments have not been effective, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered. ECT involves administering controlled electric currents to the brain to induce a brief seizure, which can have a positive impact on depressive symptoms.

1. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression, making it one of the leading causes of disability globally. 2. Depression can affect people of all ages, including children and adolescents. In fact, the prevalence of depression in young people is increasing, with an estimated 3.3 million adolescents in the United States experiencing at least one major depressive episode in a year. 3. Research has shown that there is a strong link between depression and other physical health conditions. People with depression are more likely to experience chronic pain, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune disorders, among other medical conditions.

The topic of depression holds immense significance and should be explored through essays due to its widespread impact on individuals and society as a whole. Understanding and raising awareness about depression is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, depression affects a significant portion of the global population, making it a pressing public health issue. Exploring its causes, symptoms, and treatment options can contribute to better mental health outcomes and improved quality of life for individuals affected by this condition. Additionally, writing an essay about depression can help combat the stigma surrounding mental health. By promoting open discussions and providing accurate information, essays can challenge misconceptions and foster empathy and support for those experiencing depression. Furthermore, studying depression allows for a deeper examination of its complex nature, including its psychological, biological, and sociocultural factors. Lastly, essays on depression can highlight the importance of early detection and intervention, promoting timely help-seeking behaviors and reducing the burden of the condition on individuals and healthcare systems. By shedding light on this critical topic, essays have the potential to educate, inspire action, and contribute to the overall well-being of individuals and society.

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. 2. World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: Global health estimates. World Health Organization. 3. Kessler, R. C., Bromet, E. J., & Quinlan, J. (2013). The burden of mental disorders: Global perspectives from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Cambridge University Press. 4. Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford Press. 5. Nierenberg, A. A., & DeCecco, L. M. (2001). Definitions and diagnosis of depression. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 62(Suppl 22), 5-9. 6. Greenberg, P. E., Fournier, A. A., Sisitsky, T., Pike, C. T., & Kessler, R. C. (2015). The economic burden of adults with major depressive disorder in the United States (2005 and 2010). Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 76(2), 155-162. 7. Cuijpers, P., Berking, M., Andersson, G., Quigley, L., Kleiboer, A., & Dobson, K. S. (2013). A meta-analysis of cognitive-behavioural therapy for adult depression, alone and in comparison with other treatments. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 58(7), 376-385. 8. Hirschfeld, R. M. A. (2014). The comorbidity of major depression and anxiety disorders: Recognition and management in primary care. Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 16(2), PCC.13r01611. 9. Rush, A. J., Trivedi, M. H., Wisniewski, S. R., Nierenberg, A. A., Stewart, J. W., Warden, D., ... & Fava, M. (2006). Acute and longer-term outcomes in depressed outpatients requiring one or several treatment steps: A STAR*D report. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(11), 1905-1917. 10. Kendler, K. S., Kessler, R. C., Walters, E. E., MacLean, C., Neale, M. C., Heath, A. C., & Eaves, L. J. (1995). Stressful life events, genetic liability, and onset of an episode of major depression in women. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152(6), 833-842.

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Essays About Depression: Top 8 Examples Plus Prompts

Many people deal with mental health issues throughout their lives; if you are writing essays about depression, you can read essay examples to get started.

An occasional feeling of sadness is something that everyone experiences from time to time. Still, a persistent loss of interest, depressed mood, changes in energy levels, and sleeping problems can indicate mental illness. Thankfully, antidepressant medications, therapy, and other types of treatment can be largely helpful for people living with depression.

People suffering from depression or other mood disorders must work closely with a mental health professional to get the support they need to recover. While family members and other loved ones can help move forward after a depressive episode, it’s also important that people who have suffered from major depressive disorder work with a medical professional to get treatment for both the mental and physical problems that can accompany depression.

If you are writing an essay about depression, here are 8 essay examples to help you write an insightful essay. For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

• 1. My Best Friend Saved Me When I Attempted Suicide, But I Didn’t Save Her by Drusilla Moorhouse
• 2. How can I complain? by James Blake
• 3. What it’s like living with depression: A personal essay by Nadine Dirks
• 4. I Have Depression, and I’m Proof that You Never Know the Battle Someone is Waging Inside by Jac Gochoco
• 5. Essay: How I Survived Depression by Cameron Stout
• 6. I Can’t Get Out of My Sweat Pants: An Essay on Depression by Marisa McPeck-Stringham
• 7. This is what depression feels like by Courtenay Harris Bond

8. Opening Up About My Struggle with Recurring Depression by Nora Super

1. what is depression, 2. how is depression diagnosed, 3. causes of depression, 4. different types of depression, 5. who is at risk of depression, 6. can social media cause depression, 7. can anyone experience depression, the final word on essays about depression, is depression common, what are the most effective treatments for depression.

Top 8 Examples

1.  my best friend saved me when i attempted suicide, but i didn’t save her  by drusilla moorhouse.

“Just three months earlier, I had been a patient in another medical facility: a mental hospital. My best friend, Denise, had killed herself on Christmas, and days after the funeral, I told my mom that I wanted to die. I couldn’t forgive myself for the role I’d played in Denise’s death: Not only did I fail to save her, but I’m fairly certain I gave her the idea.”

Moorhouse makes painstaking personal confessions throughout this essay on depression, taking the reader along on the roller coaster of ups and downs that come with suicide attempts, dealing with the death of a loved one, and the difficulty of making it through major depressive disorder.

2.  How can I complain?  by James Blake

“I wanted people to know how I felt, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to tell them. I have gone into a bit of detail here not to make anyone feel sorry for me but to show how a privileged, relatively rich-and-famous-enough-for-zero-pity white man could become depressed against all societal expectations and allowances. If I can be writing this, clearly it isn’t only oppression that causes depression; for me it was largely repression.”

Musician James Blake shares his experience with depression and talks about his struggles with trying to grow up while dealing with existential crises just as he began to hit the peak of his fame. Blake talks about how he experienced guilt and shame around the idea that he had it all on the outside—and so many people deal with issues that he felt were larger than his.

3.  What it’s like living with depression: A personal essay   by Nadine Dirks

“In my early adulthood, I started to feel withdrawn, down, unmotivated, and constantly sad. What initially seemed like an off-day turned into weeks of painful feelings that seemed they would never let up. It was difficult to enjoy life with other people my age. Depression made typical, everyday tasks—like brushing my teeth—seem monumental. It felt like an invisible chain, keeping me in bed.”

Dirks shares her experience with depression and the struggle she faced to find treatment for mental health issues as a Black woman. Dirks discusses how even though she knew something about her mental health wasn’t quite right, she still struggled to get the diagnosis she needed to move forward and receive proper medical and psychological care.

4.  I Have Depression, and I’m Proof that You Never Know the Battle Someone is Waging Inside  by Jac Gochoco

“A few years later, at the age of 20, my smile had fallen, and I had given up. The thought of waking up the next morning was too much for me to handle. I was no longer anxious or sad; instead, I felt numb, and that’s when things took a turn for the worse. I called my dad, who lived across the country, and for the first time in my life, I told him everything. It was too late, though. I was not calling for help. I was calling to say goodbye.”

Gochoco describes the war that so many people with depression go through—trying to put on a brave face and a positive public persona while battling demons on the inside. The Olympic weightlifting coach and yoga instructor now work to share the importance of mental health with others.

5.  Essay: How I Survived Depression   by Cameron Stout

“In 1993, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an antidepressant. Within two months, the medication slowly gained traction. As the gray sludge of sadness and apathy washed away, I emerged from a spiral of impending tragedy. I helped raise two wonderful children, built a successful securities-litigation practice, and became an accomplished cyclist. I began to take my mental wellness for granted. “

Princeton alum Cameron Stout shared his experience with depression with his fellow Tigers in Princeton’s alumni magazine, proving that even the most brilliant and successful among us can be rendered powerless by a chemical imbalance. Stout shares his experience with treatment and how working with mental health professionals helped him to come out on the other side of depression.

6.  I Can’t Get Out of My Sweat Pants: An Essay on Depression  by Marisa McPeck-Stringham

“Sometimes, when the depression got really bad in junior high, I would come straight home from school and change into my pajamas. My dad caught on, and he said something to me at dinner time about being in my pajamas several days in a row way before bedtime. I learned it was better not to change into my pajamas until bedtime. People who are depressed like to hide their problematic behaviors because they are so ashamed of the way they feel. I was very ashamed and yet I didn’t have the words or life experience to voice what I was going through.”

McPeck-Stringham discusses her experience with depression and an eating disorder at a young age; both brought on by struggles to adjust to major life changes. The author experienced depression again in her adult life, and thankfully, she was able to fight through the illness using tried-and-true methods until she regained her mental health.

7.  This is what depression feels like  by Courtenay Harris Bond

“The smallest tasks seem insurmountable: paying a cell phone bill, lining up a household repair. Sometimes just taking a shower or arranging a play date feels like more than I can manage. My children’s squabbles make me want to scratch the walls. I want to claw out of my own skin. I feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is a solitary candle about to blow out at any moment. At the same time, I feel like the pain will never end.”

Bond does an excellent job of helping readers understand just how difficult depression can be, even for people who have never been through the difficulty of mental illness. Bond states that no matter what people believe the cause to be—chemical imbalance, childhood issues, a combination of the two—depression can make it nearly impossible to function.

“Once again, I spiraled downward. I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t work. I had thoughts of harming myself. This time, my husband urged me to start ECT much sooner in the cycle, and once again, it worked. Within a matter of weeks I was back at work, pretending nothing had happened. I kept pushing myself harder to show everyone that I was “normal.” I thought I had a pattern: I would function at a high level for many years, and then my depression would be triggered by a significant event. I thought I’d be healthy for another ten years.”

Super shares her experience with electroconvulsive therapy and how her depression recurred with a major life event despite several years of solid mental health. Thankfully, Super was able to recognize her symptoms and get help sooner rather than later.

7 Writing Prompts on Essays About Depression

When writing essays on depression, it can be challenging to think of essay ideas and questions. Here are six essay topics about depression that you can use in your essay.

Depression can be difficult to define and understand. Discuss the definition of depression, and delve into the signs, symptoms, and possible causes of this mental illness. Depression can result from trauma or personal circumstances, but it can also be a health condition due to genetics. In your essay, look at how depression can be spotted and how it can affect your day-to-day life. 

Depression diagnosis can be complicated; this essay topic will be interesting as you can look at the different aspects considered in a diagnosis. While a certain lab test can be conducted, depression can also be diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Research the different ways depression can be diagnosed and discuss the benefits of receiving a diagnosis in this essay.

There are many possible causes of depression; this essay discusses how depression can occur. Possible causes of depression can include trauma, grief, anxiety disorders, and some physical health conditions. Look at each cause and discuss how they can manifest as depression.

There are many different types of depression. This essay topic will investigate each type of depression and its symptoms and causes. Depression symptoms can vary in severity, depending on what is causing it. For example, depression can be linked to medical conditions such as bipolar disorder. This is a different type of depression than depression caused by grief. Discuss the details of the different types of depression and draw comparisons and similarities between them.

Certain genetic traits, socio-economic circumstances, or age can make people more prone to experiencing symptoms of depression. Depression is becoming more and more common amongst young adults and teenagers. Discuss the different groups at risk of experiencing depression and how their circumstances contribute to this risk.

Social media poses many challenges to today’s youth, such as unrealistic beauty standards, cyber-bullying, and only seeing the “highlights” of someone’s life. Can social media cause depression in teens? Delve into the negative impacts of social media when writing this essay. You could compare the positive and negative sides of social media and discuss whether social media causes mental health issues amongst young adults and teenagers.

This essay question poses the question, “can anyone experience depression?” Although those in lower-income households may be prone to experiencing depression, can the rich and famous also experience depression? This essay discusses whether the privileged and wealthy can experience their possible causes. This is a great argumentative essay topic, discuss both sides of this question and draw a conclusion with your final thoughts.

When writing about depression, it is important to study examples of essays to make a compelling essay. You can also use your own research by conducting interviews or pulling information from other sources. As this is a sensitive topic, it is important to approach it with care; you can also write about your own experiences with mental health issues.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

FAQs On Essays About Depression

According to the World Health Organization, about 5% of people under 60 live with depression. The rate is slightly higher—around 6%—for people over 60. Depression can strike at any age, and it’s important that people who are experiencing symptoms of depression receive treatment, no matter their age. 

Suppose you’re living with depression or are experiencing some of the symptoms of depression. In that case, it’s important to work closely with your doctor or another healthcare professional to develop a treatment plan that works for you. A combination of antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy is a good fit for many people, but this isn’t necessarily the case for everyone who suffers from depression. Be sure to check in with your doctor regularly to ensure that you’re making progress toward improving your mental health.

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

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How To Write A Strong Essay On Depression?

Table of Contents

Looking for useful information that will help you write a powerful essay on depression? You’ve come to the right place, then!

Depression is a worldwide spread disease that negatively affects how people feel, the way they think, and how they act. It is also the leading cause of disability. There are estimates that more than 300 million people are affected by depression globally, and this condition is also one of the most common mental disorders in the USA.

No wonder depression essay is a typical assignment for high school and college students. The goal of writing about this mental condition is to increase awareness among young people about mental health and help them find solutions to this problem.

In this guide, you will find all the necessary information for writing the best essays on this topic.

Depression essay: what’s the deal?

At some point in our lives, we all may experience symptoms like sadness, loss of interest, lack of pleasure from performing daily activities, etc.

For most people, these symptoms are a completely normal response to unpleasant or stressful events that they experience, for example, romantic relationships failures or financial issues.

Negative feelings are usually painful and overwhelming, but as time goes by, they become less intense and disappear.

But if these feelings persist, they may affect people’s life substantially and result in depression.

In recent decades, clinical depression has reached epidemic proportions and is widespread in the suburbs inner cities, farms, refugee camps, boardrooms, and classrooms, and women are more likely to be depressed than man.

Recent research reveals that the United States is the most depressed country in the world.

When writing an essay about this mental illness, you need to examine different aspects. For example, you may write a postpartum depression essay or explore how this mental condition affects the brain, personality, and physical health.

The choice of topics is endless, but you should follow standard writing requirements when working on your projects. Let’s discuss some important steps of writing an essay about mental disorders in detail.

Depression research paper outline: a brief how-to

Many students skip this stage in the writing process and as a result, may waste a lot of time when doing research and actually writing.

Creating a working outline for your project is an essential step that will help you stay focused and increase your overall productivity. Never skip this crucial step if you want to succeed.

Here are some tips on how you can do it right.

• Choose a topic for your research and do some preliminary reading. Search for some interesting facts and try to think about new ways to address your topic. Scan some articles and look for knowledge gaps.
• Take notes when you see an interesting quote and create a list of your sources. You can use them as references in your essay. Keep all the information you have gathered in one place.
• Write down the objective of your essay in one sentence. Think about the outcome you want to achieve when other people read your essay.
• Look through your notes and make a list of all the important points you want to make. Use brainstorming techniques and write down all ideas that pop into your head.
• Review the points and create a thesis statement for depression research paper or essay.
• Organize the list of points to create a structure of your essay . Put the points in a logical order. Check all aspects to make sure that each of them is relevant to your objective.
• Revise all your points and try to put your outline in a standard format: numbered or bulleted list.

Depression essay introduction: how to start?

The introduction of your essay should provide some context and prepare your readers for the arguments you would present next.

Start your introduction with an attention grabber to engage your audience. It can be a provocative question, statistics, an anecdote, an interesting fact, etc.

Introduce your specific topic and provide some context to help your readers understand your paper. For example, you can define some key terms.

Finish your introduction with a strong thesis statement that clearly and concisely states the central argument or the purpose of your paper.

e.g., Students who drop out of a high school before graduation are more susceptible to depression and anxiety and have a higher risk of facing mental and physical health problems later in life.

You may also briefly outline the major points of your paper to help your audience follow your argument.

Depression essay conclusion: what should be included?

The conclusion is the last chance to impress your readers so it can be the most challenging part of an essay to write.

It should give your paper a sense of completeness and answer the question, “so what?”

You need to restate your main claim and tie that claim to a larger discussion. Don’t introduce any new ideas or subtopics here.

You can conclude your paper using one of the following strategies:

• Call for a specific action.
• Outline next steps for other researchers.
• Speak about future implications.
• Compare different situations or issues.
• Use a quotation.
• Ask a provocative question.

The use of depression essay example

A good essay example may help you understand how your project must be written. You can find a lot of essay examples online or order a well-written example from a professional writer.

You should read it and analyze what strategies and techniques are used to convey the main ideas and make an impression on readers.

Besides, you can get a better understanding of how you can structure your paper and what transitions you can use to ensure a logical flow of ideas.

Essay on depression: what to cover?

Writing about depression in college essay can involve a lot of different topics, especially those connected with the epidemic of mental disorders in teens.

For example, you may write causes of teenage depression essay and discuss multiple factors that create chemical imbalances in the human brain which may result in mental disorders and lead to such symptoms like anger, irritability, and agitation:

• Biological factors – family history of mental disorders.
• Social factors – loneliness and isolation, lack of meaningful relationships with family or peers.
• Behavioral factors – alcohol or drug abuse.
• Psychological factors – early childhood trauma, recent stressful experiences like a death in the family.

TOP-10 depression essay topics

• Effects of mood disorders on physical health.
• Causes of depression among teens.
• Compare depression and bipolar disorder.
• Neurodegenerative effects of long-term depression.
• Mental disorders and personality changes in adults.
• Impact of psychological stress on mental disorders.
• Teen depression and suicide.
• Depression symptoms in children and adults.
• Are we witnessing an epidemic of serious mood disorders?
• Digital media and mental disorders in children.

Argumentative essay on depression: how to prove you’re right?

Argumentative essay on depression is a more complex task because you need to take a stance and create a convincing argument to persuade your readers and make them accept your point of view or take a specific action.

You need compelling evidence to support your claims and main points.

Consult credible online sources, for example, a website of the American Psychiatric Association, to find some facts or statistics about mental disorders or news about current research on the topic.

Review some statistics which you can use to support your argument.

• According to estimates, about 15% of adults experience depressive episodes in their lifetime.
• About 5% of the US population experience seasonal depression every year.
• The most “depressed” countries in the world are the USA, France, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Colombia.
• Japan has one of the lowest depression rates in the world, but it has one of the highest suicide rates, which is one of the leading causes of death among Japanese teens.
• 4.8% of men and 8.5% of women suffer from depression in the USA.
• The median age of people experiencing a major depressive episode is 32.
• More than 44,000 American commit suicide each year and it’s the 2nd leading cause of death for young people aged from 15 to 24.

Argumentative essay topics about depression

• Is there any correlation between burnout, depression, and anxiety?
• How to deal with a crisis when living with mental disorders?
• Is it common to have both anxiety and depression at the same time?
• Can sleep deprivation cause mental disorders?
• Is there any relationship between the consumption of certain food and mental disorders?
• Can food help with overcoming anxiety?
• Social media obsession and mental health issues.
• Why do a lot of teens struggle with mental disorders?
• Can exercise treat mental health issues?
• How can we tell the difference between grief and depression?

Feel free to choose any of these interesting topics and write your own depression essay.

Although mental disorders are a complicated thing to write about, you are much likely to successfully cope with this challenging task if you follow our easy guidelines.

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434 Depression Essay Titles & Research Topics: Argumentative, Controversial, and More

Depression is undeniably one of the most prevalent mental health conditions globally, affecting approximately 5% of adults worldwide. It often manifests as intense feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and a loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities. Many also experience physical symptoms like fatigue, sleep disturbances, and appetite changes. Recognizing and addressing this mental disorder is extremely important to save lives and treat the condition.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to write an essay about depression and introduce depression essay topics and research titles for students that may be inspirational.

• 🔝 Top Depression Essay Titles
• ✅ Essay Prompts
• 💡 Research Topics
• 🔎 Essay Titles
• 💭 Speech Topics
• 📝 Essay Structure

🔗 References

🔝 top 12 research titles about depression.

• How is depression treated?
• Depression: Risk factors.
• The symptoms of depression.
• What types of depression exist?
• Depression in young people.
• Differences between anxiety and depression.
• The parents’ role in depression therapy.
• Drugs as the root cause of depression.
• Dangerous consequences of untreated depression.
• Effect of long-term depression.
• Different stages of depression.
• Treatment for depression.

✅ Prompts for Essay about Depression

Struggling to find inspiration for your essay? Look no further! We’ve put together some valuable essay prompts on depression just for you!

Prompt for Personal Essay about Depression

Sharing your own experience with depression in a paper can be a good idea. Others may feel more motivated to overcome their situation after reading your story. You can also share valuable advice by discussing things or methods that have personally helped you deal with the condition.

For example, in your essay about depression, you can:

• Tell about the time you felt anxious, hopeless, or depressed;
• Express your opinion on depression based on the experiences from your life;
• Suggest a way of dealing with the initial symptoms of depression ;
• Share your ideas on how to protect mental health at a young age.

How to Overcome Depression: Essay Prompt

Sadness is a common human emotion, but depression encompasses more than just sadness. As reported by the National Institute of Mental Health, around 21 million adults in the United States, roughly 8.4% of the total adult population , faced at least one significant episode of depression in 2020. When crafting your essay about overcoming depression, consider exploring the following aspects:

• Depression in young people and adolescents;
• The main causes of depression;
• The symptoms of depression;
• Ways to treat depression;
• Help from a psychologist (cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy ).

Postpartum Depression: Essay Prompt

The birth of a child often evokes a spectrum of powerful emotions, spanning from exhilaration and happiness to apprehension and unease. It can also trigger the onset of depression. Following childbirth, many new mothers experience postpartum “baby blues,” marked by shifts in mood, bouts of tears, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. To shed light on the subject of postpartum depression, explore the following questions:

• What factors may increase the risk of postpartum depression?
• Is postpartum depression predictable?
• How to prevent postpartum depression?
• What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?
• What kinds of postpartum depression treatments exist?

Prompt for Essay about Teenage Depression

Teenage depression is a mental health condition characterized by sadness and diminishing interest in daily activities. It can significantly impact a teenager’s thoughts, emotions, and behavior, often requiring long-term treatment and support.

By discussing the primary symptoms of teenage depression in your paper, you can raise awareness of the issue and encourage those in need to seek assistance. You can pay attention to the following aspects:

• Emotional changes (feelings of sadness, anger, hopelessness, guilt, etc.);
• Behavioral changes (loss of energy and appetite , less attention to personal hygiene, self-harm, etc.);
• New addictions (drugs, alcohol, computer games, etc.).

💡 Research Topics about Depression

• The role of genetics in depression development.
• The effectiveness of different psychotherapeutic interventions for depression.
• Anti-depression non-pharmacological and medication treatment.
• The impact of childhood trauma on the onset of depression later in life.
• Exploring the efficacy of antidepressant medication in different populations.
• The impact of exercise on depression symptoms and treatment outcomes.
• Mild depression: pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.
• The relationship between sleep disturbances and depression.
• The role of gut microbiota in depression and potential implications for treatment.
• Investigating the impact of social media on depression rates in adolescents.
• Depression, dementia, and delirium in older people .
• The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy in preventing depression relapse.
• The influence of hormonal changes on depression risk.
• Assessing the effectiveness of self-help and digital interventions for depression.
• Herbal and complementary therapies for depression.
• The relationship between personality traits and vulnerability to depression.
• Investigating the long-term consequences of untreated depression on physical health.
• Exploring the link between chronic pain and depression.
• Depression in the elderly male.
• The impact of childhood experiences on depression outcomes in adulthood.
• The use of ketamine and other novel treatments for depression.
• The effect of stigma on depression diagnosis and treatment.
• The conducted family assessment: cases of depression.
• The role of social support in depression recovery.
• The effectiveness of online support groups for individuals with depression.
• Depression and cognitive decline in adults.
• Depression: PICOT question component exploration .
• Exploring the impact of nutrition and dietary patterns on depression symptoms.
• Investigating the efficacy of art-based therapies in depression treatment.
• The role of neuroplasticity in the development and treatment of depression.
• Depression among HIV-positive women.
• The influence of gender on depression prevalence and symptomatology.
• Investigating the impact of workplace factors on depression rates and outcomes.
• The efficacy of family-based interventions in reducing depression symptoms in teenagers.
• Frontline nurses’ burnout, anxiety, depression, and fear statuses.
• The role of early-life stress and adversity in depression vulnerability.
• The impact of various environmental factors on depression rates.
• Exploring the link between depression and cardiovascular health.
• Depression detection in adults in nursing practice.
• Virtual reality as a therapeutic tool for depression treatment.
• Investigating the impact of childhood bullying on depression outcomes.
• The benefits of animal-assisted interventions in depression management.
• Depression and physical exercise.
• The relationship between depression and suicidal behavior.
• The influence of cultural factors on depression symptom expression.
• Investigating the role of epigenetics in depression susceptibility.
• Depression associated with cognitive dysfunction.
• Exploring the impact of adverse trauma on the course of depression.
• The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy in treating depression.
• The relationship between depression and substance use disorders .
• Depression and anxiety among college students.
• Investigating the effectiveness of group therapy for depression.
• Depression and chronic medical conditions.

Psychology Research Topics on Depression

• The influence of early attachment experiences on the development of depression.
• The impact of negative cognitive biases on depression symptomatology.
• Depression treatment plan for a queer patient .
• Examining the relationship between perfectionism and depression.
• The role of self-esteem in depression vulnerability and recovery.
• Exploring the link between maladaptive thinking styles (e.g., rumination, catastrophizing) and depression.
• Investigating the impact of social support on depression outcomes and resilience.
• Identifying depression in young adults at an early stage.
• The influence of parenting styles on the risk of depression in children and adolescents.
• The role of self-criticism and self-compassion in depression treatment.
• Exploring the relationship between identity development and depression in emerging adulthood.
• The role of learned helplessness in understanding depression and its treatment.
• Depression in the elderly.
• Examining the connection between self-efficacy beliefs and depression symptoms.
• The influence of social comparison processes on depression and body image dissatisfaction.
• Exploring the impact of trauma-related disorders on depression.
• The role of resilience factors in buffering against the development of depression.
• Investigating the relationship between personality traits and depression.
• Depression and workplace violence .
• The impact of cultural factors on depression prevalence and symptom presentation.
• Investigating the effects of chronic stress on depression risk.
• The role of coping strategies in depression management and recovery.
• The correlation between discrimination/prejudice and depression/anxiety.
• Exploring the influence of gender norms and societal expectations on depression rates.
• The impact of adverse workplace conditions on employee depression.
• Investigating the effectiveness of narrative therapy in treating depression.
• Cognitive behavior and depression in adolescents .
• Childhood emotional neglect and adult depression.
• The influence of perceived social support on treatment outcomes in depression.
• The effects of childhood bullying on the development of depression.
• The impact of intergenerational transmission of depression within families.
• Depression in children: symptoms and treatments.
• Investigating the link between body dissatisfaction and depression in adolescence.
• The influence of adverse life events and chronic stressors on depression risk.
• The effects of peer victimization on the development of depression in adolescence.
• Counselling clients with depression and addiction.
• The role of experiential avoidance in depression and its treatment.
• The impact of social media use and online interactions on depression rates.
• Depression management in adolescent.
• Exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence and depression symptomatology.
• Investigating the influence of cultural values and norms on depression stigma and help-seeking behavior.
• The effects of childhood maltreatment on neurobiological markers of depression.
• Psychological and emotional conditions of suicide and depression.
• Exploring the relationship between body dissatisfaction and depression.
• The influence of self-worth contingencies on depression vulnerability and treatment response.
• The impact of social isolation and loneliness on depression rates.
• Psychology of depression among college students.
• The effects of perfectionistic self-presentation on depression in college students.
• The role of mindfulness skills in depression prevention and relapse prevention.
• Investigating the influence of adverse neighborhood conditions on depression risk.
• Personality psychology and depression.
• The impact of attachment insecurity on depression symptomatology.

Postpartum Depression Research Topics

• Identifying risk factors for postpartum depression.
• Exploring the role of hormonal changes in postpartum depression.
• “Baby blues” or postpartum depression and evidence-based care .
• The impact of social support on postpartum depression.
• The effectiveness of screening tools for early detection of postpartum depression.
• The relationship between postpartum depression and maternal-infant bonding .
• Postpartum depression educational program results.
• Identifying effective interventions for preventing and treating postpartum depression.
• Examining the impact of cultural factors on postpartum depression rates.
• Investigating the role of sleep disturbances in postpartum depression.
• Depression and postpartum depression relationship.
• Exploring the impact of a traumatic birth experience on postpartum depression.
• Assessing the impact of breastfeeding difficulties on postpartum depression.
• Understanding the role of genetic factors in postpartum depression.
• Postpartum depression: consequences.
• Investigating the impact of previous psychiatric history on postpartum depression risk.
• The potential benefits of exercise on postpartum depression symptoms.
• The efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for postpartum depression.
• Postpartum depression in the twenty-first century.
• The influence of partner support on postpartum depression outcomes.
• Examining the relationship between postpartum depression and maternal self-esteem.
• The impact of postpartum depression on infant development and well-being.
• Maternal mood symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum depression.
• The effectiveness of group therapy for postpartum depression management.
• Identifying the role of inflammation and immune dysregulation in postpartum depression.
• Investigating the impact of childcare stress on postpartum depression.
• Postpartum depression among low-income US mothers.
• The role of postnatal anxiety symptoms in postpartum depression.
• The impact of postpartum depression on the marital relationship.
• The influence of postpartum depression on parenting practices and parental stress.
• Postpartum depression: symptoms, role of cultural factors, and ways to support.
• Investigating the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for postpartum depression.
• The impact of postpartum depression on breastfeeding initiation and continuation.
• The relationship between postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Postpartum depression and its identification.
• The impact of postpartum depression on cognitive functioning and decision-making.
• Investigating the influence of cultural norms and expectations on postpartum depression rates.
• The impact of maternal guilt and shame on postpartum depression symptoms.
• Beck’s postpartum depression theory: purpose, concepts, and significance .
• Understanding the role of attachment styles in postpartum depression vulnerability.
• Investigating the effectiveness of online support groups for women with postpartum depression.
• The impact of socioeconomic factors on postpartum depression prevalence.
• Perinatal depression: research study and design.
• The efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for postpartum depression.
• Investigating the influence of birth spacing on postpartum depression risk.
• The role of trauma history in postpartum depression development.
• The link between the birth experience and postnatal depression.
• How does postpartum depression affect the mother-infant interaction and bonding ?
• The effectiveness of home visiting programs in preventing and managing postpartum depression.
• Assessing the influence of work-related stress on postpartum depression.
• The relationship between postpartum depression and pregnancy-related complications.
• The role of personality traits in postpartum depression vulnerability.

🔎 Depression Essay Titles

Depression essay topics: cause & effect.

• The effects of childhood trauma on the development of depression in adults.
• The impact of social media usage on the prevalence of depression in adolescents.
• “Predictors of Postpartum Depression” by Katon et al.
• The effects of environmental factors on depression rates.
• The relationship between academic pressure and depression among college students.
• The relationship between financial stress and depression.
• The best solution to predict depression because of bullying.
• How does long-term unemployment affect mental health ?
• The effects of unemployment on mental health, particularly the risk of depression.
• The impact of genetics and family history of depression on an individual’s likelihood of developing depression.
• The relationship between depression and substance abuse.
• Child abuse and depression.
• The role of gender in the manifestation and treatment of depression.
• The effects of chronic stress on the development of depression.
• The link between substance abuse and depression.
• Depression among students at Elon University.
• The influence of early attachment styles on an individual’s vulnerability to depression.
• The effects of sleep disturbances on the severity of depression.
• Chronic illness and the risk of developing depression.
• Depression: symptoms and treatment.
• Adverse childhood experiences and the likelihood of experiencing depression in adulthood.
• The relationship between chronic illness and depression.
• The role of negative thinking patterns in the development of depression.
• Effects of depression among adolescents.
• The effects of poor body image and low self-esteem on the prevalence of depression.
• The influence of social support systems on preventing symptoms of depression.
• The effects of child neglect on adult depression rates.
• Depression caused by hormonal imbalance.
• The link between perfectionism and the risk of developing depression.
• The effects of a lack of sleep on depression symptoms.
• The effects of childhood abuse and neglect on the risk of depression.
• Social aspects of depression and anxiety.
• The impact of bullying on the likelihood of experiencing depression.
• The role of serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances in the development of depression.
• The impact of a poor diet on depression rates.
• Depression and anxiety run in the family .
• The effects of childhood poverty and socioeconomic status on depression rates in adults.
• The impact of divorce on depression rates.
• The relationship between traumatic life events and the risk of developing depression.
• The influence of personality traits on susceptibility to depression.
• The impact of workplace stress on depression rates.
• Depression in older adults: causes and treatment.
• The impact of parental depression on children’s mental health outcomes.
• The effects of social isolation on the prevalence and severity of depression.
• The role of cultural factors in the manifestation and treatment of depression.
• The relationship between childhood bullying victimization and future depressive symptoms.
• The impact of early intervention and prevention programs on reducing the risk of postpartum depression.
• Treating mood disorders and depression.
• How do hormonal changes during pregnancy contribute to the development of depression?
• The effects of sleep deprivation on the onset and severity of postpartum depression.
• The impact of social media on depression rates among teenagers.
• The role of genetics in the development of depression.
• The impact of bullying on adolescent depression rates.
• Mental illness, depression, and wellness issues.
• The effects of a sedentary lifestyle on depression symptoms.
• The correlation between academic pressure and depression in students.
• The relationship between perfectionism and depression.
• The correlation between trauma and depression in military veterans.
• Anxiety and depression during childhood and adolescence.
• The impact of racial discrimination on depression rates among minorities.
• The relationship between chronic pain and depression.
• The impact of social comparison on depression rates among young adults.
• The effects of childhood abuse on adult depression rates.

Depression Argumentative Essay Topics

• The role of social media in contributing to depression among teenagers.
• The effectiveness of antidepressant medication: an ongoing debate.
• Depression treatment: therapy or medications?
• Should depression screening be mandatory in schools and colleges?
• Is there a genetic predisposition to depression?
• The stigma surrounding depression: addressing misconceptions and promoting understanding.
• Implementation of depression screening in primary care .
• Is psychotherapy more effective than medication in treating depression?
• Is teenage depression overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed: a critical analysis.
• The connection between depression and substance abuse: untangling the relationship.
• Humanistic therapy of depression .
• Should ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) be a treatment option for severe depression?
• Where is depression more prevalent: in urban or rural communities? Analyzing the disparities.
• Is depression a result of chemical imbalance in the brain? Debunking the myth.
• Depression: a serious mental and behavioral problem.
• Should depression medication be prescribed for children and adolescents?
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in managing depression.
• Should depression in the elderly be considered a normal part of aging?
• Is depression hereditary? Investigating the role of genetics in depression risk.
• Different types of training in managing the symptoms of depression.
• The effectiveness of online therapy platforms in treating depression.
• Should psychedelic therapy be explored as an alternative treatment for depression?
• The connection between depression and cardiovascular health: Is there a link?
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in preventing depression relapse.
• Depression as a bad a clinical condition.
• Should mind-body interventions (e.g., yoga, meditation) be integrated into depression treatment?
• Should emotional support animals be prescribed for individuals with depression?
• The effectiveness of peer support groups in decreasing depression symptoms.
• The use of antidepressants: are they overprescribed or necessary for treating depression?
• Adult depression and anxiety as a complex problem.
• The effectiveness of therapy versus medication in treating depression.
• The stigma surrounding depression and mental illness: how can we reduce it?
• The debate over the legalization of psychedelic drugs for treating depression.
• The relationship between creativity and depression: does one cause the other?
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder and depression.
• The role of childhood trauma in shaping adult depression: Is it always a causal factor?
• The debate over the medicalization of sadness and grief as forms of depression.
• Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or meditation, are effective in treating depression.
• Depression as a widespread mental condition.

Controversial Topics about Depression

• The existence of “chemical imbalance” in depression: fact or fiction?
• The over-reliance on medication in treating depression: are alternatives neglected?
• Is depression overdiagnosed and overmedicated in Western society?
• Measurement of an individual’s level of depression.
• The role of Big Pharma in shaping the narrative and treatment of depression.
• Should antidepressant advertisements be banned?
• The inadequacy of current diagnostic criteria for depression: rethinking the DSM-5.
• Is depression a biological illness or a product of societal factors?
• Literature review on depression .
• The overemphasis on biological factors in depression treatment: ignoring environmental factors.
• Is depression a normal reaction to an abnormal society?
• The influence of cultural norms on the perception and treatment of depression.
• Should children and adolescents be routinely prescribed antidepressants?
• The role of family in depression treatment.
• The connection between depression and creative genius: does depression enhance artistic abilities?
• The ethics of using placebo treatment for depression studies.
• The impact of social and economic inequalities on depression rates.
• Is depression primarily a mental health issue or a social justice issue?
• Depression disassembling and treating.
• Should depression screening be mandatory in the workplace?
• The influence of gender bias in the diagnosis and treatment of depression.
• The controversial role of religion and spirituality in managing depression.
• Is depression a result of individual weakness or societal factors?
• Abnormal psychology: anxiety and depression case .
• The link between depression and obesity: examining the bidirectional relationship.
• The connection between depression and academic performance: causation or correlation?
• Should depression medication be available over the counter?
• The impact of internet and social media use on depression rates: harmful or beneficial?
• Interacting in the workplace: depression.
• Is depression a modern epidemic or simply better diagnosed and identified?
• The ethical considerations of using animals in depression research.
• The effectiveness of psychedelic therapies for treatment-resistant depression.
• Is depression a disability? The debate on workplace accommodations.
• Polysubstance abuse among adolescent males with depression.
• The link between depression and intimate partner violence : exploring the relationship.
• The controversy surrounding “happy” pills and the pursuit of happiness.
• Is depression a choice? Examining the role of personal responsibility.

Good Titles for Depression Essays

• The poetic depictions of depression: exploring its representation in literature.
• The melancholic symphony: the influence of depression on classical music.
• Moderate depression symptoms and treatment.
• Depression in modern music: analyzing its themes and expressions.
• Cultural perspectives on depression: a comparative analysis of attitudes in different countries.
• Contrasting cultural views on depression in Eastern and Western societies.
• Diagnosing depression in the older population.
• The influence of social media on attitudes and perceptions of depression in global contexts.
• Countries with progressive approaches to mental health awareness.
• From taboo to acceptance: the evolution of attitudes towards depression.
• Depression screening tool in acute settings.
• The Bell Jar : analyzing Sylvia Plath’s iconic tale of depression .
• The art of despair: examining Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits as a window into depression.
• The Catcher in the Rye : Holden Caulfield’s battle with adolescent depression.
• Music as therapy: how jazz artists turned depression into art.
• Depression screening tool for a primary care center.
• The Nordic paradox: high depression rates in Scandinavian countries despite high-quality healthcare.
• The Stoic East: how Eastern philosophies approach and manage depression.
• From solitude to solidarity: collective approaches to depression in collectivist cultures.
• The portrayal of depression in popular culture: a critical analysis of movies and TV shows.
• The depression screening training in primary care.
• The impact of social media influencers on depression rates among young adults.
• The role of music in coping with depression: can specific genres or songs help alleviate depressive symptoms?
• The representation of depression in literature: a comparative analysis of classic and contemporary works.
• The use of art as a form of self-expression and therapy for individuals with depression.
• Depression management guidelines implementation.
• The role of religion in coping with depression: Christian and Buddhist practices.
• The representation of depression in the video game Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice .
• The role of nature in coping with depression: can spending time outdoors help alleviate depressive symptoms?
• The effectiveness of dance/movement therapy in treating depression among older adults.
• The National Institute for Health: depression management.
• The portrayal of depression in stand-up comedy: a study of comedians like Maria Bamford and Chris Gethard.
• The role of spirituality in coping with depression: Islamic and Hindu practices .
• The portrayal of depression in animated movies : an analysis of Inside Out and The Lion King .
• The representation of depression by fashion designers like Alexander McQueen and Rick Owens.
• Depression screening in primary care .
• The portrayal of depression in documentaries: an analysis of films like The Bridge and Happy Valley .
• The effectiveness of wilderness therapy in treating depression among adolescents.
• The connection between creativity and depression: how art can help heal.
• The role of Buddhist and Taoist practices in coping with depression.
• Mild depression treatment research funding sources.
• The portrayal of depression in podcasts: an analysis of the show The Hilarious World of Depression .
• The effectiveness of drama therapy in treating depression among children and adolescents.
• The representation of depression in the works of Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch.
• Depression in young people: articles review.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and its relationship with depression.
• The role of humor in coping with depression: a study of comedians like Ellen DeGeneres.
• The portrayal of depression in webcomics: an analysis of the comics Hyperbole and a Half .
• The effect of social media on mental health stigma and its relationship with depression.
• Depression and the impact of human services workers.
• The masked faces: hiding depression in highly individualistic societies.

💭 Depression Speech Topics

Informative speech topics about depression.

• Different types of depression and their symptoms.
• The causes of depression: biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
• How depression and physical issues are connected.
• The prevalence of depression in different age groups and demographics.
• The link between depression and anxiety disorders.
• Physical health: The effects of untreated depression.
• The role of genetics in predisposing individuals to depression.
• What you need to know about depression.
• How necessary is early intervention in treating depression?
• The effectiveness of medication in treating depression.
• The role of exercise in managing depressive symptoms.
• Depression in later life: overview.
• The relationship between substance abuse and depression.
• The impact of trauma on depression rates and treatment.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in managing depressive symptoms.
• Enzymes conversion and metabolites in major depression.
• The benefits and drawbacks of electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression.
• The effect of gender and cultural norms on depression rates and treatment.
• The effectiveness of alternative therapies for depression, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies.
• The importance of self-care in managing depression.
• Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and peritraumatic dissociation.
• The role of support systems in managing depression.
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating depression.
• The benefits and drawbacks of online therapy for depression.
• The role of spirituality in managing depression.
• Depression among minority groups.
• The benefits and drawbacks of residential treatment for severe depression.
• What is the relationship between childhood trauma and adult depression?
• How effective is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for treatment-resistant depression?
• The benefits and drawbacks of art therapy for depression.
• Mood disorder: depression and bipolar.
• The impact of social media on depression rates.
• The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating depression.
• Depression in older people.
• The impact of seasonal changes on depression rates and treatment options.
• The impact of depression on daily life and relationships, and strategies for coping with the condition.
• The stigma around depression and the importance of seeking help.

Persuasive Speech Topics about Depression

• How important is it to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression ?
• How do you support a loved one who is struggling with depression?
• The importance of mental health education in schools to prevent and manage depression.
• Social media: the rise of depression and anxiety .
• Is there a need to increase funding for mental health research to develop better treatments for depression?
• Addressing depression in minority communities: overcoming barriers and disparities.
• The benefits of including alternative therapies, such as yoga and meditation, in depression treatment plans.
• Challenging media portrayals of depression: promoting accurate representations.
• Two sides of depression disease.
• How social media affects mental health: the need for responsible use to prevent depression.
• The importance of early intervention: addressing depression in schools and colleges.
• The benefits of seeking professional help for depression.
• There is a need for better access to mental health care, including therapy and medication, for those suffering from depression.
• Depression in adolescents and suitable interventions.
• How do you manage depression while in college or university?
• The role of family and friends in supporting loved ones with depression and encouraging them to seek help.
• The benefits of mindfulness and meditation for depression.
• The link between sleep and depression, and how to improve sleep habits.
• How do you manage depression while working a high-stress job?
• Approaches to treating depression.
• How do you manage depression during pregnancy and postpartum?
• The importance of prioritizing employee mental health and providing resources for managing depression in the workplace.
• How should you manage depression while caring for a loved one with a chronic illness?
• How to manage depression while dealing with infertility or pregnancy loss.
• Andrew Solomon: why we can’t talk about depression.
• Destigmatizing depression: promoting mental health awareness and understanding.
• Raising funds for depression research: investing in mental health advances.
• The power of peer support: establishing peer-led programs for depression.
• Accessible mental health services: ensuring treatment for all affected by depression.
• Evidence-based screening for depression in acute care.
• The benefits of journaling for mental health: putting your thoughts on paper to heal.
• The power of positivity: changing your mindset to fight depression .
• The healing power of gratitude in fighting depression.
• The connection between diet and depression: eating well can improve your mood.
• Teen depression and suicide in Soto’s The Afterlife .
• The benefits of therapy for depression: finding professional help to heal.
• The importance of setting realistic expectations when living with depression.

📝 How to Write about Depression: Essay Structure

We’ve prepared some tips and examples to help you structure your essay and communicate your ideas.

Essay about Depression: Introduction

An introduction is the first paragraph of an essay. It plays a crucial role in engaging the reader, offering the context, and presenting the central theme.

A good introduction typically consists of 3 components:

• Hook. The hook captures readers’ attention and encourages them to continue reading.
• Background information. Background information provides context for the essay.
• Thesis statement. A thesis statement expresses the essay’s primary idea or central argument.

Hook : Depression is a widespread mental illness affecting millions worldwide.

Background information : Depression affects your emotions, thoughts, and behavior. If you suffer from depression, engaging in everyday tasks might become arduous, and life may appear devoid of purpose or joy.

Depression Essay Thesis Statement

A good thesis statement serves as an essay’s road map. It expresses the author’s point of view on the issue in 1 or 2 sentences and presents the main argument.

Thesis statement : The stigma surrounding depression and other mental health conditions can discourage people from seeking help, only worsening their symptoms.

Essays on Depression: Body Paragraphs

The main body of the essay is where you present your arguments. An essay paragraph includes the following:

• a topic sentence,
• evidence to back up your claim,
• explanation of why the point is essential to the argument;
• a link to the next paragraph.

Topic sentence : Depression is a complex disorder that requires a personalized treatment approach, comprising both medication and therapy.

Evidence : Medication can be prescribed by a healthcare provider or a psychiatrist to relieve the symptoms. Additionally, practical strategies for managing depression encompass building a support system, setting achievable goals, and practicing self-care.

Depression Essay: Conclusion

The conclusion is the last part of your essay. It helps you leave a favorable impression on the reader.

The perfect conclusion includes 3 elements:

• Rephrased thesis statement.
• Summary of the main points.
• Final opinion on the topic.

Rephrased thesis: In conclusion, overcoming depression is challenging because it involves a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and environmental factors that affect an individual’s mental well-being.

Summary: Untreated depression heightens the risk of engaging in harmful behaviors such as substance abuse and can also result in negative thought patterns, diminished self-esteem, and distorted perceptions of reality.

We hope you’ve found our article helpful and learned some new information. If so, feel free to share it with your friends. You can also try our free online topic generator !

• Pain, anxiety, and depression – Harvard Health | Harvard Health Publishing
• Depression-related increases and decreases in appetite reveal dissociable patterns of aberrant activity in reward and interoceptive neurocircuitry – PMC | National Library of Medicine
• How to Get Treatment for Postpartum Depression – The New York Times
• What Is Background Information and What Purpose Does It Serve? | Indeed.com
• Thesis | Harvard College Writing Center
• Topic Sentences: How Do You Write a Great One? | Grammarly Blog

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Essay on Depression

Students are often asked to write an essay on Depression in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Depression

Understanding depression.

Depression is a mental health condition that affects a person’s mood. It’s more than just feeling sad or upset. People with depression may feel hopeless, lose interest in things they used to enjoy, and struggle with daily tasks.

Causes of Depression

Depression can be caused by various factors. These include biological changes in the brain, genetics, personal life experiences, and certain medications. It’s important to remember that it’s not a sign of weakness or a character flaw.

Recognizing Depression

Depression can appear differently in different people. Some might feel constantly sad, while others might lose interest in activities. It can also cause physical symptoms like changes in appetite or sleep patterns.

Treating Depression

Depression is treatable. Treatments include therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes like regular exercise and a healthy diet. It’s crucial to seek help if you or someone you know is showing signs of depression.

250 Words Essay on Depression

Depression, a common yet serious mental health disorder, is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities. It affects individuals differently, leading to a variety of physical and emotional problems.

Causes and Risk Factors

Depression is a complex disorder with multiple contributing factors. Genetics play a significant role; individuals with a family history of depression are more likely to experience it. Environmental factors, such as exposure to violence, neglect, abuse, or poverty, also increase the risk. Personal characteristics, like low self-esteem or being overly dependent, self-critical, or pessimistic, can make individuals more prone to depression.

Impact on Life

Depression drastically impacts life quality. It can lead to social isolation, problems at work or school, and relationship difficulties. In severe cases, it can cause suicidal thoughts or actions, underlining the importance of seeking professional help.

Treatment and Management

Depression is treatable with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), and problem-solving therapy are effective therapeutic approaches. Antidepressants can also help manage symptoms. Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep, are crucial for managing depression.

Depression is a significant global health issue that requires understanding, empathy, and awareness. By acknowledging its complexity and impact, we can foster an environment that supports mental health and well-being.

500 Words Essay on Depression

Introduction: unveiling depression.

Depression, a common and serious mental health disorder, is often characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities. It is a complex condition that not only affects the individual’s mental state but also their physical health, often leading to a myriad of complications if left untreated.

Understanding the Causes

Depression is multifactorial, with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to its development. It is believed that a combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental stressors like trauma, loss of a loved one, or a difficult relationship can trigger changes in brain function and structure, leading to depression. Neurotransmitters, chemicals that facilitate communication between nerve cells, are also implicated in the pathogenesis of depression.

Manifestations of Depression

Depression manifests in various forms. Major Depressive Disorder, the most common, is characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness or a lack of interest in outside stimuli. There’s also Persistent Depressive Disorder, a chronic form of depression where an individual experiences symptoms for at least two years. Other forms include Postpartum Depression, experienced after childbirth, and Seasonal Affective Disorder, which typically occurs during winter.

Impact on Daily Life

Depression significantly impairs an individual’s ability to function in their daily life. It affects their productivity at work or school, disrupts their relationships, and reduces their overall quality of life. It also increases the risk of other serious conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. In severe cases, depression can lead to suicidal ideation or attempts, making it a potentially life-threatening condition.

Depression and Stigma

Depression is generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) are effective treatment modalities. Antidepressants can also help regulate brain chemistry and alleviate symptoms. However, treatment is highly individualized, and what works for one person may not work for another.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

Depression is a pervasive and debilitating condition that requires our urgent attention. By increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to treatment, we can ensure that those suffering from depression receive the help they need. As a society, we must strive to understand and empathize with those battling depression, encouraging them to seek help without fear of judgement. Only then can we hope to truly combat this global mental health crisis.

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Mental Health Essay

Introduction

Mental health, often overshadowed by its physical counterpart, is an intricate and essential aspect of human existence. It envelops our emotions, psychological state, and social well-being, shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and interactions. With the complexities of modern life—constant connectivity, societal pressures, personal expectations, and the frenzied pace of technological advancements—mental well-being has become increasingly paramount. Historically, conversations around this topic have been hushed, shrouded in stigma and misunderstanding. However, as the curtains of misconception slowly lift, we find ourselves in an era where discussions about mental health are not only welcomed but are also seen as vital. Recognizing and addressing the nuances of our mental state is not merely about managing disorders; it's about understanding the essence of who we are, how we process the world around us, and how we navigate the myriad challenges thrown our way. This essay aims to delve deep into the realm of mental health, shedding light on its importance, the potential consequences of neglect, and the spectrum of mental disorders that many face in silence.

Importance of Mental Health

Mental health plays a pivotal role in determining how individuals think, feel, and act. It influences our decision-making processes, stress management techniques, interpersonal relationships, and even our physical health. A well-tuned mental state boosts productivity, creativity, and the intrinsic sense of self-worth, laying the groundwork for a fulfilling life.

Negative Impact of Mental Health

Neglecting mental health, on the other hand, can lead to severe consequences. Reduced productivity, strained relationships, substance abuse, physical health issues like heart diseases, and even reduced life expectancy are just some of the repercussions of poor mental health. It not only affects the individual in question but also has a ripple effect on their community, workplace, and family.

Mental Disorders: Types and Prevalence

Mental disorders are varied and can range from anxiety and mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder to more severe conditions such as schizophrenia.

• Depression: Characterized by persistent sadness, lack of interest in activities, and fatigue.
• Anxiety Disorders: Encompass conditions like generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and specific phobias.
• Schizophrenia: A complex disorder affecting a person's ability to think, feel, and behave clearly.

The prevalence of these disorders has been on the rise, underscoring the need for comprehensive mental health initiatives and awareness campaigns.

Understanding Mental Health and Its Importance

Mental health is not merely the absence of disorders but encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Recognizing the signs of deteriorating mental health, like prolonged sadness, extreme mood fluctuations, or social withdrawal, is crucial. Understanding stems from awareness and education. Societal stigmas surrounding mental health have often deterred individuals from seeking help. Breaking these barriers, fostering open conversations, and ensuring access to mental health care are imperative steps.

Conclusion: Mental Health

Mental health, undeniably, is as significant as physical health, if not more. In an era where the stressors are myriad, from societal pressures to personal challenges, mental resilience and well-being are essential. Investing time and resources into mental health initiatives, and more importantly, nurturing a society that understands, respects, and prioritizes mental health is the need of the hour.

• World Leaders: Several influential personalities, from celebrities to sports stars, have openly discussed their mental health challenges, shedding light on the universality of these issues and the importance of addressing them.
• Workplaces: Progressive organizations are now incorporating mental health programs, recognizing the tangible benefits of a mentally healthy workforce, from increased productivity to enhanced creativity.
• Educational Institutions: Schools and colleges, witnessing the effects of stress and other mental health issues on students, are increasingly integrating counseling services and mental health education in their curriculum.

In weaving through the intricate tapestry of mental health, it becomes evident that it's an area that requires collective attention, understanding, and action.

  Short Essay about Mental Health

Mental health, an integral facet of human well-being, shapes our emotions, decisions, and daily interactions. Just as one would care for a sprained ankle or a fever, our minds too require attention and nurture. In today's bustling world, mental well-being is often put on the back burner, overshadowed by the immediate demands of life. Yet, its impact is pervasive, influencing our productivity, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Sadly, mental health issues have long been stigmatized, seen as a sign of weakness or dismissed as mere mood swings. However, they are as real and significant as any physical ailment. From anxiety to depression, these disorders have touched countless lives, often in silence due to societal taboos.

But change is on the horizon. As awareness grows, conversations are shifting from hushed whispers to open discussions, fostering understanding and support. Institutions, workplaces, and communities are increasingly acknowledging the importance of mental health, implementing programs, and offering resources.

In conclusion, mental health is not a peripheral concern but a central one, crucial to our holistic well-being. It's high time we prioritize it, eliminating stigma and fostering an environment where everyone feels supported in their mental health journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the primary focus of a mental health essay?

Answer: The primary focus of a mental health essay is to delve into the intricacies of mental well-being, its significance in our daily lives, the various challenges people face, and the broader societal implications. It aims to shed light on both the psychological and emotional aspects of mental health, often emphasizing the importance of understanding, empathy, and proactive care.

• How can writing an essay on mental health help raise awareness about its importance?

Answer: Writing an essay on mental health can effectively articulate the nuances and complexities of the topic, making it more accessible to a wider audience. By presenting facts, personal anecdotes, and research, the essay can demystify misconceptions, highlight the prevalence of mental health issues, and underscore the need for destigmatizing discussions around it. An impactful essay can ignite conversations, inspire action, and contribute to a more informed and empathetic society.

• What are some common topics covered in a mental health essay?

Answer: Common topics in a mental health essay might include the definition and importance of mental health, the connection between mental and physical well-being, various mental disorders and their symptoms, societal stigmas and misconceptions, the impact of modern life on mental health, and the significance of therapy and counseling. It may also delve into personal experiences, case studies, and the broader societal implications of neglecting mental health.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, college essay on depression.

I've been dealing with depression for a while and I feel like it's played a big part in shaping who I am today. Is it a good idea to write my college essay about it? Will admissions officers view it negatively? Any insights would be appreciated.

Writing about depression in your college essay can be a powerful and meaningful way to share your personal experiences and reflect on your growth. However, it's essential to approach the topic thoughtfully and carefully, as mental health is a sensitive subject.

1. Focus on growth and resilience: Instead of primarily describing your struggles with depression, emphasize how you've navigated those challenges and grown as a result. Discuss coping strategies, support systems, and other positive changes you've made that have helped you move forward.

2. Show self-awareness: Demonstrate an understanding of your situation and acknowledge your progress, while still recognizing that recovering from depression is an ongoing journey. This can give college admissions officers a sense of maturity and emotional intelligence on your part.

3. Keep it relevant to your college goals: Connect your experiences with depression to your educational and career aspirations. Perhaps overcoming depression has influenced your choice of major, or it has motivated you to engage in volunteer work or other extracurricular activities.

4. Seek feedback from trusted individuals: Ask someone you trust, like a teacher or counselor, to review your essay and provide input. Their perspectives can ensure that you're discussing depression sensitively and that your essay is appropriate for college admissions officers.

5. Be cautious of oversharing: While it's important to be genuine and authentic, avoid revealing deeply personal or disturbing details about your mental health struggles. Some admissions officers may not be comfortable with this level of disclosure, and it could overshadow your accomplishments and other positive aspects of your application.

In summary, writing about depression in your college essay is a personal choice. If you can present your experiences in a thoughtful, growth-focused manner, and connect your journey to your future goals, then it may be a powerful and effective essay topic. However, always consider seeking feedback from trusted individuals to ensure you are addressing the topic appropriately.

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7 Depression Research Paper Topic Ideas

In psychology classes, it's common for students to write a depression research paper. Researching depression may be beneficial if you have a personal interest in this topic and want to learn more, or if you're simply passionate about this mental health issue. However, since depression is a very complex subject, it offers many possible topics to focus on, which may leave you wondering where to begin.

If this is how you feel, here are a few research titles about depression to help inspire your topic choice. You can use these suggestions as actual research titles about depression, or you can use them to lead you to other more in-depth topics that you can look into further for your depression research paper.

What Is Depression?

Everyone experiences times when they feel a little bit blue or sad. This is a normal part of being human. Depression, however, is a medical condition that is quite different from everyday moodiness.

Your depression research paper may explore the basics, or it might delve deeper into the  definition of clinical depression  or the  difference between clinical depression and sadness .

What Research Says About the Psychology of Depression

Studies suggest that there are biological, psychological, and social aspects to depression, giving you many different areas to consider for your research title about depression.

Types of Depression

There are several different types of depression  that are dependent on how an individual's depression symptoms manifest themselves. Depression symptoms may vary in severity or in what is causing them. For instance, major depressive disorder (MDD) may have no identifiable cause, while postpartum depression is typically linked to pregnancy and childbirth.

Depressive symptoms may also be part of an illness called bipolar disorder. This includes fluctuations between depressive episodes and a state of extreme elation called mania. Bipolar disorder is a topic that offers many research opportunities, from its definition and its causes to associated risks, symptoms, and treatment.

Causes of Depression

The possible causes of depression are many and not yet well understood. However, it most likely results from an interplay of genetic vulnerability  and environmental factors. Your depression research paper could explore one or more of these causes and reference the latest research on the topic.

For instance, how does an imbalance in brain chemistry or poor nutrition relate to depression? Is there a relationship between the stressful, busier lives of today's society and the rise of depression? How can grief or a major medical condition lead to overwhelming sadness and depression?

Who Is at Risk for Depression?

This is a good research question about depression as certain risk factors may make a person more prone to developing this mental health condition, such as a family history of depression, adverse childhood experiences, stress , illness, and gender . This is not a complete list of all risk factors, however, it's a good place to start.

The growing rate of depression in children, teenagers, and young adults is an interesting subtopic you can focus on as well. Whether you dive into the reasons behind the increase in rates of depression or discuss the treatment options that are safe for young people, there is a lot of research available in this area and many unanswered questions to consider.

Depression Signs and Symptoms

The signs of depression are those outward manifestations of the illness that a doctor can observe when they examine a patient. For example, a lack of emotional responsiveness is a visible sign. On the other hand, symptoms are subjective things about the illness that only the patient can observe, such as feelings of guilt or sadness.

An illness such as depression is often invisible to the outside observer. That is why it is very important for patients to make an accurate accounting of all of their symptoms so their doctor can diagnose them properly. In your depression research paper, you may explore these "invisible" symptoms of depression in adults or explore how depression symptoms can be different in children .

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

This is another good depression research topic because, in some ways, the diagnosis of depression is more of an art than a science. Doctors must generally rely upon the patient's set of symptoms and what they can observe about them during their examination to make a diagnosis. 

While there are certain  laboratory tests that can be performed to rule out other medical illnesses as a cause of depression, there is not yet a definitive test for depression itself.

If you'd like to pursue this topic, you may want to start with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The fifth edition, known as DSM-5, offers a very detailed explanation that guides doctors to a diagnosis. You can also compare the current model of diagnosing depression to historical methods of diagnosis—how have these updates improved the way depression is treated?

Treatment Options for Depression

The first choice for depression treatment is generally an antidepressant medication. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most popular choice because they can be quite effective and tend to have fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is another effective and common choice. It is especially efficacious when combined with antidepressant therapy. Certain other treatments, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), are most commonly used for patients who do not respond to more common forms of treatment.

Focusing on one of these treatments is an option for your depression research paper. Comparing and contrasting several different types of treatment can also make a good research title about depression.

A Word From Verywell

The topic of depression really can take you down many different roads. When making your final decision on which to pursue in your depression research paper, it's often helpful to start by listing a few areas that pique your interest.

From there, consider doing a little preliminary research. You may come across something that grabs your attention like a new study, a controversial topic you didn't know about, or something that hits a personal note. This will help you narrow your focus, giving you your final research title about depression.

Remes O, Mendes JF, Templeton P. Biological, psychological, and social determinants of depression: A review of recent literature . Brain Sci . 2021;11(12):1633. doi:10.3390/brainsci11121633

National Institute of Mental Health. Depression .

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition . American Psychiatric Association.

National Institute of Mental Health. Mental health medications .

Ferri, F. F. (2019). Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2020 E-Book: 5 Books in 1 . Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences.

By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be.  

Essay On Depression: Causes, Symptoms And Effects

Our life is full of emotional ups and downs, but when the time of down lasts too long or influences our ability to function, in this case, probably, you suffer from common serious illness, which is called depression. Clinical depression affects your mood, thinking process, your body and behaviour. According to the researches, in the United States about 19 million people, i.e. one in ten adults, annually suffer from depression, and about 2/3 of them do not get necessary help. An appropriate treatment can alleviate symptoms of depression in more than 80% of such cases. However, since depression is usually not recognized, it continues to cause unnecessary suffering.

Depression is a disease that dominates you and weakens your body, it influences men as well as women, but women experience depression about two times more often than men.

Since this issue is very urgent nowadays, we decided to write this cause and effect essay on depression to attract the public attention one more time to this problem. I hope it will be informative and instructive for you. If you are interested in reading essays on similar or any other topic, you should visit our website . There you will find not only various essays, but also you can get help in essay writing . All you need is to contact our team, and everything else we will do for you.

Depression is a strong psychological disorder, from which usually suffers not only a patients, but also his / hers family, relatives, friends etc.

General information

More often depression develops on the basis of stress or prolonged traumatic situation. Frequently depressive disorders hide under the guise of a bad mood or temper features. In order to prevent severe consequences it is important to figure out how and why depression begins.

Symptoms and causes of depression

As a rule, depression develops slowly and insensibly for a person and for his close ones. At the initial stage most of people are not aware about their illness, because they think that many symptoms are just the features of their personality. Experiencing inner discomfort, which can be difficult to express in words, people do not ask for professional help, as a rule. They usually go to doctor at the moment, when the disease is already firmly holds the patient causing unbearable suffering.

Risk factors for depression:

• being female;
• the presence of depression in family anamnesis;
• early depression in anamnesis;
• early loss of parents;
• the experience of violence in anamnesis;
• personal features;
• stressors (parting, guilt);
• alcohol / drug addiction;
• neurological diseases (Parkinson's disease, apoplexy).

Signs of depression

Depression influences negatively all the aspects of human life. Inadequate psychological defense mechanisms, in their turn, affect destructively not only psychological, but also biological processes.

The first signs of depression are apathy, not depending on the circumstances, indifference to everything what is going on, weakening of motor activity; these are the main clinical symptoms of depression . If their combination is observed for more than two weeks, urgent professional help is required.

Psychological symptoms:

• depressed mood, unhappiness;
• loss of interest, reduced motivation, loss of energy;
• self-doubt, guilt, inner emptiness;
• decrease in speed of thinking, inability to make decisions;
• anxiety, fear and pessimism about the future;
• daily fluctuations;
• possible delirium;
• suicidal thoughts.

Somatic symptoms:

• vital disorders;
• disturbed sleep (early waking, oversleeping);
• eating disorders;
• constipation;
• feeling of tightness of the skull, dizziness, feeling of compression;
• vegetative symptoms.

Causes of depression

It is accepted to think in modern psychiatry that the development of depression, as well as most of other mental disorders, requires the combined effect of three factors: psychological, biological and social.

Psychological factor (“Personality structure”)

There are three types of personality especially prone to depression:

1) “Statothymic personality” that is characterized by exaggerated conscientiousness, diligence, accuracy;

2) Melancholic personality type with its desire for order, constancy, pedantry, exessive demands on itself;

3) Hyperthymic type of personality that is characterized by self-doubt, frequent worries, with obviously low self-esteem.

People, whose organism biologically tends to depression development, due to education and other social environmental factors form such personality features, which in adverse social situations, especially while chronic stress, cause failure of psychological adaptation mechanisms, skills to deal with stress or lack of coping strategies.

Such people are characterized by:

• lack of confidence in their own abilities;
• excessive secrecy and isolation;
• excessive self-critical attitude towards yourself;
• waiting for the support of the close ones;
• developed pessimism;
• inability to resist stress situations;
• emotional expressiveness.

Biological factor:

• the presence of unfavorable heredity;
• somatic and neurological head injury that violated brain activity;
• changes in the hormonal system;
• chronobiological factors: seasonal depressive disorders, daily fluctuations, shortening of REM sleep;
• side effects of some medications.
• Heredity and family tendency to depression play significant role in predisposition to this disease. It is noticed that relatives of those who suffer from depression usually have different psychosomatic disorders.

Social factor:

• the presence of frequent stress situations, chronic stress;
• adverse family relationships;
• adverse childhood experience, the absence of tenderness from parents, ill-treatment and sexual harassment, interpersonal loss, severe methods of education, negative childhood memories;
• urbanization;
• significant changes in the life;
• population migration;
• increased lifetime.

People in a state of chronic stress suffer from depression more often. If some acute stress situation happens during the period of chronic stress, the probability of depression symptoms development increases.

If you decide to fight the depression, remember that you are not alone! Every fifth person in the world at least once in the life experienced depression. If you notice the signs of depression that disturb you for more than two weeks, you should go to the specialist.

Do not delay visit, in this case time does not heal. The professionalism of the doctors and a complex program of treatment will help to get rid of any kind of depression.

Where to go for help

If you do not where to go for help, ask your family physician, obstetrician, gynecologist or the clinic. In an emergency situation, the emergency doctor can provide temporary help for patients with emotional problems and give them an advice where and how they can ask for the further help.

Here is the list of people and organizations that can diagnose and suggest a course of treatment, or can give a direction to the examination and treatment.

• Family doctors.
• Such specialists as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and consultants on mental health.
• Health maintenance organizations.
• Local centers for the treatment of mental illness.
• The Department of Psychiatry in hospitals and outpatient clinics.
• Programs at universities and medical schools.
• Family assistance services and social services departments.
• Private clinics and institutions.
• Care centers in the workplace.
• Local health and (or) mental health communities.

It is very important in depressive episode treatment to understand that this is depression of a certain person, do not make attempts to excessive generalization of symptoms and factors of disease development. It requires personal approach to each patient.

So, as you can see, depression is a serious disease that requires professional treatment. If you manage to recognize the signs of depression at its early stage and ask for professional help, you can successfully overcome this problem. I hope this essay about depression was useful for you, and you got what you were looking for.

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Should you discuss mental health issues in your college essay?

by Erica L. Meltzer | Oct 20, 2018 | Blog , College Essays | 6 comments

Image ©Nickshot, Adobe Stock

Note, January 2022: This post was written in 2018, before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Obviously, many things have changed since then, not least the amount of psychological pressure that many high school students have experienced. Clearly, some of the boundaries and expectations surrounding acceptable/advisable topics for admissions essays have shifted, and applicants undoubtedly have more leeway in discussing mental-health issues than they did in the past. That said, I would still caution against making this subject the exclusive focus of your essay(s). If it happens to be relevant—and it very well might be, given the events of the last couple of years— then you should focus on discussing it in a mature way that conveys qualities such as empathy and resilience, and that demonstrates your ability to reflect insightfully on what may have been very difficult situations.  

As regular readers of my blog may know, I periodically trawl the forums over at College Confidential to see what’s trending. Recently, I’ve noticed a concerning uptick in the number of students asking whether it’s appropriate for them to write about mental health issues, most frequently ADD and/or anxiety, in their college applications.

So the short answer: don’t do it.

The slightly longer version:

If you’re concerned about a drop in grades or an inconsistent transcript, talk to your guidance counselor. If these types of issues are addressed, the GC’s letter is the most appropriate place for them. If, for any reason, the GC is unable/unwilling to discuss them and the issues had a significant impact on your performance in school that unequivocally requires explanation, you can put a brief, matter of fact note in the “is there any additional information you’d like us to know?” section, but think very carefully about how you present it. Do not write your main essay about the issue.

The full version:

To understand why these topics should generally be avoided, you need to understand what information colleges are actually seeking to gain from the personal statement. Although it is technically a personal narrative, it is, in a sense, also a persuasive essay: its purpose is to convey what sets you apart from the thousands of others with equally good grades and scores, and to suggest whether you have qualities that make you more likely to thrive at university x than the other 10 or 15 or even 20 applicants clamoring for that spot.

Now, whether such thing can actually be determined from 650 words (with which some students receive significant help) is of course questionable; however, the bottom line is that, adcoms are looking for students who will be successful in college. Discussing one’s inability to focus or intense aversion to social situations does not exactly inspire confidence, even if a student insists those problems have been overcome. Leaving home, dealing with professors and roommates and more challenging classes… Those are all major stressors. There is a tacit understanding that of course some students will flame out, have breakdowns, etc., but adcoms are understandably hesitant to admit anyone who is already at a higher risk for those issues. You want them to be excited about the prospect of admitting you, not debate whether you’ll really be able to handle college. (In fact, I had multiple students with various issues who were not truly ready for college and who did flame out — colleges have good reason to take these things seriously.)

This concern goes beyond any particular student’s well-being: graduation rates get factored into rankings, and every student who doesn’t make it through drags that statistic just a little bit lower. If a student does develop serious problems while on campus, there are also potential legal/liability issues involved, and no school wants to deliberately court those.

Besides, if your grades are iffy, it is extremely difficult not to sound as if you are making excuses. You are much better off talking about an experience or interest that will make them look past the transcript and think, “Hey, I really like this kid.” And the reality is that if your grades are that iffy, you’re probably not a competitive candidate at super-selective colleges anyway. These schools are looking for applicants who are on the way to fulfilling their potential, not for ones who need to explain away chronic underachievement.

In addition, one thing applicants — and sometimes their parents — have difficulty wrapping their heads around is the sheer number of applications the average admissions officer has encountered. Situations that may seem extreme and dramatic to adolescents who have recently confronted them may in fact have already been experienced — and written about — by thousands of other applicants. A 17-year old may believe that describing their anxiety in morbid detail will make them seem complex and introspective, but more likely it will only come off as overwrought and trite.

I know that might sound harsh, but please remember that admissions officers are coming at this process with no pre-existing knowledge of you as a person, only a few minutes to spend on your essay, and hundreds of other applications to get through. They are also under intense pressure to ensure that the appropriate demographics targets are being met and all the various institutional constituencies (coaches, development office, orchestra conductor) are being satisfied. They’re not ogres, and they’ll try to give you the benefit of the doubt, but if yours is the fifth essay about overcoming anxiety they’ve seen in the last 48 hours, they will look at it and reflexively think, “oh, another one of these.” That is not a first impression you want to make.

Now, are there exceptions? Yes, of course, but they are rare. In all the time I did college admissions work, I had exactly one student successfully discuss anxiety in an essay. It was, however, introduced in the context of a family tragedy that had profoundly shaped the student’s life; given that background, the discussion seemed natural and matter of fact rather than overdramatized. Even so, I made the student take a good week to think about whether that topic was truly the one they wanted to write about.

Ultimately, of course, the decision is yours, and the choice depends on the larger story you want to tell as well as your ability as a writer, but these topics are so difficult to pull off well that you are best off avoiding them if you can (particularly if you don’t have access to someone with a lot of admissions experience who can review your essay). Find another topic/ experience that you enjoy writing about (and that others are likely to enjoy reading about); that presents you as someone interesting and thoughtful; and that suggest you are ready to thrive in college.

If you really are concerned about your ability to function in college, most schools have plenty of resources for you to take advantage of (academic support, counseling center, etc.). But those are things to investigate after you get admitted. Before that, don’t go out of your way to fly red flags where none are warranted.

Why is Dyslexia ok to mention on an essay, but overcoming selective mutism is not?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that lends itself to proof that it has been overcome through excellent scores in reading and writing. It’s not easy to overcome or cope with dyslexia so an essay showing how a student did it demonstrates their tenacity and resourcefulness. Grades and scores are proof that the dyslexia will not be a problem in college, while the essay can highlight the characteristics that led to the student’s success and which will serve them well in college.

I wrote about how my dog helped me overcome me ending my life/depression and moving to another school is that too common

Thanks for the tips and perspective. It seems like common sense to me as a parent and tutor, but now I have an “established author” to cite!

I want to write about how depression had change me. But my grades and statistics are all great. Is this okay to write? My bad mental health somehow didn’t manage to get to the others parts of my life.

Is it okay to write about how despite psychosis I could manage to get good grades?

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Anxiety Disorders and Depression Essay (Critical Writing)

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Description section, feelings section, action plan, reference list.

Human beings become anxious in different situations that are uncertain to them. Depression and anxiety occur at a similar time. Anxiety is caused due to an overwhelming fear of an expected occurrence of an event that is unclear to a person. More than 25 million people globally are affected by anxiety disorders. People feel anxious in moments such as when making important decisions, before facing an interview panel, and before taking tests. Anxiety disorders are normally brained reactions to stress as they alert a person of impending danger. Most people feel sad and low due to disappointments. Feelings normally overwhelm a person leading to depression, especially during sad moments such as losing a loved one or divorce. When people are depressed, they engage in reckless behaviors such as drug abuse that affect them physically and emotionally. However, depression manifests in different forms in both men and women. Research shows that more women are depressed compared to men. This essay reflects on anxiety disorders and depression regarding from a real-life experience extracted from a publication.

“Every year almost 20% of the general population suffers from a common mental disorder, such as depression or an anxiety disorder” (Cuijpers et al. 2016, p.245). I came across a publication by Madison Jo Sieminski available who was diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders (Madison 2020). She explains how she was first diagnosed with anxiety disorders and depression and how it felt unreal at first. She further says that she developed the need to get a distraction that would keep her busy so that she won’t embrace her situation. In her case, anxiety made her feel that she needed to do more, and everything needed to be perfect.

Madison further said that the struggle with anxiety is that it never seemed to happen, but it happened eventually. She always felt a feeling of darkness and loneliness. She could barely stay awake for more than 30 minutes for many days. Anxiety and depression made her question herself if she was good enough, and this resulted in tears in her eyes due to the burning sensation and overwhelmed emotions. In her own words, she said, “Do I deserve to be here? What is my purpose?” (Madison 2020). Anxiety made her lose confidence in herself and lowered her self-esteem. She could lay in bed most of the time and could not take any meal most of the days.

Madison said that since the sophomore year of high school, all was not well, and she suddenly felt someone in her head telling her to constantly worry and hold back from everything. She could wake up days when she could try a marathon to keep her mind busy. However, she sought help on 1 January 2020, since she felt her mental health was important, and she needed to be strong. She was relieved from her biggest worries, and what she thought was failure turned into a biggest achievement. She realized that her health needed to be her priority. Even after being diagnosed with depression disorders, she wanted to feel normal and have a normal lifestyle like other people.

Madison was happy with her decision to seek medical help even though she had her doubts. She was happy that she finally took that step to see a doctor since she was suffering in silence. She noted that the background of her depression and anxiety disorders was her family. It was kind of genetic since her mom also struggled with depression and anxiety disorders. Her mom was always upset, and this broke her heart. She said it took her years to better herself, but she still had bad days. Madison decided to take the challenge regarding her mother’s experience. Also, Madison said she was struggling to get over depression since her childhood friends committed suicide, and it affected her deeply. She also told the doctor how she often thought of harming herself. The doctor advised her on the different ways she could overcome her situation after discovering she had severe depression and anxiety disorders.

After going through Madison’s story, I was hurt by the fact that he had to go through that for a long time, and something tragic could have happened if she had not resorted to medical help. I felt emotional by the fact that she constantly blamed herself due to her friends who committed suicide, and she decided to accumulate all the pain and worries. The fact that I have heard stories of how people commit suicide due to depression and anxiety disorders made me have a somber mood considering her case. In this case, you will never know what people are going through in their private lives until they decide to open up. We normally assume every person is okay, yet they fight their demons and struggle to look okay. Hence, it won’t cost any person to check up on other people, especially if they suddenly change their social characters.

Madison’s story stood out for me since she had struggled since childhood to deal with depression and anxiety disorders. In her case, she was unable to seek help first even when she knew that she was suffering in silence (Madison 2020). However, most people find it hard to admit they need help regardless of what they are going through, like Madison. People who are depressed cannot work as they lack the motivation to do anything. In my knowledge, depression affects people close to you, including your family and friends. Depression also hurts those who love someone suffering from it. Hence, it is complex to deal with. Madison’s situation stood out for me since her childhood friends committed suicide, and she wished silently she could be with them. Hence, this leads to her constant thoughts of harming herself. Childhood friends at one point can become your family even though you are not related by blood due to the memories you share.

Depression and Anxiety disorders have been common mental health concerns globally for a long time. Depression and anxiety disorders create the impression that social interactions are vague with no meaning. It is argued by Cuijpers (2016, p.245) that people who are depressed normally have personality difficulties as they find it hard to trust people around them, including themselves. In this case, Madison spent most of her time alone, sleeping, and could not find it necessary to hang around other people. Negativity is the order of the day as people depressed find everything around them not interesting.

People who are depressed find it easy to induce negativity in others. Hence, they end up being rejected. Besides, if someone is depressed and is in a relationship, he/she may be the reason for ending the relationship since they would constantly find everything offensive. Research shows that people who are clinically depressed, such as Madison, prefer sad facial expressions to happy facial expressions. Besides, most teenagers in the 21 st century are depressed, and few parents tend to notice that. Also, most teenagers lack parental love and care since their parents are busy with their job routines and have no time to engage their children. Research has shown that suicide is the second cause of death among teenagers aged between 15-24 years due to mental disorders such as suicide and anxiety disorders.

Despite depression being a major concern globally, it can be controlled and contained if specific actions are taken. Any person needs to prioritize their mental health to avoid occurrences of depression and anxiety orders. Emotional responses can be used to gauge if a person is undergoing anxiety and depression. The best efficient way to deal with depression and anxiety is to sensitize people about depression through different media platforms (Cuijpers et al. 2016). A day in a month should be set aside where students in colleges are sensitized on the symptoms of depression and how to cope up with the situation. Some of the basic things to do to avoid anxiety and depression include; talking to someone when you are low, welcoming humor, learning the cause of your anxiety, maintaining a positive attitude, exercising daily, and having enough sleep.

Depression and anxiety disorders are different forms among people, such as irritability and nervousness. Most people are diagnosed with depression as a psychiatric disorder. Technology has been a major catalyst in enabling depression among people as they are exposed to many negative experiences online. Besides, some people are always motivated by actions of other people who seem to have given up due to depression. Many people who develop depression normally have a history of anxiety disorders. Therefore, people with depression need to seek medical attention before they harm themselves or even commit suicide. Also, people need to speak out about what they are going through to either their friends or people they trust. Speaking out enables people to relieve their burden and hence it enhances peace.

Cuijpers, P., Cristea, I.A., Karyotaki, E., Reijnders, M. and Huibers, M.J., 2016. How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta‐analytic update of the evidence . World Psychiatry 15(3), pp. 245-258.

Madison, J. 2020. Open Doors .

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IvyPanda. (2022, June 16). Anxiety Disorders and Depression. https://ivypanda.com/essays/anxiety-disorders-and-depression/

"Anxiety Disorders and Depression." IvyPanda , 16 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/anxiety-disorders-and-depression/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Anxiety Disorders and Depression'. 16 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Anxiety Disorders and Depression." June 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/anxiety-disorders-and-depression/.

1. IvyPanda . "Anxiety Disorders and Depression." June 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/anxiety-disorders-and-depression/.

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Essay on Depression

Essay generator.

Depression, a common yet often misunderstood mental health disorder, intricately intertwines with our thinking patterns. This essay aims to explore the depths of depression, how it affects thinking, and the broader implications for individuals, particularly for students engaging in essay writing competitions.

Depression is more than just a fleeting sense of sadness. It is a clinical condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in life. Its symptoms range from changes in sleep and appetite to difficulty concentrating and feelings of worthlessness.

The Science Behind Depression

Depression stems from a complex interaction of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Neuroscientific research suggests that depression is linked to changes in neurotransmitter levels, such as serotonin and dopamine, and neural circuitry in the brain.

Depression’s Impact on Thinking

Depression significantly affects cognitive processes. It alters the way individuals perceive themselves, their lives, and the world around them.

• Negative Thought Patterns : Individuals with depression often experience persistent negative thoughts. They may have a pessimistic view of themselves, believing they are inadequate or worthless.
• Rumination : Those suffering from depression tend to ruminate, or excessively think about their problems and distress. This rumination can create a vicious cycle, exacerbating depressive symptoms and impairing problem-solving.
• Impaired Cognitive Functioning : Depression can affect concentration, memory, and decision-making capabilities. It can lead to difficulties in focusing and retaining information, impacting academic and professional performance.
• Distorted Reality : In severe cases, depression can lead to distorted thinking, where one’s perception of reality is significantly impaired. This might include having an overly negative interpretation of minor events or believing in things that have no basis in reality.

The Role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common and effective treatment for depression. It is based on the concept that changing negative thinking patterns and behaviors can lead to changes in emotions.

• Identifying Negative Thoughts : CBT involves recognizing and challenging negative thought patterns.
• Behavioral Activation : It encourages engaging in activities that are rewarding or enjoyable, even when one doesn’t feel like it.
• Developing Coping Strategies : CBT helps in developing practical skills to manage symptoms and cope with challenges.

Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults

Depression in adolescents and young adults is a serious mental health concern that can have significant and lasting effects on individuals’ lives. Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Prevalence: Depression is not uncommon among adolescents and young adults. It is estimated that around 15% of teenagers will experience at least one major depressive episode before reaching adulthood.
• Symptoms: The symptoms of depression in this age group can vary but often include persistent sadness, changes in sleep and appetite, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating, and even thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
• Impact on Daily Life: Depression can severely disrupt daily life. Young people with depression may struggle academically, socially, and in their family relationships. It can lead to school absenteeism, social withdrawal, and even substance abuse.
• Risk Factors: Various factors can increase the risk of depression in adolescents and young adults, including genetic predisposition, family history of depression, trauma or abuse, chronic illness, and high levels of stress.
• Co-Occurring Disorders: Depression often co-occurs with other mental health issues, such as anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and eating disorders, making diagnosis and treatment more complex.
• Barriers to Seeking Help: Many adolescents and young adults may hesitate to seek help for depression due to stigma, lack of awareness, or fear of judgment. This can delay diagnosis and treatment.
• Treatment Options: Treatment for depression typically includes psychotherapy (such as cognitive-behavioral therapy), medication (in some cases), lifestyle changes (like regular exercise and a healthy diet), and support from family and friends.
• Importance of Early Intervention: Early intervention is crucial in managing depression. Recognizing the signs and symptoms and seeking help promptly can improve outcomes and prevent the worsening of the condition.
• Prevention: Efforts to prevent depression in this age group include promoting emotional resilience, teaching coping skills, providing a supportive environment, and reducing stressors when possible.
• Family and Peer Support: The support of family members and friends is invaluable in helping adolescents and young adults cope with depression. Open communication and understanding can make a significant difference.
• Educational and Community Resources: Schools and communities can play a vital role in recognizing and addressing depression. Educational programs and accessible mental health resources can benefit young individuals.

Breaking the Stigma

There is a significant stigma attached to depression, often preventing individuals from seeking help. Breaking this stigma is essential.

• Open Conversations : Encouraging discussions about mental health can foster a more supportive environment.
• Education and Awareness : Educating people about the realities of depression is crucial in dispelling myths and misconceptions.
• Promoting Mental Health Resources : Access to mental health resources and counseling should be promoted in schools and workplaces.

Personal Reflections in Essay Writing

When writing about depression, it’s important to:

• Use Empathetic Language : Be sensitive and understanding in your choice of words.
• Incorporate Personal Narratives : If comfortable, sharing personal experiences can provide a powerful perspective.
• Highlight Resilience and Hope : Focus on stories of overcoming challenges, resilience, and the potential for positive change.

In conclusion, Depression, a complex interplay of emotional, cognitive, and biological factors, profoundly impacts thinking patterns. Understanding this relationship is crucial, especially for students who may face academic and social pressures that can exacerbate these issues. Writing about depression in a thoughtful, informed, and empathetic manner not only raises awareness but also contributes to a more supportive and understanding society. As we continue to explore and understand depression, we open doors to more effective treatments and a world where mental health is given the attention and care it deserves.

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Writers and Depression: How to Keep Writing Through the Darkness

by Miriam Nicholson | 61 comments

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I feel the chains pull me down as I sink into the dark. Fighting it with fear pulsing through me till despair claims my heart, I can't get out, I can't move, I'm trapped in depression. Writers and depression: not a good combination.

Hey everyone. I'm back, and it's been three more years since my post on self-doubt . Two years, but I've been writing so I guess it's a victory of sorts. However, it has been the hardest thing to keep going.

Through those two years, I've found out that I have anxiety and depression, had to move away from home with no resources, and come to terms with the fact that my childhood was filled with passive aggression and emotional abuse. It has been the hardest thing I've ever had to face, and I now find it affecting my writing.

Writers and Depression and Anxiety: An Endless Cycle

Some people might shrug that off—anxiety, depression, who cares? Just stop being anxious or depressed. What they don't realize is it’s not something you can shrug off. Heck, if you could you’d have done that a long time ago. Why make yourself suffer if it was that easy to get rid of? It affects everything, and for me writing was hit the hardest.

Every time I pick up a writing piece or think about what I want to write next, it comes like a thief in the night to stab me with doubt. “What are you doing? Haven't we already confirmed this? You aren't a writer. You can't do it,” it says and laughs at my pain, my anguish, as I clutch my wounds and try to keep walking.

I am wrapped in chains as the depression follows, each thought adding to my already impossible weight. It's not too long before the wound and weight make me fall, leaving me motionless and alone. I can't get up, and even if I could the effort is too much.

My anxiety and depression watch me and laugh, dancing around me in glee. Everything within me wants to give up, give in, and vanish, but one spark remains in my heavy heart. I focus on it and somehow keep moving because of the spark that got me into the game, the spark that tells me I can't give up. And so, I trudge on with great effort, one step at a time.

Anyone who’s been in it knows the cycle. Rinse and Repeat. A endless cycle of paralyzing doubt, fear, and hopelessness. And yet here we stand, still here, hollow survivors.

Some days it's hard to even get to the writing point, some days it's hard to wake up, and some days it's hard to go to bed. I push on. The only way to fight it is to do what it says you can't —a task so heavy and so great that it is almost bitter sweet.

Sure, you could write something and banish doubt for a time, but it's bound to return when you look at it again. When you start to see the imperfections. The only way to fight it is to keep going.

Writing Through the Pain

Pain is powerful. It breaks us, tears us down, leaving behind tattered emotions and shredded dreams. It’s hard to face; it’s just easier to let it stay, hidden in your soul. Oft times we smile it away, but deep inside it remains.

That is my everyday now. Most days I can't write. Most days that fact drags me deeper into depression. And when depression takes a break, anxiety comes right after, using its sharp knives to convince me to cower from the page and not write at all.

When I get like this, the only thing I can do to break the cycle is vomit on the page. I never know what's going to come out, and starting to write is the hardest part. My pain spews out on the page like blood. I let the words flow; I refuse to look at them.

Sometimes you just have to write.

It doesn't have to be published, it doesn't have to be in a piece you're working on. The point is to get the doubts on the page, and only then can you start to counter them.

Fear Flees From Action

I can see your eyes rolling. I’m sure you’ve heard this before. I can see your yes buts . It’s okay. Action is hard. A four-letter word that makes you shake and curl up inside. Fear so powerful that it’s a presence on your shoulder—how could it just go away?

I’ve been there. I never believed the stories that it fled from action, at least not consciously. Till the one day it just hurt too much to not write. It had been a rough day, anxiety and depression pulling me to my wit's end, but I hadn’t said a word. I was trained out of communicating painful things, but this time it was just too much.

I didn’t want to open a blank page; I didn’t want to start writing; fear pulled at me—but my pain spoke louder. I opened the doc and with trembling fingers started writing. It quickly became nearly gibberish as I wrote with tears flowing down my face, but it felt so good. Anger frustration grief all being taken off my shoulders and thrown on the page. Fear completely gone from my mind within the first paragraph.

I'd like to urge you guys to write anyway. It's going to be hard, it's going to hurt, and in some cases it'll make you cry. Write it anyway. You can't fix a blank page.

Once you write, reward yourself. Anything from watching a favorite movie, to eating a candy bar, or treating yourself in any other way. This is important. Because if you don't reward yourself the doubt can just as easily say that what you made was a fraud. By rewarding yourself you acknowledge that you did something good, something worthwhile.

Don’t allow yourself to feel guilty about a job well done. You earned it.

You Can Do It

I’m not going to start this saying it’ll be easy. It won’t be. It might be the hardest thing you ever do, but of course facing fear is always scary. It was hard to let myself accept what my parents were, and harder still to realize I had anxiety and depression. But I’m still here, still fighting the fight. You can too.

You can take control back in your life. No matter how deep you go, you can make it through even if you're not out yet. You have the power to get up anyway. No matter how many times you’ve done it before, you can do it again and again.

Even if your body gives up on you, even if you’ve had enough, even if it takes all your effort to get out of bed. You can do it. As long as you don’t give up on yourself, nothing can stop you. Even if you don’t believe that and only long to, that is enough. You are enough. All it takes is one step, one choice, one word.

All you need to do is start.

Have you ever experienced anxiety or depression in your writing? How did you overcome it? Let me know in the comments .

For fifteen minutes , I want you to vomit on the page everything that is keeping you from writing, whatever project you are working on. Or, you can simply describe your experience with writing and mental illness. Don't stop to edit; just try to write as much as you can. I won't make you share that piece in the comments if you don't want, although you're more than welcome to. Happy writing!

Miriam Nicholson

Miriam is a dreamer filled with passion for her writing. You can read more of it on her website . You can also connect with her on Facebook and  email her .

61 Comments

This is so so so important. Thank you so much for writing this. Normally I would take the time to write my practice piece before commenting, but I had to respond to this article as soon as I finished reading it. I have anxiety and depression as well; have done since I was a little kid, and I’m in college now. I went through the worst depressive episode I’ve ever had a few months ago. Writing was the one thing that kept me going. Diving into my characters’ world for a little while helped me cope with my own. I’m now on anti-depressants, doing much better, and writing a novel about a woman with depression. Thank you again for writing this article and sharing your experiences. It means so much.

I’m glad it resonated with you 🙂 It’s a bit scary for me to put this out there if I’m honest but i’m glad it helped you 🙂 Good luck on your writing and college!

Hah! there’s no solution to curing depression and anxiety. You say “write about it.” Voila’ and kill three birds with one stone. A triple reward, but am I not stuck with depression and anxiety even though I’ve overcome my procrastination? Is this the blessing and reward from having depression and anxiety?

I agree with you. I don’t think that writing can cure depression or anxiety. But it sure as hell can make you feel a whole lot better. I loved this article. I don’t have any horrible thing that’s ever happened to me like abuse or stuff like that and thank God for that. But I do struggle with really low self esteem and no self confidence. Also, I just want to add something. Writing on paper can help better than typing on the computer. I’ve tried both and I think the former helps better. If you get so angry, you can press so hard on the paper and break the lead and that’s a good feeling.

It isn’t that I can’t write, it is I can’t stop crying. The onslaught of tears blurs my vision to the point I can’t see to type. The nasal discharge interferes with my thought process. The pain is so intense I feel as if my brain is sucked into the vortex of darkness and prison. I don’t want to feel this way. I would love to rise up and cast off the darkness, push aside the ubiquitous black clouds and see the sun. Some days I can manage to sweep away the possibility of pain. Some days I can navigate the fringe of pain and stay mainly on the highway to strong. Some days I can only ride the wave of tears, grabbing glimpses of hope, taking a breath, going to the bathroom, eating a good meal. Some days I can even laugh at the comments of ‘just get over it’ ‘let it go’. Are you kidding? I vow every day to let go of the pain but some days it is just so damn tenacious. And yes I wrote right through to the other side of the pain.

Hey Karen, I feel for you. I really do. I hope you can weather the storm we are both in. So glad you were able to write to the other side of pain. Just remember, we are warriors. We battle every day! We can do this!

Hi Karen, I am sorry that you are going through a lot of pain that prevents you from writing. But it seems that you are able to produce poetry lines (“push aside the ubiquitous black clouds and see the sun”) from having such intense emotions in your comment. It sucks to go through such terrible emotional pain, but I hope you will find a way to “use” that in your writing and overcome your struggle soon.

I love this article. I only wish Ernest Hemmingway was around to read this. He did battle depression.

It seems like a lot of writers battle depression or anxiety at some point in their career. So glad you enjoyed it!

Hemingway is an alcoholic, that causes his depression

which came first, the drinking or the depression? or the depression and the self-medication of drinking…

It’s funny, funny odd that is. This morning I had a serious panic attack. What sets it off for me are smells. I made a mistake of spraying something in the house and this morning I ran around the house screaming. I know it’s not the same, your problem is long lasting mine is short but it is still like yours in that it is controlled in our minds. I’m sorry for you and your problem. This hit me right out of nowhere. Yours is like a slow burning fuse mine is like a bomb! Hang in there.

Thanks Larry, some days are harder then others but I’m making it slowly. I hope you can deal with your panic attacks too! I know that some times smells really trigger me too. Thanks for your comment!

I come from an alcoholic family. Anxiety and depression have been constant companions since adolescence. I began journaling at age twelve, and have been doing so daily for several years. In this way, I use my writing to process my feelings. When working on my fiction, short story, essay, or memoir writing, I falter. Anxiety and depression thwart me even getting started, afflicting me with fatigue that renders me immobile. In addition to journaling, which has saved my life, I encourage writers to seek professional counseling, another life saver. Don’t be afraid of medication if you need it. I have to have all three. To all my fellow writers who deal with anxiety and depression, I extend my heartfelt support and encouragement. Happy writing.

Yeah I’ve been trying to do this battle alone for a while now. But I’m now on medication and am in therapy which I’m hoping will be able to help me deal with this if it’s a forever thing in my life. Thanks for reading my post and your comment! Good luck to you as well!

I am right there with you, Billie. God Bless.

I just finished reading your article and can relate to it in so many ways. I have struggled with anxiety and depression off and on through out my life. That is the reason I decided to start writing again after so many years of not doing so. For me writing has always been a way to find answers. I just want to thank you for the honesty and courage you’ve shown in your writing.

Thanks for that Pat! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

I had a really bad childhood and I have an anxiety disorder and your article was the Same way I feel way writing has saved my life I have learn to turn negative feelings into something more creative I do have been days and that’s when I write what I feel and how I am feeling

I’m so glad you are able to do that! It really helps. I wish you luck in this battle we’re both in! Good luck with your writing!

Even free clinics have antidepressants. Run, don’t walk to the nearest clinic. You have a chemical imbalance in your brain. It’s no different than having diabetes. Your body isn’t working correctly. It might not have anything to do with your childhood, your current environment, or whatever. Those things exacerbate the problem but they aren’t always the cause. Stop trying to “handle” this on your own. You need professional help. Believe me. I know. I’ve been there.

Yeah, I know. I’m on some now and going to therapy. But even then it’s hard to write. I find that vomiting on the page at least gets me started there. I just don’t have very much motivation still. It helps a lot to vomit on the page for me.

Yes, Tsali. Spot on. I was glad to read your comment. Does it help, I wonder, to externalise/personalise/anthropomorphise depression? Without medication I cannot write and with it, not all the time. What I do know is this: my experience of depression and my sensitivity do make me a better writer; although I am ever aware of a degree of narcissism and a propensity to write purple prose.

One of the hardest things about anxiety and depression is that they affect your view of self, especially as compared to others. You look around and see a world of “normal” people and wonder if that will ever be you. The reality is that you are loved just the way you are. I have the love of family and friends and the unconditional love of God. Having struggled with depression since I was a teenager, this has been one of the most freeing truths. Truth is the enemy of depression, doubt, and anxiety who all like to live in the shadows of deception. They may always lurk behind me but I am not afraid of them any more.

That’s so great what growth you’ve had Jessica! I so agree. I’m still working on realizing I’m loved and all of that but your story gives me hope that I can eventually get there. Thanks!

I love the positive theme and voice that echoes throughout this article, and empathise completely with the emotional torment caused by anxiety and depression. I will remember this article as I face future doubts. Thank you.

Your welcome 🙂 thanks so much for reading it!

How timely that I came across this. I’m on day 6 of an anxiety attack that has my insides trembling, having trouble breathing and feeling lightheaded. I haven’t been able to write anything coherent since it started and only today started feeling okay about that. I’ve had anxiety for years, most of that time not knowing what it was, and after my diagnosis was able to build up my mental defenses against it. Those defenses were stripped away in one fell swoop and I’m having a hard time building them back up again, but I’m working on it. Thank you for sharing your struggles, it helps all of us who go through the same thing. By knowing we aren’t alone we can all learn to fight and cope in our own ways.

Your welcome 🙂 I like sharing with people and inspiring people. Good Luck in bringing back your mental resilience! You did it once you can do it again! Good luck in all your writing endeavors!

Personally, I’ve struggled with any means of progression in many of my favorite hobbies, recreational free-writing being a major one, due to frequently and relentlessly being victimized by anxiety attacks that make my normal levels of everyday anxiousness to triple instantaneously which then completely . On rare occasions, Ill feel brave enough to fight back for the things that I love which in 90% percent of the cases I end up defeated. Literally, these are those annoying moments when I have not even one sentence fully completed on my laptop screen and as always, my conscience comes barging in to throw in its 2 cents, “Are you joking right now? This is a joke, right?” which makes me delete and try to think of a new intro. “Give it up man … you’ll never be a real writer“. This is usually the point free-writing where Netflix suddenly seems way more appealing.

The worst part about this, in my opinion, is that when I have these episodes of anxiousness and depression fueled by anxiety like gasoline fueling an open fire, I have them at the most random and undesirable moments, thus making my sense of panicking even worse. For example, one second ill be in class feeling fine and ready to present my paper,“… you prepared all week for this paper man, no need to worry!” Then, boom! All it takes is for me to proofread my paper one last time, notice something doesn’t seem quite right about the grammar in one sentence and just like that, it’s all downhill from there. Anxiety plays it’s key role by making me believe that I have found another error, then another, and another until I’m forced into believing that the entire paper, all 7 pages, is nonsense speaking gibberish, and then finally depression swings in for the knockout and I’m looking for the nearest exit.

I chose to use a very mild example in order to show how fast and abruptly these unpleasant episodes of depression fueled anxiety can take over. I have been made subject to all forms of verbal abuse, but I was especially abused both emotionally and mentally for years by everyone I know and am currently still dealing with such abuse. There have been unforgettable incidents where my depression is so heavily buried within me that I unknowingly push away everything and anything that designed or willing to help me feel better. Similar ncidents where my anxiety reaches a point so high that its feels uncontrollable and unbearable, and thats when I find everything extremely irritating. My solution, which isnt really a solution, is to isolate myself from everything and prefer to be alone until I feel somewhat alleviated. But the hardest part for me to deal with overall is the fact that I developed these really bad cases of social anxiety and long periods of heavy depression overtime and it was right after coming out of high school and going into college. This made my college experience a hellbent nightmare for 2 very long and dreadful years. Pressured mounted on top of my head by strange faces in every direction on campus, assignments we were given that sometimes were really difficult to understand, and impossible deadlines for huge projects I had to meet in order to recieve a passing grade. I was never the type to be socially anxious or nervous around people, let alone believe that I have reasons for depression. In fact, during my high school years I was completely the opposite of what I am now. Social interactions with whomever and wherever where never seen as a potential risk of anxiety attacks. I loved engaging in conversation with friends, teachers, and even strangers at some points and during my high school years I was convinced that depression was only something people old get since none of my friends never mentioned it. Thats absolutely the worst part about it for me. The fact that no matter what I seem to do now in order to get rid of these conficts, I am unable to outgrow these horrible feelings.

Personally, I’ve struggled with any means of progression in many of my favorite hobbies, recreational free-writing being a major one, due to frequently and relentlessly being victimized by anxiety attacks that make my normal levels of everyday anxiousness triple instantaneously. On rare occasions, Ill feel brave enough to fight back these emotions for the things that I enjoy doing, but about 90% percent of time I end up losing. Literally, these are those annoying moments when I have not even one sentence fully completed on my laptop screen, and as always, my conscience comes barging in to throw in its 2 cents. “Are you joking right now? This is a joke, right? Give it up man … you’ll never be a real writer“. This is usually the point

where Netflix suddenly seems way more appealing.

I chose to use a very mild example in order to show how fast and abruptly these unpleasant episodes of depression fueled anxiety can take over. I have been made subject to all forms of verbal abuse, but I was especially abused both emotionally and mentally for years by everyone I know and am currently still dealing with such abuse. There have been unforgettable incidents where my depression is so heavily buried within me that I unknowingly push away everything and anything that designed or willing to help me feel better. Similar incidents where my anxiety reaches a point so high that its feels uncontrollable and unbearable, and thats when I find everything extremely irritating. My solution, which isnt really a solution, is to isolate myself from everything and prefer to be alone until I feel somewhat alleviated.

But the hardest part for me to deal with overall is the fact that I developed these really bad cases of social anxiety and long periods of heavy depression overtime and it was right after coming out of high school and going into college. I was never the type to be socially anxious or nervous around people, let alone believe that I have reasons for depression. In fact, during my high school years I was completely the opposite of what I am now. Thats absolutely the worst part about it for me. The fact that no matter what I seem to do now in order to get rid of these anxiety attacks and depression episodes, I am unable to outgrow these daily nightmares. This made my college experience a hellbent struggle for 2 very long and dreadful years. Pressure quickly mounted on top of my head from strangers faces staring at me from every direction on campus, from assignments we were given that sometimes were really difficult to understand, and especially those nearly impossible deadlines we had to meet in order to recieve a passing grade. Im suprised I didnt have a heart attack.

I relate to everything you have said here. I’ve been there. I haven’t been able to write a thing lately. this was written a while ago. I wish I could just shrug it off. Take something and bam have it be gone in the morning like a headache.

I cant and am afraid now to edit anything I write because of what you said about that paper. If I let myself edit it most times i convince myself that it’s awful. And it destroys the piece. I feel for you and support you as much as possible in the battle we are both going through.

God Bless you.

This is a very interesting and timely article. I didn’t realize that creative writing was so demanding until I joined the Write Practice. I enjoy the variety of articles made available to me and I like the comments/feedback from members of the Community. However, I have problems trying to complete my stories. I waste a lot of time trying to tie the different parts of the story together Another issue is that I’m very slow with typing, so it takes me much longer to finish the assignments. Then when I’m writing I get easily distracted by following the links on whatever materials I’m reading to support my writing. Thanks for the tips you’ve given me about how to continue even when I don’t feel like doing so. I’m sure to keep at it. Thanks for your help.

I just took this test like right now and then checked my emails to find this and wow it helped … the test said my anxiety is VERY HIGH but right now im like yeah right..

I’ am frustrated writer and I don’t know where to start. I want to learn more and creative in writing and successful in career writing, I need guidance from authors and I don’t courage to write.

Well the best place to start is the beginning. Where writing began, writing. It sounds simple but honestly if you want to pursue a career as a writer you need to write. Not to bash guidance from other writers, it certainly has it’s place. but if you aren’t writing then it won’t do you any good.

Writing takes a lot of courage, that’s for sure. You’re putting your heart down on the page and letting it go on the world. It hurts when it’s rejected or not as good as you want it to be. But the big difference from aspiring writers to writers is courage. It takes a lot to get through this beginning stage and if you care about it enough to do what scares you then I’d say go for it.

It doesn’t matter what anyone else says about your work. all that matters is that you keep going if this is what you want.

I think this video from Ira Glass will be very beneficial for you. Good luck in all of your writing endeavors!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91FQKciKfHI

It’s helpful thank you so much. I feel depressed and lonely. I want to write about heavy feelings and emotions.

Self-doubt is really God-doubt. Once we know how much God loves us, we can never doubt ourselves – or Him- again.

That is certainly one way to look at it. Thanks for your opinion! I personally think mine goes deeper then that, but i will certainly keep your words in mind!

I stopped writing for a while because I was depressed. I felt a lot worse. I started writing again and I felt better. Writing gave me purpose. I dealt with my feelings better.

I’m so glad to hear that! That’s what writing did for me too. I honestly believed that writing saved my life. Good luck on all of your writing endevors!

Thank you for putting on paper what has been in my mind and heart for such a long time. Glad to know I’m not alone in those feelings. I’m a big Hemmingway fan too.

You are very welcome! Definitely not alone. We can battle this together! Best of luck to you!

I’ve battled depression and anxiety for years and I get so frustrated by how that black hole of despair can stop me being creative in every conceivable way. This article was inspiring though and I take solace from the fact there are others who understand exactly how this feels. Thank you.

You are so welcome Sarah! Good luck in your battles! Keep Writing! We got this!

Thanks Miriam N. I choose to keep writing rather than whining! Best wishes, Jola

Er New Phone 😛 I totally meant writing endeavors… *sigh* aw well.

Embrace the pain. We are blessed as writers to have depression. That is why we write with profundity. Ever try writing when you feel giddy with happiness? The last thing I want to do is write. Raise a glass and be grateful for everything, including the thorns: our grace and motivation.

Woo it was an emotional read, As jeff goins says the first rule is to show up.

Only one way works for me is to read a lot and then try to write.

Very interesting article. Depression and despondency very often happen with writers. You need to learn how to rule. Read something funny, what kind of articles, like this https://essayvikings.com/blog/want-to-buy-a-research-paper , communicate with friends and not shut yourself up.

I have been writing a memoir of depression and anxiety and getting onto Prozac. I have found so many indigents in my life that I feel have contributed t this feeling.

I also suffer from depression and I’ve created a vlog about my journey. https://youtu.be/WyxYq2U9oMU

I’m at a very, very low point in my life. Right now I’m writing this because I have this thought that just maybe this will help. I hate myself today. I hated myself yesterday. And I’ll hate myself tomorrow. My logic is that if I hate myself, everyone else will hate me too. It hurts inside. The deep, hard, gut-pulling ach kills me. I hate this. Needless to say, I use “hate” a lot. Everything is a blur. I can’t remember anything anymore. I’ll listen to sad and depressing music all the time. But I’ve always done that so it’s nothing new. It’s the voices that really get to me. They crumple me up and tear me apart. I’m so vulnerable to them. No one else can hear them, so I’m alone. My head’s been so dark lately. I can’t think the slightest of light. It’s hopeless. I’m hopeless. But I guess that’s okay. I’ll live like this the rest of my life. Living with this hurts like an absolute hell. All you do is stare at blank walls, eat as much or as little as you want, gain or lose the weight, sleep or don’t sleep, and cry. You fall. And some monster has a grasp on your foot so you can’t get back up. That’s alright. The flowers down here are more prettier anyway…

been there! pretty writing. p.s. this is a really good read 🙂 https://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-deal-when-you-feel-frustrated-and-hopeless/

Thank you so much! That is really going to help a lot. Thank you for sharing.

You were brave to share how you feel. Don’t give up. Keep writing. Write for yourself. Write to let the hate out and then let it go. Release it like dropping a rock into the water, where it sinks into the ocean never to be seen again. See yourself as unique and special – there never was and never will be another Breana Layne. And know that Jesus doesn’t hate you. He loves you!

Thank you. Really, thank you. I’ve been trying and trying and trying, and it’s slow progress. But it’s better than getting worse or feeling the same as I did. I love to write how I feel. It’s the only way to truly get it out. So thank you. It’s very appreciated.

Thank you for this article. I’ve read others with BS steps like “think positive” and such. But this really told it like it is. I clinically have both depression and anxiety, which has halted my story writing more than a few times. It’s frustrating, which feels like the worst part. The fact that this wall called mental illness is corralling my imagination. And I end up thinking more about the wall itself, rather than ways to get over it. But I have to try. Writing is what I want to do in life.

just write on time. thanks for sharing

I identify with all that you have said here. I’ve been there. I haven’t possessed the capacity to compose a thing of late. this was composed a while prior. I wish I could simply disregard it. Similarly http://thedailydrudgereport.com may help.

I definitely like this idea. I work as a freelance writer at http://portcomm.com.au/what-is-science-communicationNice event. Very useful information i got i visit this blog very often and i am very interested to know articles whenever this website updated. so I have got a lot of free time for events this type. The next time I`ll be surely there!

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Addressing Depression in Your Personal Statement

• college application essays
• essay topic

Did you know 20% of teenagers experience depression before reaching adulthood? It is also during this time that college applicants have to answer the most intimate question in order to gain acceptance at their dream school. What defines you?

While it may feel extremely vulnerable to talk about your experience with depression, don’t let that immediately deter you from choosing it as your personal statement essay topic. Here are 5 examples that may help you approach the topic in an essay:

UC Irvine ‘17

Throughout the past few years, I have gone through depression. The inability to focus not only in school, but also in life, is something I have struggled to overcome. The majority of the time, I am able to successfully distinguish my emotions from my academics because of my overly organized tendencies. At other times, the feelings that come with depression are inevitable. Depression, for me, is hopelessness. My biggest struggle with depression is not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel; therefore, this way of thinking has caused me to feel unmotivated, alone, and frightened. Because of this, I have spent endless nights contemplating my life till 4 or 5 in the morning, I have no motivation to wake up in the mornings, and I feel pain and grief on a daily basis. Keep reading.

Brittanybea

Uc berkeley ‘19.

On a warm August morning I sat shivering and shaking in the waiting room to my doctor’s office. I had my mother make the appointment but didn’t give her the reason; I’m not even sure I really knew the reason. I just knew something was wrong. The past five years had been all uphill - outwardly, at least. I was doing increasingly well in school, growing more independent, and had greater opportunities at my feet. Inwardly, however, was an entirely different story. Those five years felt like an upbeat movie I was watching while in my own personal prison. I was happy for the characters, even excited for their accomplishments. The problem was that my outward self was a character entirely distinct from the internal me. View full essay.

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Williams college ‘19.

Perhaps the greatest blessing my parents have ever granted me was the move from our apartment in the Bronx to a two-family home in Queens, two blocks away from a public library. The library had all the boons my young heart could desire: bounties of books, air conditioning in the summer, and sweet solace from a dwelling teeming with the cries of an infant sister, a concept I couldn’t yet fathom. Read more.

When I was younger, people chided me for being pessimistic. It was my sincere belief that there were no rewards to be reaped from a life here on earth. I was bored, unhappy, and apathetic. War, injustice, environmental collapse, the mean thing X said to me the other day-it all made me see the world as a tumultuous and unpleasant place. Continue reading.  

879216135461584FB

Dish soap, pepper, a toothpick, and an empty pie tin. The first materials I ever used to perform a simple experiment in grade school. Looking back that would be the moment I fell in love with science. I can still feel the excitement I felt as I watched as the pepper dart off to the edges of the pie tin as I touched the water with the end of a soap coated toothpick. Though I didn’t have to question how or why the reaction happened, I never stopped wondering. It was then that a passion for science ignited in me. It was a fire in my soul that could never die out. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. As I grew older, the fire within me began to dim and in the year 2012, it became extinguished; the world as I knew it had ended. View full profile.

While this essay topic helped these students gain acceptances to UC Irvine , UC Berkeley , Williams , Vassar and NYU , it doesn’t mean it will work in the exact same way for you. Brainstorm and think carefully about what you want to write in your personal statement and how you want to share your own, unique story. For more inspiration, AdmitSee has a database of 60,000+ successful college applications files waiting for you! 

About The Author

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.

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• 2. College Application Lessons from 2020-2021: Strategizing through Covid Changes (Part 2)
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• 9. When (and why) should you send additional materials to colleges you’re interested in?
• 10. How to Make Your College Essay Stand Out
• 1. How to Write College Essays to Boost your Chances Part 2: Focusing the Priority
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• 3. College Application Lessons from 2020-2021: Strategizing through Covid Changes (Part 2)
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• 6. COVID-19 and Your College Essay: Should You Write About It?
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7 Ways To Help You Write When You Feel Depressed

If you are a writer who struggles with depression, you are not alone. Some research even suggests that writers are more prone to depression than the general population. If you feel severely depressed, it is important to get professional support. This article is not about how to find support, but how to keep going when it feels you can’t ever write another word. Both are important.

Depression can destroy our motivation and productivity and that can lead to feeling even more depressed. If this is your experience, I hope this article will help you to keep writing while you get the support you need.

My first daughter was six months old when I began studying for an MA in Creative Writing. I wrote in snatches when she slept – which wasn’t often – and I was often exhausted. Before the first year was out, I was pregnant again and although I arranged an intermission and planned to find a  babysitter for when the intermission was over, these plans went totally awry when our second daughter was born three months prematurely.

A Health Visitor came to see me to determine whether or not I had post-natal depression. She read a list of statements and asked me to agree or disagree. The statements were along these lines: I feel anxious and scared for no good reason. 

The Health Visitor concluded I was somewhat depressed, and she was right.

Yet, although I didn’t start the second year of my course as planned, I went back in April, and the following year completed the MA, with distinction. Sometimes I look back and wonder how I did it.

But here’s how I did it, and how you can too.

Keep a Journal

From when my baby was a few days old, I kept a journal. My plan for this journal was to one day pass it on to her, so she could know what her early days were like and know how I’d felt about her. And if she didn’t survive it would be for her sister. For months, that was the only writing I did. The baby came home, became seriously ill and went back into hospital on a ventilator. Through it all I journaled; it kept me sane.

The baby survived and came home again. One night, I fed her at 4 am and couldn’t sleep afterwards. Ideas flooded my mind so I got up and wrote them down. The next day I started a different journal – one that was required for my course. And I began work on my creative writing again.

Read About People Going Through The Same Thing

Deal With Disturbing Thoughts

Every night when I went to bed my mind would fill with memories of my daughter’s birth and early days in intensive care, memories that left me panicky and depressed. So I would deliberately think about the novel opening that I was writing for my degree. This is not what most experts would recommend to someone with sleep problems, but lying in bed planning what to write disturbed my sleep considerably less than replaying memories that sent me into depression. As a bonus, I sometimes dreamed about what to write. While ordinarily, I wouldn’t recommend this as a bedtime routine, if you experience similar panic and disturbing thoughts at night it’s worth a try.

A longer term solution is to write your thoughts down. Journalling before bedtime has often helped me to sleep better and when I sleep better I’m happier. If you wake in the night with your mind racing, don’t try to fight it––that only makes it worse. Instead be as kind to yourself as you can, the same as you would with a small child or friend. Again, writing your thoughts down can help,

Deal With Self-Critical Thoughts About Writing

When I returned to writing after my daughter’s birth, there was a major change to my process, and this method I heartily recommend.

In Bird by Bird , Anne Lamott suggests that to get started we stop worrying about the quality of our writing and allow ourselves to produce “shitty first drafts.” She also describes the voices in our heads that say our writing is no good – the negative thoughts we have about ourselves. When we are depressed these thoughts come more frequently and with more intensity so to be able to write we need to find a way around them. Or, more accurately, a way to work with them.

I used a mix of Lamott’s method and the process Natalie Goldberg recommends, when you just keep writing and don’t pause to reread the last line, don’t cross out and don’t worry about punctuation or grammar. Just write. This takes you deep into the unconscious mind, to what Goldberg calls “first thoughts.”

I added something else. When those negative thoughts came into my mind and threatened to stop me writing, I wrote them down. Right in the middle of whatever narrative I was working on, I’d write, “Oh this is stupid. It’s hopeless.” Or, “I can’t do this.”

And then, I countered that with: “You can do it, just keep going, it’s okay.”

Writing the negative thoughts down made them lose their power, whereas writing encouragement helped me keep going.

Of course, you wouldn’t publish something you’d written this way without making changes. It’s a way to get past the internal censors and once you’ve got the first draft then you can edit out everything you’d never want anyone else to see!

To recap here are the main points:

Ways To Help You Write When You Feel Depressed

• Write whatever you can, even if it’s not your usual style. (So don’t try to write humour if you can’t.)
• Journal, journal, journal.
• Do whatever you need to help you write, even if it’s not what “experts” would suggest. I thought about my novel at bedtime, but you might find that sitting in a noisy cafe works for you. The only thing I’d warn against is using alcohol or drugs to get you through. They might seem to get your creative juices going, but soon they will stifle creativity, and stifle you.
• Write first drafts without editing.
• Notice the “voices” or thoughts that get you stuck, but instead of believing them, write them down. You could try this process of inquiry  for sticky beliefs.
• Write encouragements to yourself.
• Be gentle on yourself, and don’t take on more than you can manage. Remind yourself the depression will pass and you will be stronger afterwards for having carried on writing and taking care of yourself.

Further reading.

If you feel depressed right now, remember you are not alone, you can get through this and you it’s okay to feel good about yourself. Learning self-compassionate was a game-changer for me and you will find several posts on self-compassion on this website.

When we feel depressed, we often feel guilty and ashamed, so learning it’s okay to let those emotions go can be a huge relief. You can read my article, Let Go of Guilt and Shame for more on how to do this.

Top photo by Master isolated images via Freedigitalphotos

15 Comments on “7 Ways To Help You Write When You Feel Depressed”

Such a thoughtful post! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and your tips!

Roshni http://www.indianamericanmom.com

Thanks Roshni!

Wow. Thank you for writing this. Struggling with how to keep writing when it isn’t coming is hard. I appreciate you finding a way to help us all keep on.

Kristi, I hope you never need these tips! And thank you for your comment.

Thank you so much for this, Yvonne. It was just a huge help.

I’m very glad that it was helpful. Thanks for letting me know.

holy moses thanks for sharing that. Those are great tips… really. I have been having some trouble lately and because Im a therapist everyone thinks Im immune to sadness… fat chance! So these are really thoughtful and helpful!

Hi Zoe, I’m glad you found this helpful. I’m sure even therapists have feelings like everyone else – sometimes there is just stuff we need to work through, whoever we are! Thanks for your comment.

Pingback: How to Keep Writing When Depression Strikes | Hopes and Dreams: My Writing and My Sons

Thank you for the inspiration. Glad I found this rather old post. Proof that this is a universal topic.

Hi Ilham, I’m glad you found it inspiring. Thanks for reading.

Pingback: Writing with mental ill health – Kathryn Clark

Thank you for this. Honestly, your last point is the one that I personally need to remember the most, and I know I’m not alone. When we’re in that dark place, it can be SO easy to get down on ourselves for not ‘doing something’ about it or pulling ourselves out. Especially with a society that likes to act like overcoming mental illness is as simple as ‘choosing to be happy’. If only it was that easy!

Hi Britt, absolutely beating ourselves for feeling down never ever helps, but just digs us in deeper. People who feel depressed or low need soothing, not scolding. When we’re feeling down, self-compassion is far more effective at creating change than trying to force ourselves to feel better.

And on your point about societal expectations: you might be interested to know that some studies have shown people who feel bad about themselves feel even worse after reading affirmations, whereas for people who already have high self-esteem they do give a boost.

thank you for giving out tips. life can be scary sometimes and it’s helpful when people like you are willing to share tips and tricks that helped them through a hard time.

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How to Address A Mental Health Issue or Disability On Your College Application

Applying to college can be a confusing and intimidating process for anyone. If you’re a student with a disability or history of mental health challenges, you might find the process even more so.

As a student who has a mental health issue or disability, your high school experience may have been inherently more difficult in some ways, and it has most likely been different from that of your peers. You might be unsure of how to speak about your unique challenges or struggles without sounding negative. At the same time, you may feel that your application is incomplete without addressing them. Your disability or mental health may be an integral part of your identity.

If you’re getting ready to apply to college and you’re wondering if or how to present a mental health issue or disability on your college application, this is the post for you. Here, we will discuss the factors to consider when choosing to disclose your challenges on your college application, and we will outline the various ways in which you can present these in the framework of a college application.

Should I discuss my mental health or disability on my college application?

Your mental health history or disability may be an integral part of who you are, but that does not necessarily make it relevant to a college application. For starters, it is important to know that it is actually illegal for a college to specifically ask for these types of details about your life, since doing so can be considered discrimination. Based on this reason alone, you are never required to disclose mental or physical health concerns on your application. Doing so is strictly a matter of personal choice and you should not feel that you are lying by omission if you choose to leave this information out.

Before you choose whether or not you’ll disclose your history of mental health or disability, you should think about the overall function of a college application.

Everything on a college application should contribute to an overall positive image of who you are as a student and as a member of a greater community. While you don’t need to hide integral parts of who you are, you also don’t want to share challenges that will not in any way support your application positively. This is true not only for mental health and disabilities but also for academics, extracurriculars, and other experiences. You always want to put your best foot forward and keep the focus on your strengths and most positive attributes.

That being said, mental health issues and disabilities are not inherently negative, and there is nothing to be ashamed of when discussing them. You should not feel like you need to hide these parts of your identity, but rather that you need to spin them in a positive way much the same as you would any other aspect of your application. Simply put, you want to ensure that you are presenting your true self in the best light. 

There are a few questions to consider when deciding whether you’ll include this information on your application at all. Ask yourself if your application will be confusing or incomplete if you don’t address these issues. For example, if you had to take a semester off to recover, you will obviously need to explain the gap in your transcript. Similarly, if you battled depression and failed one semester despite achieving a 4.0 GPA your senior year, you’ll need to explain the discrepancy. Never leave an admissions committee wondering what happened, since they will likely assume the worst if you don’t mention it at all.

If, after some introspection, you do find that these issues are ones that need to be addressed on your application, there are several places to do so. The specifics about why you choose to include these details in the first place will often dictate where the most appropriate place to discuss these issues is. 

When and how should I discuss my mental health or disability in my college essay?

The essay is one obvious place to include details about your mental health or disability, but you should only do so if you feel that your struggles with these issues truly define you as a person and can be included as part of a bigger picture that shows your strengths in a positive light.

Remember, the function of a college essay is not to be an autobiography. You should not be writing your life story simply to inform others of your experiences. Instead, the function of a college essay is to be part of an overall marketing package. And what are you marketing? Yourself!

Whatever you choose as an essay topic should shed light on the attributes that make you a beneficial and unique member of any community. If your struggles with mental health or disabilities are defining features of this nature, then your essay is a great place to frame them positively. If you choose to do so, focus extensively on your recovery or management of these issues, and stress your ability to overcome the challenges you have faced.

Never leave an admissions committee to wonder if you will be a liability in their community. While it is of course illegal to discriminate against applicants based on their mental health or disability, it would be nearly impossible to prove that your disclosure of these issues was a direct factor in your not being accepted. Make it a nonissue by always keeping the focus on how these issues have shaped you into a better, stronger person and emphasizing that you have fully recovered or managed your condition.

When and how should I discuss my mental health or disability in the additional information section of my college application?

If you realize that your disability or mental health is not a truly defining feature of you as a person, you will probably not include it in your essay. But if there are red flags or question marks on your application that cannot be fully understood without this information, the Additional Information section of your application is the place to discuss it.

In instances where this issue has impacted your grades, involvement in class, attendance, or ability to participate in school activities, you should provide a brief explanatory background, usually no longer than a paragraph or two.

If you are sharing information about your mental health or disability in this section, you should do so only in a factual manner. You should not offer overly detailed or emotional descriptions, but instead keep it short and to the point. Since you have already decided that this information is not worthy of including in your essay, you should feel no obligation to provide extensive details or specifics. 

For example, you might describe that you took a semester off to address a health concern that is now under control. Always emphasize your recovery or management of this condition and your readiness for college, so that the admissions committee is never left to wonder what your current status is.  

When and how should I discuss my mental health or disability in a college admissions interview?

The decision process to discuss these details in an admissions interview should be similar to the decision process to include them in your essay or the Additional Information section of your application.

If you feel that these experiences are the most defining feature of your personality and can spin them in a positive way that presents your best self, you should definitely do so during an admissions interview. On the other hand, if you feel that these issues are irrelevant to how beneficial you will be to the college community, you are under no obligation to divulge them. The only remaining reason to do so would be if part of your transcript is incomplete or confusing without this additional insight.

If you do end up discussing these challenges in your college admissions interview, frame them as you would in your essay or your Additional Information section. Make sure to discuss them in a brief, factual manner, and always emphasize your recovery or management of the issue, and your college readiness above all else.

One Final Consideration For College Applicants With Mental Health Challenges or Disabilities

Keep in mind that in addition to making your own decision about whether your personal challenges will be included on your application, you should also discuss your decision with your college counselor or any teachers who are writing recommendations for you. You need to be sure that the details you plan to include on your application are consistent with any details that your teachers might include in your recommendations.

Also keep in mind that you can always request that your teachers do not disclose any details at all about your mental health or disability. If you find no reason to mention it on your application, it’s unlikely that they would have any reason to mention it in a recommendation, either, but you should always communicate with them ahead of time to ensure that you’re on the same page.

If you’re a high school student who has struggled with mental health or disabilities, you may feel uncertain about how or even if you should disclose this information on your college application. You should know that you are not required to do so in any way, and that the final decision is always yours to make.

For more about disabilities, mental health, and the college admissions process, see these valuable CollegeVine posts:

• A Guide to Disability Accommodations for Standardized Testing    
• Getting Back On Track After a Disciplinary Setback
• Dealing with Test Anxiety
• How to Get Into a Competitive School if You Struggled in High School
• What Makes a Good Recommendation Letter?
• How Often Should I Meet with My Guidance Counselor?
• Doubt, Discouragement, and Setting Appropriate Goals in High School

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

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Mention depression in a college essay?

College essays are meant to provide an insight into your personality that your academic transcripts and certificates do not. They are a way for you to introduce yourself to the college committee. That is why it is important to mention what is your core personality and who you are as a person. If you feel that depression is now a part of you, something that has changed you and has helped you to grow then you should mention it. College administrators and individuals who will review your college essays know that a lot of students these days experience depression and therefore are accepting of it rather than seeing it as an undesirable trait. 

Reasons to mention depression in your college essay

In case you wish to mention depression in your college essay here are some reasons why you should:

It impacted your high school experience

You shouldn’t just mention your depression in your college essay unless it impacted your high school experience. In case because of depression, you felt that you were unable to participate in the school extracurricular activities or were not able to enjoy it as much as others. Then you can mention it, but ensure that its impact was quite significant in nature. Another reason to mention your depression in your college is to highlight how high school can be a little difficult for some individuals and how it affects one’s mental health negatively. But ensure that you are not blaming the education system but providing a viewpoint.

Your academic performance suffered

To explain a gap year or period.

In case you took a gap year or period during your school or after your high school ended you can mention your depression in your college essay. Be sure to explain how and why it was necessary for you to take this year, build upon your mental health and how you were able to successfully overcome depression after taking this gap year. Mention how you felt during this time of period and how other people like your family members, friends and classmates help you with it. Mention how your experience during the gap years was, what other activities did you learn or do during this time period, be sure to mention any internship or course that you did. 

You wish to highlight how you overcame it

To show how you turned your weakness into your strength, it defines you as a person, to highlight how you handle your mental health now.

If you feel that you are more and better equipped at handling your mental health and actively taking steps to improve it even now, mention your depression in your college essay. In case you have started ensuring that you do yoga or practice mindfulness, take out time to explore your hobbies then it is a good idea to mention these things in your college essay.

Points to remember when you want to mention depression in your college essay

You are not alone.

Remember that you’re not alone and that many students just like you have also struggled through depression and gotten into college. College administrators know that and know how tough it can be to deal with and overcome depression. Knowing that you have gone through something as life-changing as depression and come and be able to come out of it. It takes a lot of courage and strength to be able to do that. You are understood and wanted by colleges based on who you are now. 

It is okay to talk about your struggles

You are more than just being depressed, focus on your coping skills, research about your college’s counseling services.

While applying to a college ensure that you go through the website properly and research as to what counseling services your college provides in case you have difficulty keeping up with the curriculum and college life. This will also help you have an understanding of what your college’s approach to mental health is. If the college has a proper counseling center where 24*7 help is available. It indicates that the college is aware of the importance of mental health and is working actively to ensure that the students are given the proper treatment and care they wish for.

BetterHelp: A Better Alternative

Faqs: mention depression in a college essay , is it okay to write about depression in a college essay.

It is okay to write about depression in a college essay when you are mentioning it to explain an inconsistency in your academic records. For example, explaining a gap year or drop in grades.

Is it OK to write about mental health in college essays?

What should you not write your college essay on, is it bad to swear in a college essay.

Yes, it is a terrible idea to swear in a college essay as many articles by college admission boards have mentioned that using profanities in college essays leads to people losing their seats. They consider using swear words a significant mistake that every student must avoid.

What are the best college essay topics?

Do colleges look at mental health records, references , was this helpful, overcome depression and find joy in life again with betterhelp.

Don’t wait to start feeling better – sign up for BetterHelp today and take the first step towards a brighter tomorrow.

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Special Education and Inclusive Learning

How to Write a Compelling College Application Essay

The college application essay is one of the most critical components of the admissions process. It provides an opportunity to showcase your personality, experiences, and writing skills, offering a window into who you are beyond your grades and test scores. Writing a compelling essay can be a daunting task, but with careful planning and thoughtful reflection, you can create an essay that stands out to admissions officers.

The Importance of the College Application Essay

Role in the Admissions Process The college application essay plays a pivotal role in the admissions process, serving as a key factor in differentiating you from other applicants with similar academic achievements. It’s your chance to make a personal connection with the admissions committee and present yourself as a unique individual.

Opportunity to Stand Out In a sea of applications, the essay is your opportunity to leave a lasting impression. It allows you to highlight your strengths, share your passions, and tell your story in a way that no one else can. Admissions officers look for essays that are engaging, authentic, and reflective of the applicant’s true self.

Personal Storytelling as a Key Component A compelling college essay goes beyond mere facts; it tells a story. This narrative should weave together your experiences, values, and goals, offering insight into who you are as a person and what you will bring to the college community.

Understanding the Prompt

Carefully Reading the Prompt The first step in writing a compelling essay is to thoroughly understand the prompt. Read it multiple times, and break it down into its key components. What is the prompt asking you to address? Are there specific themes or questions you need to focus on? Understanding the prompt ensures that your essay is on target and meets the expectations of the admissions committee.

Choosing the Right Prompt Most college applications offer a selection of essay prompts. Choose the one that resonates most with you, one that allows you to tell a story that is both meaningful and reflective of your experiences. Consider which prompt will best showcase your strengths and provide the most room for a thoughtful and personal response.

Analyzing What Admissions Officers Are Looking For When reviewing essays, admissions officers seek to understand your character, values, and how you think. They look for a balance between confidence and humility, insights into your personality, and evidence of your ability to grow and learn from your experiences. Your essay should provide a window into who you are, how you’ve evolved, and what you aspire to become.

Brainstorming Ideas

Reflecting on Personal Experiences Begin your brainstorming process by reflecting on your life experiences. Think about moments that have shaped you, challenges you’ve overcome, and achievements that are significant to you. These reflections will help you identify a central theme or story that will resonate in your essay.

Creating a List of Potential Topics When creating a list of potential topics for your college application essay, it’s essential to dig deep into your personal experiences and identify those that are both meaningful and distinctive. Start by reflecting on moments that have had a significant impact on your life—whether it’s overcoming a challenge, experiencing a personal transformation, or achieving something that made you proud. As you brainstorm, jot down any ideas that come to mind, even if they seem unconventional at first. The goal is to compile a diverse array of topics that reveal different aspects of your personality, values, and growth.

Once you have a list, prioritize those topics that are unique and genuinely reflect who you are. Avoid overused themes, like winning a sports game or volunteering abroad, unless you can bring a fresh perspective that sets your story apart. For example, instead of just describing the experience, focus on the deeper meaning it holds for you and how it has shaped your outlook on life. If you’re unsure whether a topic stands out, consider using tools like the Just done tool or a compare and contrast essay generator to help evaluate and refine your choices. These resources can assist in highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each idea, ensuring that you select a topic that will resonate powerfully with admissions officers. By carefully curating your list of potential topics, you’ll be well-equipped to craft an essay that not only meets the prompt’s requirements but also showcases your individuality in a compelling way.

Using Mind Mapping Techniques Mind mapping is a valuable tool for organizing your thoughts and identifying connections between ideas. Start with a central theme and branch out into related experiences, lessons, and values. This visual approach can help you narrow down your focus and identify a specific story or angle to pursue in your essay.

Crafting a Strong Narrative

Choosing a Central Theme or Story A strong essay revolves around a central theme or story. Choose an experience that is not only relevant to the prompt but also significant to you personally. Your story should highlight your growth, learning, and development, providing insight into your character and values.

Developing a Clear Structure A well-structured essay is easier to follow and more compelling to read. Organize your essay into three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. Each section should serve a distinct purpose and contribute to the overall narrative.

• Introduction : Set the stage by grabbing the reader’s attention with an engaging opening. Introduce the main idea of your essay and provide a glimpse of what’s to come.
• Body : Build your narrative by diving deeper into your story or experience. Focus on key moments, challenges, and turning points that have shaped you.
• Conclusion : Reflect on your journey and connect it to your future aspirations. Summarize the insights gained and how they have prepared you for the next chapter of your life.

Writing with Authenticity Authenticity is crucial in a college application essay. Write in your own voice, and be true to your experiences. Admissions officers can tell when an essay is forced or exaggerated, so focus on being genuine. Your honesty and sincerity will make your essay more relatable and impactful.

Writing the Introduction

Crafting a Hook The introduction is your chance to make a strong first impression. Start with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention—this could be an anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a striking quote. The goal is to pique the reader’s curiosity and encourage them to keep reading.

Setting the Tone The tone of your essay should be reflective of your personality and the message you want to convey. Whether it’s serious, lighthearted, or somewhere in between, the tone you set in the introduction should carry through the rest of the essay.

Introducing the Main Idea In the introduction, clearly state the main idea or theme of your essay. This will provide the reader with a roadmap of what to expect and set the stage for the story you’re about to tell.

Developing the Body Paragraphs

Expanding on the Central Theme The body of your essay is where you expand on your central theme or story. Delve into the details of your experience, highlighting challenges, turning points, and moments of growth. Each paragraph should build on the previous one, creating a cohesive and compelling narrative.

Using Specific Examples and Details To make your essay more vivid and engaging, use specific examples and details. Instead of simply stating that you overcame a challenge, describe the situation, how you felt, and what you learned. Concrete examples help the reader connect with your story and understand your experiences on a deeper level.

Maintaining Coherence and Flow A well-written essay should have a logical flow, with each paragraph connecting smoothly to the next. Use transitions to guide the reader through your story, and ensure that each paragraph contributes to the overall narrative. Avoid going off on tangents or including irrelevant details that could distract from your main point.

Writing the Conclusion

Reflecting on the Journey The conclusion of your essay should provide a reflection on the journey you’ve described. Summarize the key insights and lessons you’ve learned, and emphasize how these experiences have shaped you. This reflection should tie back to the main theme of your essay and provide closure to your narrative.

Connecting to Future Goals In addition to reflecting on the past, use the conclusion to connect your experiences to your future goals. How have these experiences prepared you for college and beyond? Demonstrate your readiness for the challenges ahead and how you plan to apply what you’ve learned.

Ending with Impact The final sentence of your essay should leave a lasting impression. Consider ending with a powerful statement, a call to action, or a thought-provoking idea that reinforces the central theme of your essay. Your conclusion should resonate with the reader and leave them thinking about your story long after they’ve finished reading.

Revising and Editing

Reviewing for Content and Clarity Once you’ve completed your first draft, take a step back and review your essay for content and clarity. Does your essay effectively answer the prompt? Is your narrative clear and easy to follow? Make sure that your essay presents a cohesive story and that your ideas are well-organized.

Polishing Language and Style After reviewing the content, focus on polishing the language and style of your essay. Refine your word choice, sentence structure, and tone to ensure that your essay is engaging and professional. Eliminate any redundant phrases or clichés, and make sure that your writing is concise and impactful.

Seeking Feedback Before submitting your essay, seek feedback from teachers, peers, or mentors. They can provide valuable insights and help you identify areas for improvement. Be open to constructive criticism and use it to make revisions that enhance the quality of your essay.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Overused Topics and Clichés One of the most common pitfalls in college application essays is choosing an overused or clichéd topic. Admissions officers read thousands of essays, so it’s important to select a topic that is unique and personal to you. Avoid writing about subjects like winning a big game or volunteering in a foreign country unless you can offer a fresh and original perspective.

Overloading the Essay with Achievements While it’s important to highlight your achievements, your essay should not read like a resume. Focus on personal growth and the lessons you’ve learned, rather than simply listing accomplishments. Admissions officers want to see how you’ve developed as a person, not just a catalog of your successes.

Neglecting the Basics Finally, don’t neglect the basics of good writing. Proofread your essay carefully to catch any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Ensure that your essay adheres to the word count and formatting guidelines provided by the college. A well-written and error-free essay demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism.

Final Tips for Success

Starting Early One of the best pieces of advice for writing a compelling college application essay is to start early. Give yourself plenty of time for brainstorming, writing, and revising. Starting early will reduce stress and allow you to produce a more thoughtful and polished essay.

Staying True to Yourself Remember that your college essay is about you. Write in your own voice, and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable or honest. Embrace your imperfections and be authentic in your storytelling. Admissions officers are looking for students who are genuine and self-aware, so focus on presenting your true self.

Remembering the Audience As you write your essay, keep the admissions officers in mind. They are looking to learn about you as a person, so write with the goal of making a genuine connection. Consider what you want them to take away from your essay and how you can best convey your message.

Writing a compelling college application essay is a process that requires reflection, creativity, and careful planning. By following the steps outlined above, you can craft an essay that is authentic, engaging, and impactful. Remember to stay true to yourself, take your time, and seek feedback to refine your essay. With dedication and effort, you can create a powerful narrative that sets you apart in the competitive college admissions process.

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How to Write a Research Proposal: A Complete Guide

A research proposal is a piece of writing that basically serves as your plan for a research project. It spells out what you’ll study, how you’ll go about it, and why it matters. Think of it as your pitch to show professors or funding bodies that your project is worth their attention and support.

This task is standard for grad students, especially those in research-intensive fields. It’s your chance to showcase your ability to think critically, design a solid study, and articulate why your research could make a difference.

In this article, we'll talk about how to craft a good research proposal, covering everything from the standard format of a research proposal to the specific details you'll need to include. 

Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of putting one together? That’s where DoMyEssay comes in handy.  Whether you need a little push or more extensive guidance, we’ll help you nail your proposal and move your project forward. 

Research Proposal Format

When you're putting together a research proposal, think of it as setting up a roadmap for your project. You want it to be clear and easy to follow so everyone knows what you’re planning to do, how you’re going to do it, and why it matters. 

Whether you’re following APA or Chicago style, the key is to keep your formatting clean so that it’s easy for committees or funding bodies to read through and understand.

Here’s a breakdown of each section, with a special focus on formatting a research proposal:

• Title Page : This is your first impression. Make sure it includes the title of your research proposal, your name, and your affiliations. Your title should grab attention and make it clear what your research is about.
• Abstract : This is your elevator pitch. In about 250 words, you need to sum up what you plan to research, how you plan to do it, and what impact you think it will have.
• Introduction : Here’s where you draw them in. Lay out your research question or problem, highlight its importance, and clearly outline what you aim to achieve with your study.
• Literature Review : Show that you’ve done your homework. In this section, demonstrate that you know the field and how your research fits into it. It’s your chance to connect your ideas to what’s already out there and show off a bit about what makes your approach unique or necessary.
• Methodology : Dive into the details of how you’ll get your research done. Explain your methods for gathering data and how you’ll analyze it. This is where you reassure them that your project is doable and you’ve thought through all the steps.
• Timeline : Keep it realistic. Provide an estimated schedule for your research, breaking down the process into manageable stages and assigning a timeline for each phase.
• Budget : If you need funding, lay out a budget that spells out what you need money for. Be clear and precise so there’s no guesswork involved about what you’re asking for.
• References/Bibliography : List out all the works you cited in your proposal. Stick to one citation style to keep things consistent.

Get Your Research Proposal Right 

Let our experts guide you through crafting a research proposal that stands out. From idea to submission, we've got you covered.

Research Proposal Structure

When you're writing a research proposal, you're laying out your questions and explaining the path you're planning to take to tackle them. Here’s how to structure your proposal so that it speaks to why your research matters and should get some attention.

Introduction

An introduction is where you grab attention and make everyone see why what you're doing matters. Here, you’ll pose the big question of your research proposal topic and show off the potential of your research right from the get-go:

• Grab attention : Start with something that makes the reader sit up — maybe a surprising fact, a challenging question, or a brief anecdote that highlights the urgency of your topic.
• Set the scene : What’s the broader context of your work? Give a snapshot of the landscape and zoom in on where your research fits. This helps readers see the big picture and the niche you’re filling.
• Lay out your plan : Briefly mention the main goals or questions of your research. If you have a hypothesis, state it clearly here.
• Make it matter : Show why your research needs to happen now. What gaps are you filling? What changes could your findings inspire? Make sure the reader understands the impact and significance of your work.

Literature Review

In your research proposal, the literature review does more than just recap what’s already out there. It's where you get to show off how your research connects with the big ideas and ongoing debates in your field. Here’s how to make this section work hard for you:

• Connect the dots : First up, highlight how your study fits into the current landscape by listing what others have done and positioning your research within it. You want to make it clear that you’re not just following the crowd but actually engaging with and contributing to real conversations. 
• Critique what’s out there : Explore what others have done well and where they’ve fallen short. Pointing out the gaps or where others might have missed the mark helps set up why your research is needed and how it offers something different.
• Build on what’s known : Explain how your research will use, challenge, or advance the existing knowledge. Are you closing a key gap? Applying old ideas in new ways? Make it clear how your work is going to add something new or push existing boundaries.

Aims and Objectives

Let's talk about the aims and objectives of your research. This is where you set out what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there:

• Main Goal : Start by stating your primary aim. What big question are you trying to answer, or what hypothesis are you testing? This is your research's main driving force.
• Detailed Objectives : Now, break down your main goal into smaller, actionable objectives. These should be clear and specific steps that will help you reach your overall aim. Think of these as the building blocks of your research, each one designed to contribute to the larger goal.

Research Design and Method

This part of your proposal outlines the practical steps you’ll take to answer your research questions:

• Type of Research : First off, what kind of research are you conducting? Will it be qualitative or quantitative research , or perhaps a mix of both? Clearly define whether you'll be gathering numerical data for statistical analysis or exploring patterns and theories in depth.
• Research Approach : Specify whether your approach is experimental, correlational, or descriptive. Each of these frameworks has its own way of uncovering insights, so choose the one that best fits the questions you’re trying to answer.
• Data Collection : Discuss the specifics of your data. If you’re in the social sciences, for instance, describe who or what you’ll be studying. How will you select your subjects or sources? What criteria will you use, and how will you gather your data? Be clear about the methods you’ll use, whether that’s surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments.
• Tools and Techniques : Detail the tools and techniques you'll use to collect your data. Explain why these tools are the best fit for your research goals.
• Timeline and Budget : Sketch out a timeline for your research activities. How long will each phase take? This helps everyone see that your project is organized and feasible.
• Potential Challenges : What might go wrong? Think about potential obstacles and how you plan to handle them. This shows you’re thinking ahead and preparing for all possibilities.

Ethical Considerations

When you're conducting research, especially involving people, you've got to think about ethics. This is all about ensuring everyone's rights are respected throughout your study. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Participant Rights : You need to protect your participants' rights to privacy, autonomy, and confidentiality. This means they should know what the study involves and agree to participate willingly—this is what we call informed consent.
• Informed Consent : You've got to be clear with participants about what they’re signing up for, what you’ll do with the data, and how you'll keep it confidential. Plus, they need the freedom to drop out any time they want.
• Ethical Approval : Before you even start collecting data, your research plan needs a green light from an ethics committee. This group checks that you’re set up to keep your participants safe and treated fairly.

You need to carefully calculate the costs for every aspect of your project. Make sure to include a bit extra for those just-in-case scenarios like unexpected delays or price hikes. Every dollar should have a clear purpose, so justify each part of your budget to ensure it’s all above board. This approach keeps your project on track financially and avoids any surprises down the line.

The appendices in your research proposal are where you stash all the extra documents that back up your main points. Depending on your project, this could include things like consent forms, questionnaires, measurement tools, or even a simple explanation of your study for participants. 

Just like any academic paper, your research proposal needs to include citations for all the sources you’ve referenced. Whether you call it a references list or a bibliography, the idea is the same — crediting the work that has informed your research. Make sure every source you’ve cited is listed properly, keeping everything consistent and easy to follow.

Research Proposal Got You Stuck? 

Get expert help with your literature review, ensuring your research is grounded in solid scholarship. 

How to Write a Research Proposal?

Whether you're new to this process or looking to refine your skills, here are some practical tips to help you create a strong and compelling proposal. 

Research Proposal Template

Here’s a simple and handy research proposal example in PDF format to help you get started and keep your work organized:

Writing a research proposal can be straightforward if you break it down into manageable steps:

• Pick a strong research proposal topic that interests you and has enough material to explore.
• Craft an engaging introduction that clearly states your research question and objectives.
• Do a thorough literature review to see how your work fits into the existing research landscape.
• Plan out your research design and method , deciding whether you’ll use qualitative or quantitative research.
• Consider the ethical aspects to ensure your research is conducted responsibly.
• Set up a budget and gather any necessary appendices to support your proposal.
• Make sure all your sources are cited properly to add credibility to your work.

If you need some extra support, DoMyEssay is ready to help with any type of paper, including crafting a strong research proposal. 

What Is a Research Proposal?

How long should a research proposal be, how do you start writing a research proposal.

Examples of Research proposals | York St John University. (n.d.). York St John University. https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/apply/examples-of-research-proposals/

‘I’m a NICU Nurse Who Had Postpartum Depression 3 Times—Here’s What I’ve Learned’

“I just remember sitting in my [hospital] room, and everything just felt super overwhelming, and I was very tearful," Leos recalls. "I thought to myself, ‘I need help. I can feel it already.’”

"It" was postpartum depression, or PPD, characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or anxiety that last longer than two weeks and start around the time of delivery, according to the Office on Women’s Health (OWH). Leos, 39, who lives in Midlothian, Texas, and works as a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), had experienced it twice before, when her two older children were born.

• Jill Zechowy, MD , physician, perinatal psychotherapist, and author of Motherhood Survival Manual: Your Prenatal Guide to Prevent Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

But even though she recognized PPD this time, it still took Leos months to feel better. Here’s what she wants everyone to know about this emotional experience.

You might feel *everything*—or nothing at all

PPD—also sometimes called perinatal depression—can occur anytime during pregnancy or in the year after, explains Jill Zechowy, MD , a physician, perinatal psychotherapist, and author of Motherhood Survival Manual: Your Prenatal Guide to Prevent Postpartum Depression and Anxiety . “It’s characterized by exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed, sometimes tearful, other times numb," Zechowy says. "These moms feel like they are failures as mothers.”

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Other new moms might experience anger, rage, or anxiety, which often shows up as disturbing, intrusive thoughts. “These can be really scary images that women have in which they imagine harm coming to the baby,” she says.

The smallest tasks, like taking leftovers out of the fridge to reheat for dinner, were overwhelming for Leos—if she had the motivation to do them at all. “I would start a task, and forget what I was doing, so my house got really crazy. I didn’t have a lot of motivation to do tasks to begin with, so once I actually got the motivation, it was even worse, because I couldn’t finish them,” she says.

She remembers cloudy moments of brain fog when she felt like she was living outside of her body, watching her family from afar without feeling the joy or love she usually felt being with them.

That was a big difference from the emotional peaks and valleys she had experienced after her first two deliveries. About eight weeks after having her first daughter, Kristina talked to her OB/GYN about how she was feeling and started a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI. After her second delivery, she started the antidepressant right away. (Once you’ve had postpartum depression once, you’re more likely to have it again, Dr. Zechowy says.)

It’s more common in certain people

No one knows exactly what causes postpartum depression, and it’s probably a combination of many factors. Experts think the major hormone changes that happen so quickly after giving birth likely trigger mood changes, according to the OWH.

You’re also more likely to develop postpartum depression, per the OWH, if you have a family history of depression (even in male relatives; had an unplanned, difficult, traumatic, or premature pregnancy or delivery; don't have much support from your partner, family, or friends; or are facing other life stressors, like financial challenges or relationship problems.

Leos conceived her third child through IVF, and her daughter was born premature. Parents who go through IVF and those who deliver before full-term are both more likely to have postpartum depression symptoms , according to an August 2023 Acta Psychologica study and a January 2022 Scientific Reports study, respectively. “Everything just happened so fast for me this time, and I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Leos says of her third delivery.

Finding the right treatment can take time

What didn’t happen fast was finding an effective treatment. Leos delivered her second daughter in March 2023. She went back on the SSRI after delivery, and she says she would feel some improvement, then feel a little worse. Her OB/GYN kept increasing her dose. They added a second medication to her routine, but the same pattern—one step forward, two steps back—repeated. “I would feel a little bit better, but then I would just slide backwards," she says. "It was a roller coaster, down and up and down.”

Her OB/GYN suggested speaking with a psychiatrist. At first, Leos didn’t feel comfortable opening up to a stranger. “It was hard enough for me to open up to [my doctor], and I trusted her so much," she says. "But I realized at some point that this was beyond what she could offer to me.” She started seeing a psychiatrist in the summer of 2023. The psychiatrist adjusted the doses of her medications, tried some different options, and still couldn’t relieve Leos’s symptoms.

In December 2023, Leos remembers her psychiatrist looking at her and saying, “This is not working. We need to do something else.” Her options included electroconvulsive therapy, ketamine treatment, and hospitalization. “I couldn’t believe I had gotten to a point in my life where I could have to be in the hospital for Christmas without my kids,” she says.

She remembered hearing about a relatively new postpartum depression treatment called zuranolone on Facebook, so she asked her psychiatrist for more information. The psychiatrist hadn’t prescribed it to anyone yet—it had only been approved by the FDA for PPD treatment that August—but after looking into it more, they determined Leos would be a good candidate.

Zuranolone, sold under the brand name Zurzuvae , “is the first oral pill that the FDA has specifically approved for postpartum depression,” Dr. Zechowy says.

Previously, the only medication specifically approved for PPD was a 60-hour intravenous infusion that had to be delivered in the hospital, according to Yale Medicine .

Rather than target the neurotransmitter serotonin, zuranolone works on different feel-good receptors in the brain that depend on the hormone allopregnanolone, Dr. Zechowy explains. Allopregnanolone levels drop dramatically after giving birth. Consequently, “it works much quicker than SSRIs,” she says. “Whereas they may take two to four weeks to start becoming effective, sometimes zuranolone works as quickly as in three days.”

Plus, you only take zuranolone for 14 days, compared to the 12 months or so you’d probably be treated with SSRIs, Dr. Zechowy estimates. This makes it an especially exciting development for people with severe postpartum depression who need relief quickly, she adds.

Leos started taking zuranolone in January 2024. By day three, she could already tell she was feeling differently. “Every day, I got better and better, and then at the end, I was just like, wow, I don't feel like [I’m having] an out-of-body experience.”

Treatment, in some cases, is a life-or-death matter: “Most families are not aware of the harm of untreated postpartum depression,” Dr. Zechowy says. But perinatal mental health concerns (which includes PPD as well as postpartum anxiety and postpartum psychosis ) are the top cause of death among new moms via suicide or overdose, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . “I know someone who died from postpartum depression a few weeks ago,” Leos says. “It really, really shook me hard, because it could be any of us.”

There are some side effects of the PPD pill to be aware of

Leos decided to start treatment when she had five days off from work in a row, to give herself some time and space in case she experienced any side effects.

The biggest side effects of zuranolone are dizziness and sedation, Dr. Zechowy says. Because of these concerns, you shouldn’t drive within 12 hours of taking the pill (which you take every evening with a meal rich in fat to help your body absorb the medication, per the manufacturer’s website ), which simply might not work for everyone, she says.

“My main thing was dizziness, but the side effects were not as bad as I thought they would be. For me, the benefits outweigh the little side effects,” Leos says.

You shouldn’t breastfeed on zuranolone

We don’t currently know how this relatively new medication may or may not affect a newborn, so you shouldn’t breastfeed while taking it. “I pumped and dumped, and it was just for two weeks, so it wasn’t that long,” Leos says.

Still, it was challenging emotionally for her: “When I felt like such a failure, one thing I could do for my daughter was to provide milk. So the fact that I couldn’t breastfeed made me not want to take zuranolone. But I realized I could pump and dump, and for two weeks, you can do anything.”

There’s a hefty trice tag for the pill, but insurance can help

The wholesale price of Zurzuvae was announced at $15,900 by manufacturer Sage Therapeutics . They do have a financial assistance program , and anecdotally, at least, Dr. Zechowy says most insurance companies are covering the cost if your doctor gets approval from them first (called a prior authorization).

Leos didn’t have to pay that much, but she thinks it would have been worth it. “Now that I've taken it, I would gladly pay $16,000,” she says. “I’d have to take out a loan, but I would gladly pay that, because you can’t put a price tag on your life.”

You are not alone if you have PPD

One in 8 new moms experiences symptoms of PPD , per the OWH, but it can feel like you’re the only one struggling. Postpartum depression was isolating for Leos. “I didn’t want to burden anyone by telling them how I was feeling,” she says. “My best friends, my husband—they didn’t know the extent of my issues. But it’s a time [when] you need the most help and you need someone to talk to.”

Shame often keeps new parents from speaking out about how they’re feeling, Dr. Zechowy says. “Women see a significant part of their value as a human being by their role as a mother, and postpartum depression makes you feel like you're a terrible mother. You don't realize you're depressed. You just think you're not good at this.”

Leos just overcame that shame recently. “I only started talking about my experience a few months ago,” she says. There were many opportunities when someone in the health care system could have extended more support to her. For example, she says, she scored high on measurements of depression during multiple evaluations, but providers shrugged it off as normal. “I think people are just afraid to talk about it,” she says. “I started to think maybe I shouldn’t be worried about it.”

That’s emboldened her to speak up publicly and at work. “As a health care professional who works with postpartum women, I think it's important to bring up postpartum depression to them, and tell them that it's real,” she says. “In our discharge instructions, I think there's, like, one line about postpartum depression. Now I just take a lot more time to actually educate moms [about it].”

Need support for PPD? Call or text the Postpartum Support International helpline at 1-800-944-4773 or the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262.

• Girchenko, P., Robinson, R., Rantalainen, V.J.  et al.  Maternal postpartum depressive symptoms partially mediate the association between preterm birth and mental and behavioral disorders in children.  Sci Rep   12 , 947 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-04990-w
• Li, Chuan-Chen et al. “Factors associated with postpartum depressive symptoms among women who conceived with infertility treatment.”  Acta psychologica  vol. 238 (2023): 103987. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.103987

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How to Nurture a Sense of Belonging for Students With Disabilities

Prioritizing the inclusion of students with disabilities into all aspects of the school community ensures a welcoming learning environment.

School is a place where everyone should feel that they belong. However, for students with disabilities, this has not always been the case—the education system has a long history of exclusion and segregation when it comes to these students. It wasn’t that long ago that there was no expectation that children with disabilities should or could attend public schools, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act changed that by mandating that children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education alongside their peers with and without disabilities in the general education setting or least restrictive environment to the greatest extent possible. This is often easier said than done.

Moving From Exclusion Toward Inclusion

Children with disabilities have been brought into the public school setting amid their same-age peers without disabilities. However, the lives of students with and without disabilities still rarely intersect. In the absence of shared activities, strong social connections are unlikely to form. Integration falls short of fostering true belonging for students with disabilities within their school communities.

While situations have greatly improved, it has been a long journey from exclusion to segregation to integration to inclusion. The journey won’t be complete until we all embrace the next step, a sense of belonging. Belonging comes when each person in the school community feels valued and accepted by their peers and teachers. It is when everyone strives to create connections among students that reciprocal relationships can form and all parties can feel like true members of their school.

Simple Ways to Promote a Sense of Belonging

So how can this be accomplished? As Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Michael McSheehan, and Rae M. Sonnenmeir have written, school community members must go beyond simply allowing students with disabilities to be present in all school activities . They need to take an active role in promoting an atmosphere of belonging. Some can easily be integrated into daily classroom routines. 

Consider the following six options to support a sense of belonging:

• During class discussions, regularly ask students with and without disabilities to share stories of when they felt welcomed by others. Students can learn from each other’s experiences.
• Engineer occasions for students with and without disabilities to collaborate on projects and assignments that offer both independent and group accountability so that students can learn to value every group member.
• Consider how peers can provide natural support to one another. Often adults are assigned to help and support children with disabilities. This can be marginalizing and exclusive. Encourage peers to support their classmates as friends and colleagues, not as helpers.
• Combine “ universal supports ” (those that benefit everyone) and “individualized supports” (those that an individual student might need) to make it more viable to meet the educational needs of all the students, such as visual schedules, timers, and flexible seating options.
• Integrate student choice, goal setting, and preferences into lessons and other class activities every day, such as offering flexible seating during independent work or options for self-assessment like rubrics and checklists for class and homework assignments.
• Make sure that students with disabilities are considered for schoolwide recognition, awards, and accolades available to any student.

When students with and without disabilities have plenty of well-supported opportunities to spend time together within and beyond the classroom, many preconceived notions or misconceptions about people with disabilities can be turned around simply through the experience of sharing space. Sometimes, though, it may take a bit more planning and collaboration. 

Know Your Students and Build Community 

Researcher Eric W. Carter advocates for expanding dimensions of belonging for students with disabilities . One way this can be done is by having teachers work together to create student profiles for all learners that emphasize student strengths. This ensures that everyone knows the positive qualities of students with (and without) disabilities. Ask parents, other teachers, and other students about students’ interests, preferences, desires, likes, dislikes, abilities, and talents. 

Teachers can then use this information to group students for projects, assignments, or other social activities. For instance, rather than randomly grouping students, assign them to groups by a common like or dislike, favorite food, or least favorite school subject. This allows students to connect socially before taking on the assigned task. People tend to collaborate more effectively when they share a connection.

Design the School Environment to Meet Students’ Needs

According to research, creating a true culture of belonging needs to extend beyond the classroom and permeate the entire school environment . Schoolwide efforts might include conducting a walk-through of your school buildings and surrounding areas to identify any physical or environmental barriers that could prevent students with disabilities from accessing the location and the people within it.

Pay attention to how people at your school talk about students with disabilities. Do they emphasize the disability labels over the students? (For example, do they use phrases like “IEP [individualized education program] students” or “special ed students”?) Do they equate disability with deficit? Do their words and actions communicate acceptance and belonging, or do they tend more toward exclusion, discomfort, or intolerance?

Gently and respectfully interrupt these connotations each time you encounter them. Educate people voicing them, rather than scolding. When you hear “IEP students,” respond with “students with disabilities.” If you hear someone describing what a student cannot do, remind them of all the things the student can do.

It’s also helpful to plan schoolwide events and activities aligned with national awareness days and months: Developmental Disabilities (March), Down Syndrome (March 21 and October), Cerebral Palsy (March), Autism (April), Disability Pride Month (July), the UN International Day of Persons With Disabilities (December 3), and Inclusive Schools (December). 

With our long history of exclusion and segregation of students with disabilities in education, shifting to a sense of belonging may feel like a big leap. We have come a long way, but we have a bit further to go.