Wicked Problems: Depression

Depression is a disorder that can affect anybody and is the leading cause of disability and disorders in the United States. This year, due to COVID-19, it has hit an all time high, affecting many more people. Suicide rates have been steadily growing across all ages, and this year is at a record high too, showing correlation with depression. There are two types of depression, major depressive disorder and chronic depressive disorder. Diagnosis of depression is typically done physically or through a questionnaire, which is compared into a DSM-5. There are many risk factors for depression and other common mental disorders, many of which being during adolescence to young adulthood. Child abuse and other trauma also lead to a higher chance of having a depressive disorder when an individual grows up. Meanwhile all of this turmoil in the world, depression treatment costs are every steadily growing, while being quite ineffective. Many medications have the individual with the disorder likely having side effects that can range from forms of sickness such as vomiting, to more serious symptoms