The Effects of Culture on Depression

A research study has shown that a genetic predisposition toward depression is much more likely to be exacerbated if a person is living in a Western, "Me" oriented culture than in an Eastern culture more oriented toward "We".   

This may be the reason the "Me" generation in the United States has the highest rates of depression ever seen.  This makes perfect sense.  Humans are very social creatures and I think we tend to forget that in the West.  We live in a culture which emphasizes the self; self esteem, self fulfilment, self care, self awareness.  Living in a culture which focuses more on how well you interact with others and your place in and contribution to a group allows people to feel more connected and valued.  Being part of a group also provides an individual with a vast support system which inhibits the isolation and withdrawal present in depression.  Finally, the emphasis of the West on individual success, which is usually measured in how much money you make or things you possess, is becoming harder and harder to achieve, creating more and more people who are "unsuccessful".  Feeling unsuccessful leads to depression.  If success is measured instead by your contributions to and participation in a group, you are more likely to be able to succeed and feel valued by the community in which you function.  This would eliminate a source of depression. 

'Culture Of We' Buffers Genetic Tendency To Depression, Science Daily, October 30, 2009.

Comments

[nony]

I've also liked the term "interdependant" instead of "independant". I believe we need each other. Here, need for love or intimacy is in and of itself often considered a medical problem in need of "treatment". People spend thousands of dollars just to have intimacy. I wish I had more answers to this problem. People who need love are considered "codependant" despite the fact that they might actually be the ones who are able to make a marriage work for a lifetime. They know that they do, in fact, need each other and aren't afraid to say those words.

Hmmm, makes me want to research a bit.

[Kellen]

Hi nony,

These are such good points. I really like your idea of "interdependent" and I also agree that our need for love and the pain of loneliness are often "diagnosed" and medicated rather than addressed for what they really are. I would love to know what your research finds.

Thank you once again for your very lucid feedback and thoughtful comments.

Peace.