Marketing Depression

by Maria Gonzales
http://www.medico.com

Global estimates point out that around 350 million people suffer from depression. This

is a well defined clinical disorder, with specific diagnostic criteria and varied successful

therapeutic interventions. But, as it also happens with other mood disorders and so-called

mental health conditions, its media and societal visibility needs focused, informative and

professional marketing campaigns. Recent studies show that the general public often tend to

confuse negative mood episodes and symptoms that fall within the "normal" scope of human

experience with depression, and that almost 50% of the people suffering real depression

episodes feel reluctant to address their problem, for fear of being socially stigmatized

or labeled as psychiatric patients. This is no joke: a high percentage of depression cases,

diagnosed or not, end in suicide, not to mention the huge impact of the disorder in daily life

(from family relations to work and community issues).

The ancient distinction between body, spirit and mind is still embedded in all aspects of our

culture. "Illness is physical, mental problems are a different sort of thing altogether" is a

statement still widely endorsed. The study of the physiological correlates of depression and

other cognitive, emotional & behavioral disorders has been fruitfully going on for long decades

up to now, at a top-notch level. Researchers, health professionals, brilliant thinkers interested

in brain science, and in the multilayered interaction between environment and the whole

human being as acting subject, are aware that this, usually dual, body-mind tandem is not real.

Moreover, it is harmful to the species. Certainly their work deserves acknowledgment but, for

humanity's sake, it especially requires disclosure and popularization.

In this marketing era, marketing depression and mental problems would only have advantages

for everyone involved, patients and their social circle included. People would start looking

at mental conditions in the eye and understanding of ourselves would be greatly enhanced

-no, do not say there is no way to make neurosciences and the like understandable to the

general population, great communicators like Eduard Punset in Spain have sufficiently proved

otherwise. People would know how to detect a depression, and clearly differentiate it from

the normal fluctuations in mood that are an essential part of human life and adaptation. There

is also need of this sort of education on euthymia and real happiness: the human being is richly

designed to react with different emotions, and pretending that we have to feel continuously

ecstatic, for instance, is silly.

They would be more aware of the consequences of not addressing the problem: the longer

a depression goes without treatment, the more it installs with us, which means worsening

of the symptoms and a growing inability to act, to fight back. They would not fear admitting

their plight to professionals and relations alike, and these in turn would be more informed and

ready to help. It would be interesting to question why this marketing of mental illnesses has

not been addressed thoroughly but, as the saying goes, that is another story.

Maria Gonzales, health blogger for Medico.com. Blogs about mental health, anxiety, depresion, asma, personality disorders, and related topics.

Article submitted Friday, September 16, 2011 & read 1 times.

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