Depression and Self-Loathing

Abstract

Depression strikes a large number of people around the world. It can be brought on by many things, such as childhood trauma, social issues, and drug use. The one thing that sets depression apart from many other mental afflictions is that everyone who has it may have it for different reasons and are taking different steps to remedy it. Some seek psychoanalysis while some rely on a pill to make them feel better. Others turn to self-medication, in the case of depression known as self-loathing, self-mutilation, and suicide. There are endless studies regarding depression being performed worldwide which become very specific in nature. An interesting aspect of depression that sets it apart from other psychological difficulties is that depression can be brought on a person by themselves. If people allow themselves to be victims of self-loathing, depression and its symptoms are sure to be close behind.

A Literature Review on Depression and Self-Loathing

Research over years past indicates that depression is a more common affliction amongst the American people than most are led to believe. Depression is a multi-faceted adversity, as there are many things that are able to spawn it, and many things are able to come from it as well. Depression can be medically defined as a disease, and there are a number of treatments that medical professionals believe can remedy or abate the symptoms of it, although there have been numerous complaints about medical treatments designed to aid in a person’s struggles with depression. While self-loathing is a common precursor to depression, it rarely stops there. Next comes the full-fledged depression which in some cases is followed by self-mutilation or suicide attempts. Anti-depressant medication and psychoanalysis commonly follow. It has been found that there are some outside sources that may influence depression in a person that would not seem to have any link whatsoever to the condition. Regardless, depression is an affliction that has been around for ages, and unless revolutionary findings are made, it can be inferred that it will be an infirmity that will plague people for time to come as well.

Problem

A major culprit behind the concept of self-loathing is today’s media influence on the American populace. Today’s information technology seems to choose not to use its powers for good and wishes to show only people who have chiseled bodies and airbrushed faces. These people lead billion-dollar lives and have anything they wish to own at their fingertips. The more common people of America see what the media is pushing on to their television sets and aspire to be just like the images on their screens. Seeing these unachievable standards set before them, people can acquire feelings of ugliness and become frustrated and disconcerted with their appearance. After prolonged distress due to these kinds of archetypes, certain hatred develops for that which can not be reached, but instead the hatred is cast to the person’s self because they are the ones that cannot be what they wish to be. Here is where self-loathing is apt to begin. Once a person begins to hate him or herself, they become very susceptible to depression. Hateful feelings towards oneself easily can take the downward spiral to possessing a bleak outlook and sadness. Relationships, may they be platonic or intimate, tend to suffer from the emotional disturbance within the person. From here, feelings of depression easily evoke other destructive behaviors. People who did not use tobacco products or abuse alcoholic beverages previous to said feelings may begin now. They may either start because self-loathing has enticed them to do such things to make up for their unfit image, or to give in to the common misconception that such products alleviate whatever problems one may be experiencing. In some cases, those afflicted take the anger and harshness from inside themselves