#6: Depression

One of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in the US is major depressive disorder or depression.  Depression is characterized by a loss of less esteem or self worth in which the person no longer feels interested in day to day activities.  In many ways, most people experience symptoms of depression on recurrently following traumatic events or day-to-day mishaps.  This disorder is commonly misdiagnosed for patients who have major depressive disorder experience recurrent depressed feelings that do not necessarily need day to day triggers and in rare cases cant last months or even years.

People who experience depression are prone to several other symptoms or psychological disorders.  For instance, a patient who is experiencing prolonged depression could experience delusions or hallucinations, common symptoms of those diagnosed with schizophrenia.  Typically patients will experience insomnia or thoughts of suicide which can be suppressed by antidepressants though studies have shown that they are not always effective.  Many great people in history have dealt with psychological disorders.  One famous painter Vincent Van Gogh experienced this disorder in his later years that would eventually lead to his death.  One of his famous paintings At Eternity’s Gate (1890) depicts his depression upon release from a psychiatric ward.  It was noted following this painting, the artist became at times unable and unwilling to paint that would eventually be following by his own suicide in 1890.  Looking more carefully at the portrait, one can note the main characteristic features of this disorder as depicted in the painting.  Clearly the man is covered in blue, uninteresting attire common to patients who are “feeling blue” or uninterested or unable to dress themselves properly.  His posture is reminiscent of the fetal position, one that people take in times of great sorrow and his face is a pale shade of green possibly indicating his lack of self worth or his feelings of being unimportant.

Works Cited:

"Boz — Flog » At Eternity’s Gate ." Boz — Flog. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2011. <http://boz.bloboz.net/2010/08/14/at-eternitys-gate/>.
Hulsker, Jan, Jan Hulsker, and James M. Miller. Vincent and Theo Van Gogh: a Dual Biography. Ann Arbor: Fuller Publications, 1990. Print.

Spitzer, Robert L. DSM-IV-TR Casebook: a Learning Companion to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub., 2002. Print.