Early Childhood Life Events and Depression - Research Paper Example

Depression Depression is increasingly becoming popular in the world today. The World Health Organization estimates that oneevery twenty people have depression. A large percentage of the depressed people become depressed because of the deplorable early life experiences in their childhood. Neglect and abuse in childhood are a major cause of depression for the subsequent life stages. Scientists imply that the neglect and abuse in the early childhood change the chemistry and the structure of the brain. Stress hormones start to trigger when a person is still very young, making them susceptible to stress and depression in the future. Psychologists caution parents to handle children well in the quest to address this menace. After all, this problem affects all people in the world directly and indirectly. Neglect, child abuse, emotional abuse, depression Introduction Depression is one of the most common mental problems in the world today. This mental condition arises when a person has much more do than they can handle at one time. Overcome Depression Organization (2009) implies that the world has become more competitive, busy, and stressful, and most people are having challenges coping with these activities. They eventually develop stress, which subsequently develops into depression. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 350 million people have depression in the world. This makes depression one of the most common disorders in the world today. The major symptoms of depression include loneliness, lack of moods, poor concentration, poor appetite, low self worth feelings and guiltiness (Marcus et al, 2012). Recent studies indicate that depression can arise due to earlier life experiences. Psychologists and scientists found out that child abuse and neglect is likely to cause depression in the future. Child abuse may take the form of physical assaults, emotional and psychological abuse including insults, and sexual abuse. The World Health Organization (2012) report on burden of disease implied that 51% of people neglected and abused in their childhood developed depression later in life. Childhood depression is easy to detect with the major symptoms, which are the same as for the adults. Childhood stress and depression is preventable and treatable with the various intervention and treatment strategies. Depression Definition Depression is a mental condition associated with low moods, which affects the way a person thinks, behaves, and feels. In most cases, depressed people tend to think a lot feel anxious, sad, guilty, worthless, hopeless, and worried. The depressed also lose interest in most activities including those they enjoyed in the past (National Institutes of Health, 2011; Salmans, 1997). In addition, its victims do not like to associate with other people. They like staying alone indoors in most cases. The depressive moods become worse at times can lead to suicidal thoughts. In fact, most depressed people tend to commit suicide eventually, especially if they do not get the much needed intervention or treatment (National Institutes of Health, 2011). Early Childhood life events and Depression Children are increasingly developing depression in their childhood or later in life in the recent years. Research studies by Wisdom and colleagues (2007) found out children below eleven years are vulnerable to depression when parents neglect and abused them. The study indicated that neglected and abused children become depressed in their childhood. Abuse can be either emotional, sexual or physical in which case the child suffers from injuries as a result (Hill, 2001). Emotional child abuse takes many forms. The American Humane Association (n.d) implies emotional abuse may include even some things parents do with the intention of protecting their children. Ignoring the child, for example when the parent refuses to associate with the child many times, is a form of child abuse. In this case, the child feels like they have no one to interact and associate with. They start developing feelings of rejection and low self worth, which can easily cause depression. Odhayani and Watson (2013) point out that children rely on security and stability to be normal. When these factors are wanting, the children eventually develop stress and depression. The American Humane Association (n.d) also states that emotional abuse may arise when parents isolate their children. Sometimes, parents deny their children the right to associate with other children. Parents do this with the perception of protecting their children. Although it is good, it usually makes the children have difficulties associating with their peers. Parents fail to understand that children really need to associate with their peers for normal growth and development. In addition, parents fail to appreciate that they cannot associate with their children as the peers do (American Humane Association, n.d). Another major cause of emotional abuse in children is forcing them to do illegal activities. These activities may include teaching them how to steal or forcing them to engage in child prostitution for financial gain (American Humane Association, n.d). In essence, the parents that have the courage to do this to their children do not care about their wellbeing. All they care is the child to bring something at the end of the day. This factor goes hand in hand with parental bullying and terrorizing (American Humane Association, n.d). Parents forcing their children to do such things in most cases bully the children, insult them with abusive words. This creates a dangerous environment in which the child feels rejected, insecure, and threatened. Stress and depression starts very early in such cases (American Humane Association, n.d). Gibb, Chelminiski, and Zimmerman (2007) suggest that emotional abuse has more adverse consequences than physical or sexual abuse. Child neglect, on the other hand, is the inability of the parents to provide the basic amenities for the child including food, clothing, and shelter (Hill, 2001). According to The Child Welfare Organization (2013), child neglect may take the form of parental fights. The American government and many state governments in the United States imply that children witnessing domestic violence are form of neglect (Child Welfare Organization, 2013). The depression moods become worse during adolescence and young adulthood (Wisdom et al, 2007). Although many people across the world take the issue of child abuse, neglect, and depression for granted, it is very prevalent in both industrialized and developing countries. The Child Help organization (2014) suggests child abuse is a major problem in the United States. According to this organization, more than 3 million cases of child abuse occur in the United States. The organization also states that approximately five child abuse cases are reported every minute. Four children out of the reports made per day die from the child abuse. More than 70% of the children dying from child abuse are less than four years old (The Child Help Organization, 2014). One of the most interesting facts is that child abuse is at all social-economic levels. In this case, children from the wealthy, middle class and the poor social economic backgrounds are all vulnerable to abuse (The Child Help Organization, 2014). In addition, child abuse occurs across all cultural and ethnic groups, all religions and across all educational levels (The Child Help Organization, 2014). In this case, uneducated or educated, rich or poor, Caucasians, Africans, or Asians can all abuse and neglect their children (The Child Help Organization, 2014). In fact, the child abuse and neglect is a global problem, taking place in all countries. With these facts, it is evident that child abuse is a major problem in the world today (The Child Help Organization, 2014). The United States Department of Health and Human Services (2013) points out that child abuse and neglect are a vicious circle. The children who are abused and neglected are not only vulnerable to stress and depression, but are also likely to abuse and neglect their children in the future. In this case, child abuse and neglect may run in one family across many generations in the future (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Child abuse and neglect can end in such a family when one generation takes action to get treatment, and understand the implications of the past abuses and neglect. Many people tend to wonder how educated and wealthy parents can neglect their children. The National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence (n.d) implies that substance abuse is the major cause of child neglect. Parents abused and neglected by their parents engage in substance abuse as a way to relieve the depression. They start engaging in substance abuse in their adolescent years, which mostly continue into adulthood even when they have families. Substance abuse makes the parents to be susceptible to neglecting their children (National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence, n.d). Swan (1998) supports these claims by stating that children abused and neglected engage in substance abuse when they are barely adolescents. This continues all the way to youth and adulthood. Unlike what most people know, child abuse and neglect has severe consequences on the children. Research by Silverman and colleagues (1996) indicates that more than 80% of 21 year olds previously abused in their childhood developed a form of psychological disorder. In addition, child abuse and neglect increases the chance of a child to be criminally inclined in the future. Adults abused in their childhood are nine times more likely to engage in crime compared to the general population (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Harlow (1999) points out that 14% of men and 36% of women in the United States prisons underwent abuse, neglect, or both. Jha (2012), in an article published on the guardian newspaper, points out that scientists found out that child abuse and neglect may stunt the growth and development of the hippocampus part of the brain, which is involved in emotions. According to the article by Jha (2012), scientists found out that the hippocampus of adolescents and young adults abused in their childhood was significantly smaller in comparison to those not abused in their childhood. The hippocampus of children abused could reduce by up to 6.5%, which is a big difference (Jha, 2012). Child abuse and neglect also has a huge economic burden. Fang and colleagues (2012) point out that child abuse and neglect cost the United States economy more than 120 billion dollars in the year 2008 alone. Taking into account the global economic burden of the child abuse and neglect, it could total to half a trillion dollars per annum. The problem is becoming rampant in the industrialized and undeveloped countries, increasing the economic burden (Fang, 2012). Treatment and Prevention Childhood depression and depression, in general, are preventable and treatable. For the children, the best way to prevent childhood depression is to treat children well and provide for them all things they require, whether basic or secondary (Maughan, 2013). For treatment, the cognitive behavior modification therapy is the best strategy. Interpersonal therapy also works very well with the young preschool children. Treating children using anti-depressants is impossible in children. Scientists, researchers, and psychologists are looking for drugs to treat depression in children. This is important because the therapies fail to work in some children (Maughan, 2013). Conclusion Depression has become a major concern in the world today. Many adults and children are victims of this mental condition. Research indicates that most children abused and neglected in their childhood by their parents develop depression in their adolescent and youth years. They engage in substance abuse, which makes it easy for them to abuse, and neglect their children creating the abuse and neglect cycle. Prevention and treatment methods are available for the young children, but differ from the adult treatment and prevention strategies. The most impacting depression strategy in children is parents providing their children with the necessities. References American Humane Association. (n.d). Child Neglect. Retrieved from http://www.americanhumane.org/children/stop-child-abuse/fact-sheets/child-neglect.html Child Helps Organization. (2014). National Child Abuse Statistics. Retrieved from www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). What is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the signs and symptoms. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/whatiscan.pdf#page=1&view=Introduction Depression, anxiety, & stress test organization. (n.d). Is Depression a Common occurrence? http://www.depression-anxiety-stress-test.org/depression/is-depression-a-common-occurrence.html Fang, X., et al. (2012). The Economic Burden of child maltreatment in the United States and Its implications for prevention. Child Abuse and Neglect, 10, 006. Gibb, B., Chelminiski, I, & Zimmerman, M. (2007). Childhood emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and diagnoses of depressive and anxiety disorders in adult psychiatric outpatients. Depress anxiety, 24(4), 256-63. Hill, J., et al. (2001). Child sexual abuse, poor parental care, and adult depression: evidence for different mechanisms. British Journal Psychiatry, 179, 104-109. Jha, A. (2012). Childhood abuse may stunt growth of part of brain involved in emotions. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/feb/13/childhood-abuse-growth-brain-emotions Lopresti, A., et al. (2013). A review of lifestyle factors that contribute to important pathways associated with major depression: diet, sleep, and exercise. Journal of Affect Disorders, 12-27. Marcus, M., et al. (2011). Depression: A Global Public Health Concern. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/who_paper_depression_wfmh_2012.pdf Maughan, B. (2013). Depression in Childhood and Adolescence. Journal of Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, 22(1), 35-40. National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence. (n.d). Parental Substance Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.nccafv.org/parentalsubstanceabuse.htm National Institutes of Health. (2011). What is Depression. Retrieved from www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml. Odhayani, A & Watson, L. (2013). Behavioural consequences of child abuse. Canadian Family Physician, 59(8), 831-836. Salmans, S. (1997). Depression: Questions you have- answers you need. Peoples Medical Society. Silverman, A., et al. (1996). The Long-Term sequelae of child and adolescent abuse: A longitudinal community study. Child abuse and Neglect. 20(8), 709-723. Swan, N. (1998). Exploring the role of child abuse on later drug abuse: Researchers face broad gaps in information. Retrieved from www.nida.nih.go.NIDA_notes/NNVol13N2/exploring.html U.S Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfm Wisdom, C., et al. (2007). A Prospective Investigation of Major Depressive Disorder and Comorbidity in Abused and Neglected Children Grown Up. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 64(1):49-56. World Health Organization. (2012). Depression. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs369/en/ Read More