Depression in Young Men and Women - Research Paper Example

Depression in young men and women Student’s name Institutional Affiliation Date Chapter 1 Introduction Depression is a mental disorder presented by the loss of pressure or interest, poor concentration, disturbed appetite or sleep, feelings of low self-worth or guilt, decreased energy, and depressed mood. In most cases, there is an association between the symptoms of depression and those of anxiety (Addis, 2008). Chronic or recurrent depression impacts negatively on the ability of an individual to take care of his/her daily responsibilities. It is evident that depression leads to suicide in some cases (Al-Maskari et al. 2011). In fact, it causes about one million deaths every year that involves depressed persons committing suicide. It is also evident that depression presents itself differently in both men and women. Women have a double chance to present depression in their transition from childhood to adulthood as compared to their male counterparts. The relevance of the topic emanates from the fact that there has been an increasing tendency of depression presentations both in Saudi Arabia and globally. Keeping in mind the negative effects of depression such as suicides, it is imperative to study the topic and develop possible recommendations of dealing with the issue. Relevance of the topic to the human being The presentations of depression in human beings has exhibited an increasing trend on a global scale. It is evident that the influence of gender on depression presentations necessitates an in-depth study on the topic to determine the reasons behind the differences and the effective ways of dealing with the issue. There are three major issues of concern that have heightened the significance of the topic. Firstly, researchers have exhibited significant interest on the topic since depression is one of the few known mental disorders that have different levels of presentations on men and women. Consequently, it is proper to understand the causes of the variations in the presentations. Secondly, the gender differences imply that the etiology, treatment, incidence and prevalence of the disorder is different in both men and women. Therefore, studying the topic will contribute to the understanding of the social rather than biological processes that contribute to the variations in the presentation of depression between men and women (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). Finally, most publications have focused on the presentation of depression on women to a greater extent as compared to men. Therefore, expanding the scope to include men proves to be a significant breakthrough towards understanding the issue. The Purpose of Studying Depression The purpose of studying depression in young men and women is to understand the different ways through which depression presents itself to both young men and women. The study also intends to determine the causes of the variations in the depression manifestations in young men and women. Studying depression also enables one to understand the causes of depression in young men and women. How Depression in young men and women relate to the UAE Social Environment It is evident that clinical depression has presented itself in more than 4% of the individuals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In Dubai, for instance, the prevalence of mental illnesses has doubled over the last decade resulting in the necessity of studying depression. According to the World Health Organization, depression will be the second leading disability cause by 2020 after cardiovascular illnesses. Currently, it holds the tenth position in the causes of the Global Burden of Disease. Consequently, the UAE has implemented countermeasures aimed at diagnosing the mental disorders at an early stage. The measures also encompass the challenges associated with the treatment of mental disorders and diseases. The neglect expressed by the decision makers in the Gulf Region bears partial responsibility for the increase in the prevalence of clinical depression in the UAE. It is evident that clinical depression is one of the top three causes of mental illnesses. The other causes are bipolar disorders and anxiety disorders (D’Souza, 2012). The Hypothesis of the Study The study has utilized the causes of depression as the basis for formulating its hypotheses. It is evident that genetic factors contribute to depression presentation in individuals. The understanding results in the first hypothesis that states that A combination of genes contributes significantly towards the predisposition of an individual to psychotic depression, melancholic depression and bipolar disorder. The study group also intended to determine whether age influences the predisposition of an individual to depression or not. The objective led to the hypothesis that states that The presentation of depression manifests to both men and women at different ages of their lives. Furthermore, there is an association between physical illness and the exposure to stress with the depression instances thereby giving rise to the third hypothesis of the study that states that physical illness and life stressors lowers the moods of a person thereby causing clinical depression in the individual. The double prevalence of clinical depression presentations in females as compared to their male counterparts also forms the foundation of the next hypothesis that states that There is an increased likelihood of women to develop non-melancholic depression than men. The occurrence of certain adverse events such as the death of a loved one has also yielded clinical depression in many individuals regardless of their gender. The depression occurs when the affected person ‘internalizes’ the stress. Based on the understanding, the next hypothesis of the study states that Previous or long-standing stresses increases the chances of an individual to develop clinical depression. Finally, individuals with particular types of personality exhibit greater likelihood of developing stress than those individuals that do not have the personality types. As a result, the last hypothesis of the study states that Particular personality types such as high anxiety levels, shyness and self-criticism contribute to the predisposition of an individual to clinical depression. Chapter 2 Review of Literature Causes of Depression Genetic Factors There exists sufficient literature that attributes clinical depression to the genetic make-up of an individual. Genetic factors contribute significantly to the presentation of bipolar disorders, melancholic depression and psychotic depression (Foley et al. 2001). It is evident that no single gene can lead to the presentation of depression in an individual (Smith & Blackwood, 2004). However, depression emanates as a result of a combination of several genes. There is sufficient literature that affirms that the predisposition of an individual to clinical depression can be transferred from the parent to the offspring via gene inheritance. As a result, in the event that the biological parent exhibited an initial predisposition to clinical depression, there is a 40% chance that the offspring will inherit the gene thus also present clinical depression. The remaining 60% probability reclines on the interaction that exists between the individual and the environment. Therefore, in the case of such an individual, a stress-free environment guarantees an immense contribution to the failure of the person to succumb to clinical depression presentations. Apparently, stressful life experiences contribute to the presentation of depression in human beings. However, a comparison of two individuals subjected to similar stressful events revealed that the presentation of clinical depression in an individual emanating from a family that has a history of depression is higher than that in the individual whose family has never portrayed depression presentations. In essence, the genetic composition of an individual plays a pivotal role in the likelihood of the person to present symptoms of clinical depression (Tsuang et al. 2004). Biochemical Factors Apparently, there exists limited research pertaining the actual functioning and processes of the human brain. However, biochemical factors contribute to depression incidences among individuals that have been exposed to the factors. The actual processes that result in the presentation of depression following the exposure of the individual to the factors are covered inadequately. The available research reveals that depression emanates as a result of the disruption of the neurotransmitter function (Mossner et al. 2007). The main function of the neurotransmitter processes entails carrying signals from one part of the brain to the other. However, different signals imply different processes thereby leading to the observation that neurotransmitters perform different roles while transmitting the signals in the brain. Dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin are the three common examples of the neurotransmitters. Under the normal functioning of the brain, the interaction between the neurotransmitters and several nerve cells results in the maintenance of the magnitude of the signal in the second and subsequent cells just as it was the case in the first cell. In the event of a stressor such as illness or death of a loved one, the mood controlling neurotransmitters function improperly. The result is a complete depletion or disruption of the signal prior to its transmission to the second or subsequent cells (France et al. 2007). In the long run, the affected individual is unable to regulate his/her mood thereby presenting a low mood, a symptom of depression. Physical Illness When an individual falls sick, the presentation of lowered mood is almost certain (BDI, 2012). Physical illness also results in the confinement of the patient either at home or in the hospital environment. Consequently, the individual exhibits lowered mood as a result of the inability to engage in activities that she/he used to enjoy prior to the incidence of the illness (NAMI, 2009). Physical illness also causes pain and discomfort to the individual thereby compelling him to express clinical depression. The relationship between illness and clinical depression arises from the fact that the illness impacts negatively on the normal functioning of the body. It is evident that illness causes depression whether the individual portrays a lowered mood or not. There are two scenarios that back up the hypothesis. Firstly, it is evident that there are certain cancer cells that cause depression in an individual. In the case of a person that contains such cells, it is certain that the individual may fail to realize that she/he is suffering from depression. The second case of the presentation of depression to a sick person without the person feeling low is in the case of a compromised immune system. In such a case, there is a high likelihood that depression would present itself in the individual. Gender The discussion about the influence of gender on the predisposition of an individual to stress and depression emanates from the fact that the presentation of clinical depression in women is almost double that of men. However, the explanation pertaining the influence of gender on depression is incomplete since the ratio of male to female individuals that develop melancholic depression is 1:1. The situation is different in the case of non-melancholic depression since the presentation of non-melancholic depression in women is twice that of men (Cyranowski et al. 2000). There exists several explanations that reveal the truth behind the hypothesis. Firstly, the fact that women exhibit a higher likelihood to ‘internalize’ stress than men suffices to be a possible explanation behind the variation in the prevalence of non-melancholic depression in men and women. Apparently, ‘internalizing’ stress increases the probability of the individual to experience clinical depression. Moreover, women that cater for their young ones as sole parents have dominated the statistics pertaining female individuals that experience depression. Moreover, there is a high likelihood of women that are in unsatisfactory marriages to present the symptoms of depression. Finally, it is evident that anxiety is a significant contributor to the development of stress and depression in human beings. Therefore, the linear relationship that exists between the build-up of hormones and anxiety imply that women in puberty have significant levels of hormones that raises their anxiety levels thereby bearing partial responsibility for their higher chance of presenting clinical depression (Regier et al. 1998). Stress Approximately all individuals succumb to depression after having encountered certain life stressors (Monsef et al. 2015). The duration within which the stressed individuals recover from stress and depression may range from days to weeks. However, it is certain that some individuals fail to recover from their stressful condition completely. There are different ways through which stress leads to depression. Firstly, individuals that encounter long-standing stresses or the occurrence of previous stresses exhibit a higher chance of presenting depression at a later stage in their lifetime. For instance, raising an individual in an uncaring and abusive family contributes immensely to the development of depression in the adult life of the individual. Break-ups of marriages and close relationships have an adverse impact on the self-esteem of an individual thereby yielding depression to the affected individual. Finally, feelings of guilt or shame may also stress an individual thus compelling him/her to exhibit depression. The feelings of shame or guilt arise when an individual fails to live according to the anticipations of other individuals (Hemmen, 2005). Personality Particular personality types have resulted in the development of stress and depression in some individuals to a greater extent than in other people. One of the types of personality that increase the predisposition of an individual to depression encompass high anxiety levels. In the event that an individual portrays high levels of anxiety, the person experiences an externalized ‘irritability’ or an internalized ‘anxious worrying’ that contribute to the presentation of depression (BDI, 2012). Shyness is the other personality type that heightens the predisposition of an individual to clinical depression. Shy individuals express ‘personal reserve’ or ‘social avoidance’ that impacts negatively on their social relations thereby contributing to the development of depression. Thirdly, low self-worth or self-criticism stress an individual since the person is always worried about his/her potential regarding the accomplishment of a given task. Such individuals present symptoms of depression. High interpersonal sensitivity is the other personality type that impacts negatively on the ability of an individual to manage stress caused by conflicts and reactions from the statements or attributes of other people. The perfectionism personality style also stands out as a double-edged sword in the management of stress and depression. On the positive side, the personality prevents the onset of depression in the event that the individual is in a position of perfecting his/her actions with no noticeable failures or signs of failure. However, the personality heightens the level of stress and depression in the event that depression occurs following the failure of the individual to perfect in a particular task. In such a case, the individual suffers from depression over an extended period. Finally, the presentation of short-term depression episodes is common among individuals that exhibit the ‘self-focused’ style. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression The good news that pertains the treatment of depression is that a depressed individual can recover from the mental disorder regardless of its severity. However, the effectiveness of the treatment depends on time of diagnosing the condition. Consequently, the treatment is more effective in early diagnoses and treatment. Upon suspecting that an individual has succumbed to depression, the first step entails recommending the individual to a mental health specialist. As mentioned earlier, it is evident that certain medical conditions like viruses and thyroid disorders may cause symptoms similar to those of depression (Sulaiman et al. 2010; Mellal et al. 2014). With the help of lab tests, an interview and a physical examination, the doctor is in a favorable position of determining whether the depression presentations are as a result of depression or a medical condition. In the event that the doctor fails to detect a medical condition, she/he advances to the second step that entails conducting a psychological examination on the patient. The mental health professional discusses with the patient about the history of the family pertaining depression and the events that the individual encountered prior to the onset of the condition. The professional also obtains information regarding the onset, duration, severity and frequency of occurrence of the depression presentations. In the event of a past experience, the doctor also obtains information regarding the specific treatment that the patient used. The psychological examination also entails determining whether the individual uses alcohol and drugs or not. The psychologist should also determine whether there are death or suicide thoughts in the individual’s mind. The medication of depression majorly entails the use of antidepressants that work on the neurotransmitters to restore the normal transmission of signals in the brain cells (Marcus et al. 2012). The antidepressants work on serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters to restore the normal signal transmission thus regulate the mood of the individual. Examples of the available antidepressants include duloxetine, venlafaxine, citalopram, paroxetine, escitalopram, sertraline, and fluoxetine. Chapter 3 Research Methodology The study used questionnaires to collect data from the respondents. Based on the survey questions, the questionnaire used a sample size of twenty (20) respondents. The age of seven (7) of the respondents ranged between 18 and 20 years. The ages of three (3) of the individuals ranged between 21 and 23 years. The sample also consisted of six (6) and four (4) respondents aged between 24 and 26 years; and 27 and 29 years respectively. Ten (10) of the respondents were male with the remaining ten (10) being female. It was rather unfortunate that all the individuals used in the sample had a previous experience of depression. Out of the twenty respondents, 15 attributed the loss of a loved one to be the cause of depression. However, the presentation of depression in the remaining five individuals was not as a result of the loss of a loved one. Out of the fifteen individuals that reported to have experienced depression as a result of losing a loved one, six of the individuals reported having lost a parent. Four respondents stated that they had lost a relative such as a cousin or sibling. Five individuals stated that they had lost a friend. Therefore, the loss of the loved ones was responsible for the presentation of depression among the individuals. Ten respondents reported using medication as a way of managing the depression. However, six individuals did not use any medication following the presentation of depression symptoms. Four individuals did not provide any feedback regarding whether they used drugs to treat the depression disorder or not. Among the ten individuals that reported to have used medication to deal with the condition, four individuals reported that the medication was useful. However, five respondents reported that the medication was not useful in dealing with the condition. One respondent did not provide any feedback pertaining whether the medication was useful or not. Moreover, nine respondents reported seeing a therapist to receive advice pertaining the management of the disorder. On the other hand, seven respondents are not seeing any therapist to assist in dealing with the mental disorder. The selection of the sample of respondents aged between 18 and 29 years targeted to determine the manifestation of depression presentations across both sexes over the age range. The study decided to use questionnaires in data collection since the tool is effective in the role as it provides room for the respondents to provide their feedback without the fear of the judgment of other on-looking individuals as is the case with an interview. By so doing, the feedback obtained from the respondents is a guarantee of the validity of the data since it reflects the true opinion of the respondents. It is evident that the questionnaire used variables such as age to determine the influence of age on the predisposition of individuals to depression. The utility of the sex variable aimed at determining whether gender influences the presentation of depression symptoms upon subjecting both male and female individuals to the same stressors. Asking whether the respondents had lost a loved one aimed at finding out whether stress caused by the loss of a loved influences the presentation of depression. The questions asked towards the end of the questionnaire required the respondents to state whether they sought any medication, whether the medication was useful and whether they are seeing a therapist. The three questions intended to determine the awareness of the respondents pertaining the significance of seeking medical intervention in the event that they succumb to depression. Data Collection and Report Writing Questionnaire Depression in young men and women in the UAE Gender…………………………………………………………………………………….. Date……………………………………………………………………………………….. Occupation………………………………………………………………………………... 1. How old are you? 18 to 20 years 21 to 23 years 24 to 26 years 27 to 29 years 2. Have you ever experienced depression? Yes No 3. Is the reason for the depression a loss of a close person? Yes No 4. How close would you say you were to the passed away person? Parent Relative (cousin, sister, sibling…etc.) Friend 5. Do you utilize medications to help you through your treatment? Yes No 6. If yes, do you think it is helping you out? Yes No 7. Are you seeing a therapist? Yes No 8. Has any of your family members suffered from depression before? Yes No 9. Have you ever presented depression symptoms when you are sick? Yes No 10. Are you always confident while pursuing your ambitions? Yes No 11. If yes, have you presented depression symptoms after failing to accomplish the ambition? Yes No Chapter 4 The Report Research Outcomes Based on the findings of the survey, fifteen (15) respondents reported to have experienced depression as a result of losing a close person. Six (6) people reported to have lost a parent, four (4) reported to have lost a cousin while ten (10) reported to have lost a friend. Ten (10) individuals reported to have utilized medication to help through the depression. However, six (6) persons did not utilize any medication. From the ten (10) people that utilized medication, it turned out that the medication was only useful to four (4) of them. However, the medication was not useful to five (5) individuals indicating that some of the medication and therapy used by the respondents were not effective. Nine (9) respondents reported to be seeing a therapist while seven (7) did not see a therapist. All the respondents reported that they had experienced depression before. They also reported to have witnessed a close member of their family present depression symptoms before. In fact, the respondents reported to present depression symptoms whenever they suffered from an illness. Fifteen (15) respondents reported to have suffered from depression after having failed to accomplish a particular task that they were confident they would accomplish. Cause of depression (the death of a loved one) Using medication to overcome depression Using therapy to overcome depression If the method of intervention is useful If one experienced depression after failing to accomplish a task Discussion According to the results of the survey, it is evident that the presentation of depression manifests to both men and women at different ages of their lives. As mentioned before, there are very many causes of depression that include stress, biochemical factors, personality, gender, physical illness and genetic factors. Based on the hypotheses of the study, the survey targeted to determine whether stress caused by the loss of a loved one resulted in the presentation of depression among the respondents. It also intended to find out whether there was a relationship between the presentation of depression among the respondents and the family history of the respondents. The survey also intended to determine whether the depression experienced by the respondents emanated from their failure to accomplish certain tasks that they had believed they would accomplish. Apart from allocating an equal number of male and female respondents for the survey’s sample, the questionnaire did not address the manifestation of depression based on gender upon the loss of a loved one. Apparently, such gender specificity would have enabled the understanding regarding the influence of gender on depression. On the other hand, the study also determined whether the affected individuals utilized any medication to deal with the mental disorder or not. The survey also intended to determine whether the medication utilized by the respondents was effective or not. Finally, the survey aimed at determining whether the respondents are seeing a therapist or not. The results of the survey also reveal that a majority of the respondents attributed their manifestations of depression to the loss of a loved one. Therefore, the loss of the loved one turns out to be one of the stressors that resulted in the presentation of depression in the individuals. Moreover, the study also revealed that physical illness is a stressor that also results in the manifestation of depression. The inability of an individual to accomplish a certain task also stresses the person thus resulting in depression. The results of the survey also noted the direct relationship that exists between depression presentations and the past family history pertaining depression. Regardless of the cause of depression, stress cause the neurotransmitters to function improperly thereby resulting in the depletion or reduced transmission of signals in the brain cells. Apparently, the loss of the signals or the reduction in the strength of the signals emanating from the adverse effects of the stressor to the neurotransmitters bears the full responsibility of the lowered mood in the respondents. The fact that the lowered mood is a symptom of depression implies that the stressor mentioned in the survey caused the manifestation of depression among the respondents. The report also notes that even though some of the respondents sought medical intervention to address the situation, some drugs and therapies were not useful. By so doing, it raises significant concern regarding the essence of utilizing the most effective drugs and therapies to deal with the mental disorder. Chapter 5 Conclusion Depression is a mental disorder that manifests through the loss of appetite or sleep, loss of interest, lowered mood, poor concentration and feelings of low self-worth or guilt. There are several causes of depression that encompass biochemical factors, genetic factors, stress, personality, gender and physical illness. The study concentrated on determining the influence of genetic factors, physical illness, stress, and personality on the presentation of depression in young men and women. According to the results of the study, 75% of the respondents reported to have had a previous depression episode caused by the loss of someone close to them. Majority of the respondents also revealed that they had suffered from depression after failing to accomplish a certain task and after suffering from physical illness. It was also evident that all the individuals that presented depression symptoms reported to have witnessed the mental disorder in their family; thereby yielding the conclusion that there exists a direct relationship between the incidence of depression and past family history regarding the disorder. Future Recommendations It is evident that the variables used in the research did not address the causes of depression comprehensively. In fact, the research only concentrated on the stress factor by using the loss of a loved one, failure to accomplish a task, and physical illness as the stressors. In order to obtain conclusive results, it is imperative that the research should consider other causes as well. For instance, the study can introduce the gender aspect in all questions to determine the influence of gender on the manifestation of depression. Distributing the questionnaires to an equal number of men and women alone and failing to consider the gender issue in the other aspects does not provide conclusive information regarding the double incidence of depression in females as compared to their male counterparts. Therefore, future research should consider explaining the variation in the manifestation of depression in both men and women. References Addis, M. E. (2008). Gender and depression in men. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 15(3), 153-168. Al-Maskari, F., Shah, S. M., Al-Sharhan, R., Al-Haj, E., Al-Kaabi, K., Khonji, D., ... & Bernsen, R. M. (2011). Prevalence of depression and suicidal behaviors among male migrant workers in United Arab Emirates. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 13(6), 1027-1032. Black Dog Institute (BDI). (2012). Causes of Depression. Fact Sheet. Cyranowski, J.M, Frank, E., Young, E., & Shear, M.K. (2000). Adolescent onset of the gender difference in lifetime rates of major depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2000; 57, 21–27. D’Souza, C. (2012). More than 4% of UAE Population Clinically Depressed. Retrieved on 27th October, 2015 from http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/health/more-than-4-of-uae-population-clinically-depressed-1.1091181 Foley, D. L., Neale, M. C., & Kendler, K. S. (2001). Genetic and environmental risk factors for depression assessed by subject-rated symptom check list versus structured clinical interview. Psychological Medicine, 31(08), 1413-1423. France, C. M., Lysaker, P. H., & Robinson, R. P. (2007). The" chemical imbalance" explanation for depression: Origins, lay endorsement, and clinical implications. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(4), 411. Hammen, C. (2005). Stress and depression. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol., 1, 293-319. Marcus, M., Yasamy, M. T., van Ommeren, M., Chisholm, D., & Saxena, S. (2012). Depression: A global public health concern. Retrieved February, 7, 2014. Mellal, A. A., Albluwe, T., & Al-Ashkar, D. A. L. I. A. (2014). The Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms and its Socioeconomic Determinants among University Students in Al Ain, UAE. Education, 159, 26-3. Monsef, N. A., Al Hajaj, K. E., Al Basti, A. K., Al Marzouqi, E. A., Al Faisal, W., Hussein, H., ... & Wasfy, A. S. (2015). Perceived Depression, Anxiety and Stress Among Dubai Health Authority Residents, Dubai, UAE. Mössner, R., Mikova, O., Koutsilieri, E., Saoud, M., Ehlis, A. C., Müller, N., ... & Riederer, P. (2007). Consensus paper of the WFSBP Task Force on Biological Markers: biological markers in depression. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 8(3), 141-174. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (2009). Women and Depression. Fact Sheet. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2001). Gender differences in depression. Current directions in psychological science, 10(5), 173-176. Regier, D.A., Rae, D.S, Narrow, W.E, Kaebler, C.T.,& Schatzberg, A.F. (1998). Prevalence of anxiety disorders and their comorbidity with mood and addictive disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 173(34), 24–28 Smith, D. J., & Blackwood, D. H. (2004). Depression in young adults. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 10(1), 4-12. Sulaiman, N., Hamdan, A., Tamim, H., Mahmood, D. A., & Young, D. (2010). The prevalence and correlates of depression and anxiety in a sample of diabetic patients in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. BMC family practice, 11(1), 80. Tsuang, M.T, Bar, J.L, Stone, W.S., & Faraone, S.V. (2004). Gene-environment interactions in mental disorders. World Psychiatry, 3(2), 73–83. Read More

Therefore, studying the topic will contribute to the understanding of the social rather than biological processes that contribute to the variations in the presentation of depression between men and women (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). Finally, most publications have focused on the presentation of depression on women to a greater extent as compared to men. Therefore, expanding the scope to include men proves to be a significant breakthrough towards understanding the issue. The Purpose of Studying Depression The purpose of studying depression in young men and women is to understand the different ways through which depression presents itself to both young men and women.

The study also intends to determine the causes of the variations in the depression manifestations in young men and women. Studying depression also enables one to understand the causes of depression in young men and women. How Depression in young men and women relate to the UAE Social Environment It is evident that clinical depression has presented itself in more than 4% of the individuals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In Dubai, for instance, the prevalence of mental illnesses has doubled over the last decade resulting in the necessity of studying depression.

According to the World Health Organization, depression will be the second leading disability cause by 2020 after cardiovascular illnesses. Currently, it holds the tenth position in the causes of the Global Burden of Disease. Consequently, the UAE has implemented countermeasures aimed at diagnosing the mental disorders at an early stage. The measures also encompass the challenges associated with the treatment of mental disorders and diseases. The neglect expressed by the decision makers in the Gulf Region bears partial responsibility for the increase in the prevalence of clinical depression in the UAE.

It is evident that clinical depression is one of the top three causes of mental illnesses. The other causes are bipolar disorders and anxiety disorders (D’Souza, 2012). The Hypothesis of the Study The study has utilized the causes of depression as the basis for formulating its hypotheses. It is evident that genetic factors contribute to depression presentation in individuals. The understanding results in the first hypothesis that states that A combination of genes contributes significantly towards the predisposition of an individual to psychotic depression, melancholic depression and bipolar disorder.

The study group also intended to determine whether age influences the predisposition of an individual to depression or not. The objective led to the hypothesis that states that The presentation of depression manifests to both men and women at different ages of their lives. Furthermore, there is an association between physical illness and the exposure to stress with the depression instances thereby giving rise to the third hypothesis of the study that states that physical illness and life stressors lowers the moods of a person thereby causing clinical depression in the individual.

The double prevalence of clinical depression presentations in females as compared to their male counterparts also forms the foundation of the next hypothesis that states that There is an increased likelihood of women to develop non-melancholic depression than men. The occurrence of certain adverse events such as the death of a loved one has also yielded clinical depression in many individuals regardless of their gender. The depression occurs when the affected person ‘internalizes’ the stress.

Based on the understanding, the next hypothesis of the study states that Previous or long-standing stresses increases the chances of an individual to develop clinical depression. Finally, individuals with particular types of personality exhibit greater likelihood of developing stress than those individuals that do not have the personality types. As a result, the last hypothesis of the study states that Particular personality types such as high anxiety levels, shyness and self-criticism contribute to the predisposition of an individual to clinical depression.

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