4 ms·

True, but the rates of depression and general unhappiness in the West are definitely up from 30 years ago.

by concordDance 3y ago

dotancohen 3y ago
No, there is more awareness and they are more vocal now.
- theclansman 3y ago
  That's an extremely simplistic way to dismiss the problem. Depression wasn't something that was invented or discovered in the last decade.
  - WilTimSon 3y ago
    But openness about mental health issues and lower stigma around it is definitely a more modern thing, actually. I don't doubt that some subsets of the population got more depressed while others feel better, but it's very possible that rates would have been the same 30 years ago, had people felt okay with talking about suicidal thoughts, depression or a variety of other things that are at least a bit less stigmatised now. I'm not that old (or at least I like to think I'm not) but I can say with confidence nobody in my circle of friends 25 years ago would even think of saying they're depressed or suicidal. That would get you labelled a weirdo.
- codebolt 3y ago
  Wrong. The rates are higher and the main reason is obvious. Fewer families being formed => more lonely adults => more people depressed.
  - pmarreck 3y ago
    You know what would instantly greatly help online debates like this? Actual data.
    - codebolt 3y ago
      Sure, here's a couple of references to back my assertion. https://ourworldindata.org/living-alone https://ourworldindata.org/living-alone https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13049-9 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13049-9
      - pmarreck 3y ago
        Oh, I agreed with you, I just feel like any blunt accusation of "Wrong" really deserves some data along with it. I don't know how to solve this problem, either. Covid seems to have only caused all of us to double down on the social isolation that was already introduced by computing/the internet somehow. As soon as my kid is a little older (he's 2.3 years old and still extremely high-maintenance currently), my partner and I will try to get back to what we used to do and throw more dinner parties/social events.

True, but the rates of depression and general unhappiness in the West are definitely up from 30 years ago.

dotancohen 3y ago

No, there is more awareness and they are more vocal now.

theclansman 3y ago
That's an extremely simplistic way to dismiss the problem. Depression wasn't something that was invented or discovered in the last decade.
- WilTimSon 3y ago
  But openness about mental health issues and lower stigma around it is definitely a more modern thing, actually. I don't doubt that some subsets of the population got more depressed while others feel better, but it's very possible that rates would have been the same 30 years ago, had people felt okay with talking about suicidal thoughts, depression or a variety of other things that are at least a bit less stigmatised now. I'm not that old (or at least I like to think I'm not) but I can say with confidence nobody in my circle of friends 25 years ago would even think of saying they're depressed or suicidal. That would get you labelled a weirdo.
codebolt 3y ago
Wrong. The rates are higher and the main reason is obvious. Fewer families being formed => more lonely adults => more people depressed.
- pmarreck 3y ago
  You know what would instantly greatly help online debates like this? Actual data.
  - codebolt 3y ago
    Sure, here's a couple of references to back my assertion. https://ourworldindata.org/living-alone https://ourworldindata.org/living-alone https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13049-9 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13049-9
    - pmarreck 3y ago
      Oh, I agreed with you, I just feel like any blunt accusation of "Wrong" really deserves some data along with it. I don't know how to solve this problem, either. Covid seems to have only caused all of us to double down on the social isolation that was already introduced by computing/the internet somehow. As soon as my kid is a little older (he's 2.3 years old and still extremely high-maintenance currently), my partner and I will try to get back to what we used to do and throw more dinner parties/social events.