Introduction
Taking care of one’s mental health might seem to be a rather basic and understandably important task, yet the threat of developing a mental health conditions are quite high, especially in adults. Depression and anxiety as frequently comorbid health issues have been known as prevalent among other mental conditions in the target audience (Battalio et al, p. 630). Moreover, healthcare experts have seen an impressive surge in the number of cases involving depression and anxiety in adults recently (Mirzaei et al. 142). Since the problem at hand has rather evident societal and economic roots along with environmental and internal ones, it is necessary to develop the program that targets the entire community.
Literature Review
Currently, there is a pressing need to evaluate the factors that contribute to the development of depression and anxiety in adults, as well as the strategies that can be used to alleviate the pressure of external factors on patients. Another way to interpret the issue is to see it in terms of the effects that physical disabilities have on adult patients as a possible factor for developing depression. Battalio, Sarah E. Huffman, and Mark P. Jensen argue that there is a connection between the extent of physical activity in adults with physical impairments and the propensity among the target population toward depression, anxiety, and the related health concerns. The general point is not the idea that physical disabilities will inevitably entail depression but that the propensity toward the development of specific mental health issues rises in the scenarios that involve a drop in the quality of life. In turn, the presence of a physical disability is a major factor in developing a mental health condition due to the increase in dissatisfaction and the presence of multiple irritants.
The proposed intervention could be seen as rather dubious in terms of the expected effects, yet the further consideration of the subject matter will reveal that it helps to target individuals on a much more profound level. At first glance, the approach based on a case-by-case intervention seems like a reasonable argument, but on closer inspection, one will realize that it fails to acknowledge the presence of a larger problem that defines depression patterns in the adult population (Battalio et al, p. 531). Indeed, although each adult individual has their own set of unique conditions under which depression and anxiety have evolved, the impact of social, cultural, political, and economic factors that affect the entire community of patients is undeniable. Therefore, it is necessary to create a homogenous approach that will allow alleviating effects of the said factors.
Indeed, what so-and-so argues as a natural fact obscures the socially learned elements of the social trauma that the entire community has suffered as a result of a specific series of events. Specifically, Battalio et al. points out that the presence of social trauma defines the development of depression and the related disorders, including anxiety, in adults (p. 532). So-and-so’s idea that depression should be viewed in the context of the community trauma is rather insightful because it provides a way of using communication and collaboration between community members as a crucial part of therapy.
In addition, it is worth noting that the authors suggest dividing the existing approach toward the management of depression and anxiety in adults into the primary and secondary stages in contrast to the current set of measures, which consist mostly of a single-stage framework. This may seem like a hair-splitting distinction, but it is important because it gives insight into the concepts of implementation and control phases. With two distinct strategies of the change implementation, healthcare practitioners will be able to observe the changes that the proposed alterations will have on the target demographic, at the same time creating strategies for the control of the target audience’s mental state.
Specifically, the introduction of the awareness program aimed at helping people to recognize the symptoms leading to the development of anxiety and depression will allow improving the communication and information exchange between nurses and patients. As a result, the former will be able to track the alterations in the levels of well-being within the community under analysis. As a result, the slightest shifts in the levels of depression and anxiety, as well as the changes in the target audiences’ attitudes toward the issue at hand, will be detected and managed accordingly. The specified strategy will allow minimizing the threat of a recidivism.
The importance of moderation in using physical activities and exercises to control the threat of depression and anxiety in adults is another topic worth discussing. Battalio et al. emphasize the importance of moderation quite distinctively in their paper: “In other words, our findings suggest the possibility that only moderate quantities of physical activity may be necessary in order to impart negative affective benefits” (p. 535). Thus, in the final assessment, what is at stake here is not the use of physical exercises as the means of exhausting patients into not thinking about their health issues but, instead, the opportunity to channel their negative emotions into something productive. Although self-reflection and a personal understanding of the causes of the psychological distress experienced by adult patients is also essential, physical activities should be regarded as the treatment option that has a moderating effect on patients’ propensity toward negative thinking and depressive attitudes. Therefore, the integration of physical activities into the set of therapeutic strategies used to address the issue of depression in adults has to be recognized as a valid tool.
In addition, the issue of preparedness as one of the concepts briefly mentioned by Mirzaei et al. warrants additional discussion. Although the threat of depression and the severity of its consequences have been widely recognized not only by healthcare experts but also by general audiences, the levels of awareness about the warning signs and symptoms of depression remain low (p. 145). The same can be said about anxiety, yet the propensity toward diminishing its significance as a health concern still remains high, which adds an extra layer of issues to an already complex health concern (Mirzaei et al, p. 144). Therefore, an awareness program aimed at building health literacy in the target population and encouraging a change in their lifestyle, perception of socioeconomic and sociopolitical issues, and other relevant health factors, needs to be developed. Although neither of the articles discussed above points directly to the importance of building such a program, the urgency of change is evident in the research results.
Finally, the concerns linked to the socioeconomic, sociocultural, and sociopolitical factors contributing to the rise in the levels of depression among the target population need to be discussed. The study by Mirzaei1 et al. has shown that, in Yazd community, the levels of depression have been on the rise due to the problems of socioeconomic and sociocultural nature. Specifically, the levels of depression and anxiety have been proven to be particularly high in women, especially those of lower social status and with lower levels of education (p. 144). The observed issue can be ascribed to the problems of gender inequality in specific communities, which entail lower opportunities in education and social advancement for women. Therefore, when considering the depression and anxiety issue in adults, one needs to focus on the management of socioeconomic constraints and the changes in patients’ attitudes toward them so that further health improvements could occur.
Conclusion
Due to the fact that the increase in anxiety and depression in adult patients has been caused largely by external factors, namely, the presence of political and economic strain in the global and local settings, the creation of a community health management program should be considered a necessary intervention tool. With the focus on the promotion of healthy lifestyles, which necessarily have to include a balanced element of physical activity, one will be able to introduce the strategies for effective management of health issues n individuals.
Overall, the two studies analyzed above have provided important insights into the nature of depression and anxiety in adults, as well as the tools for managing the specified mental health conditions. Namely, the socioeconomic aspect of the issue under analysis needs to be examined as one of the foundational problems that entail the development of stress and the resulting mental health issues. Thus, the research results have pointed to several important strategies for addressing the depression issue in adults as a complex problem.
Works Cited
- Battalio, Samuel L., et al. “Longitudinal Associations between Physical Activity, Anxiety, and Depression in Adults with Long-Term Physical Disabilities.” Health Psychology, vol. 39, no. 6, 2020, pp. 529–538. doi:10.1037/hea0000848.
- Mirzaei, Mohsen, et al. “Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Adult Population: Results of Yazd Health Study.” Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 137-146. doi:10.18502/ijps.v14i2.993.