 Hey, everyone. Thank you for your love and continued support. Here it's like to go. Our mission is to help everyone become more self-aware. So what is depression? According to the World Health Organization, depression is defined as a mental disorder that results in a lasting sadness, loss of interest, and activities that usually bring joy, alongside the lack of motivation to perform daily tasks. It's also often linked with suicide and anxiety disorders. So, is depression becoming more common? Well, a 2017 study by Welch shows that there has been a 4.5% increase in adolescents reporting having symptoms of depression. And based on the World Health Organization in 2019, it's also stated that an estimate of more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. And it's the leading cause of disability worldwide. So, without further ado, here are the four reasons why depression is getting more common. In the society we live in today, mental health awareness is becoming increasingly prevalent. Compared to 20 years ago, the topic of mental health was far more stigmatized. By having more awareness on mental disorders such as depression, more people have started to become more self-aware. They realized that mental disorders are important health issues that have to be acknowledged. As awareness increases, it can also lead people into feeling that depression is becoming more common. Did you know? There's a mental health awareness day that is on the 10th of October every year to increase awareness of the importance of mental health. This occasion was first observed in 1992, founded by Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter from the World Federation for Mental Health. Two, changes in media representation. Similar to mental health awareness, the change in the representation of depression in the media can also be a reason why depression is getting more common. Media portrayal of depression today has changed a lot as compared to the past. There is more depression portrayed in the media content that we consume. Based on the cultivation theory mentioned by Potter, change in the media narrative of depression and mental health through proper representation opens a potential change in attitudes and perceptions towards depression. The role that the media plays in raising awareness and educating lies in its ability to influence the people's perception of mental health. With the media acknowledging that mental health is becoming a health issue, there can be a gradual acceptance of the public through media content. Three, broader research. As mentioned earlier about the increasing rates of depression in people over the years, mental health as a critical issue will spark more research in the respective fields. More experiments comparing between different variables and research questions to explore would broaden existing research and increase the current pool of knowledge. As research broadens further, there will be more resources for people to learn about mental disorders. For example, an article by Bowne reports of a study conducted to research the relationship between stress and depression. It states that an individual is likely to develop, when subjected to high levels of stress, depression and other illnesses. It compares the correlation between stress and the risk of developing depression. So the topic of depression may seem to become more common because there is more research available to study and it's more accessible to everyone thanks to the internet. And speaking of the internet, number four, social media. A 2019 study by Albers and others examined the relationship between passive social media use, also known as PSMU and the symptoms of depression. The findings showed that individuals who spent more time passively using social media had experienced higher levels of inferior feelings, loneliness, hopelessness and depressive moods. With social media being a daily activity for most people, what they view on social media may affect their expectations and perceptions of certain things. As many posts on social media tend to focus on the positive aspects of a person's life, viewers may start finding small comparisons between themselves and the person they engage with on social media. These small comparisons often warp the perceptions of people into possibly feeling inferior about themselves. These feelings of inferiority may manifest into potential symptoms of depression. And lastly, cyberbullying. According to Junivin and others, no less than 72% of youths aged 12 to 17 years old living in the US encounter cyberbullying actively. Bullying in any aspect can have adverse effects on a person's mental well-being. In today's digital age, bullying has evolved. For example, in a school environment, physical bullying can be stopped when the victim reports the bully. However, cyberbullying has the ability to carry on even outside of a school environment and is most likely anonymous. Receiving hateful comments can significantly harm a person's mental well-being. With social media being commonly used, it can be one of the reasons why depression is getting more common. Do you agree with the reasons explained in this video? What other reasons do you think contributed to depression being more common nowadays? Let us know in the comments below. And if you find this video helpful, be sure to share it with someone who might benefit from it too. Don't forget to click the like button and subscribe for more content. And as always, thank you for watching.