Major Depression In Brave New World

This isolation keeps people with mental illnesses from getting the help they need. A paper published by the American Psychiatric Association summarizes the stigma-treatment phenomenon, “Major depression is undertreated despite the availability of effective treatments. Psychological barriers to treatment, such as perceived stigma and minimization of the need for care, may be important obstacles to adherence to the pharmacologic treatment of major depression,” (Sirey). Mental illnesses need treatment just like physical illnesses such as diabetes or a broken leg. Some people need permenent treatment options, just as a diabetic needs medication regulation throughout the duration of their life. Some people need help short term until they can manage

Anthony Mestas quotes a Carl Hart, a scientist and cannabis activists as saying, “‘When you look at the scientific literature, the major focus is trying to understand the negative effects that occur at the drug use,’ Hart said. ‘The problem is that it may seem as though marijuana is negative when, in fact, that isn't true. It's just that's what we focus on typically in the scientific literature,’” (Mestas). However, the fact remains that cannabis, and any other recreational drugs, are not effective to help mentally ill people. As SANE reports, “Cannabis generally makes psychotic symptoms worse and lowers the chances of recovery from a psychotic episode. People with a psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia, who use it experience more hallucinations, delusions and other symptoms; they have a higher rate of hospitalisation for psychosis; and treatment is generally less effective and recovery more difficult,” (SANE). Although the attitudes toward cannabis and soma are similar, it remains that neither are actually effective in making or keeping people

However, many people do not realize it because those affected hide their symptoms. They do this because the stigma regarding the mentally ill is typically very negative. This causes mentally ill people to isolate and to attempt self-treatment, which often proves to be more harmful. Although Huxley does not include any clinically mentally ill characters in Brave New World, it can be assumed that the attitudes are even more stigmatized than in our world. Because they assume that ‘Everyone is happy,’ characters like Bernard can feel ostracized and like an outsider. Even isolation is stigmatized in Brave New World. However, it remains that we do have similar attitudes toward mental health. It is important for the people of our world to change that attitude. It can start with the language we use to talk about the mentally ill in the media. Then people can start to learn to be more accepting of the people around us who are struggling, and not only breaking down the barriers that keep people from effective treatments, but encouraging it. Of course, it would benefit everyone to reduce the rates of drug use. THrough taking these actions in our daily lives, we can avoid the dangerous parts of Huxley’s Brave New World, because just because everyone is happy, does not mean they are mentally