Chapter 16: Exercises

Comprehension Check

1. Describe the four possible explanations for rising depression numbers. How does each explanation change what the data means?

2. What are the key differences between clinical depression (MDD) and ordinary sadness? List five criteria that distinguish them.

3. Why is the ER self-harm data considered more reliable evidence of genuine increase than survey data or diagnosis data?

4. Explain how the removal of the bereavement exclusion in DSM-5 may have affected diagnosis rates.

5. What is the "social media awareness paradox" described in this chapter? How does it complicate the interpretation of rising depression numbers?

Application

6. Find three news articles about "the depression epidemic." For each, identify: - What data source is cited (surveys, clinical data, ER data)? - Which of the four explanations does the article favor? - Does the article consider alternative explanations? - Does it distinguish between depression and sadness?

7. The PHQ-9 is a common depression screening tool. Find it online and read the items. How many of the items describe experiences that most people have at some point? What does this tell you about the difference between screening and diagnosis?

8. Interview someone over 50 about how mental health was discussed when they were young. How does their experience compare to current mental health discourse? Does the comparison support the "more awareness" explanation, the "genuine increase" explanation, or both?

9. Track your own mood for one week using a simple 1–10 scale. Note what triggers low mood and how long it lasts. Does your experience of low mood fit the criteria for clinical depression, or is it ordinary variation in emotional state?

10. Apply the toolkit to the claim: "One in five teenagers is depressed." Trace the statistic, identify the data source, and note whether "depressed" refers to a positive screening result, a clinical diagnosis, or a self-report survey item.

Critical Thinking

11. If awareness and reduced stigma are responsible for some of the increase in depression numbers, should we view the rising numbers as good news (more people getting help) or concerning news (more people suffering)? Can both be true simultaneously?

12. The chapter argues that medicalizing ordinary sadness has costs. Critics argue that this position discourages people from seeking help. How do you balance the risk of over-medicalization against the risk of under-treatment?

13. The DSM criteria for depression are described as specific in principle but blurry in practice. If the boundary between depression and sadness is genuinely fuzzy, what implications does this have for the "depression epidemic" narrative?

14. Different data sources (surveys, diagnoses, ER visits, prescriptions) tell different stories about depression trends. Which data source do you find most persuasive, and why?

15. If you were designing a public health response to rising depression numbers, how would your approach differ depending on which of the four explanations you believed?

Fact-Check Portfolio

16. If any of your 10 claims involve depression, mental health prevalence, or emotional wellbeing: - Does the claim distinguish between clinical depression and sadness? - Does it specify the data source? - Does it consider multiple explanations for the trends? - Update your evidence rating.