American culture is shown to be one with many privileges. Forms of advantages range from financial and political, even down to health and food options. With this opportunity comes a cost. Choices can form a storm of questions and judgment, which is much more prevalent today, due to society being connected 24/7 through social media. My Grandfather’s biggest form of judgment came from the neighbor one mile away, angrily asking why he hadn't bought an American brand car. This didn't bother him, and why should it? He possibly saw the man once a week at church. While this attitude is still applicable today, drowning out the noise created by every decision you make is tough. Posting online opens you to criticisms and what you look like can impact everyone’s opinion of you. This feeling of never-ending judgment and loneliness understandably causes someone’s emotional state to change for the worse. Seemingly normal activities seem overwhelming and the effort to improve seems impossible. Still, we add on top the judgment of coping with these feelings, an “American” mindset that you are being weak for feeling that way.

First and foremost, feelings of sadness, loneliness, and fear of the future are normal. Many if not all people feel this way at some point, regardless of what they might say. If you or someone you know has these feelings or repeatedly denies feeling bad/sad to a point you are concerned, contact a therapist or the National Suicide Hotline (800-273-8255). I will be the first to say there is no shame in asking for help. Deciding that you are not going to be “Just Fine” or “OK”, can help to open that door to a better way of living. The scariest part of my experience with depression was the overwhelming feeling of failure. Why can't I just be normal? 

Through therapy and discussions with doctors, you start to realize it is not your fault for feeling the way you do. Some studies show Mental Health Disorders are caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. Lacking the right Dopamine or Serotonin levels causes issues with mood and motivation. Possibly, Trauma that either physically or mentally causes self-esteem issues. Also, some studies show, family lineage may have a part to play in the chemical makeup of your brain. The US National Library of Medicine has a good article on the Family lineage of Major Depression Disorder. Which studies whether certain genes in families with a history of Depression are present in their children, leading to a higher chance of MDD in the offspring. With an understanding that “Depression is estimated to affect 350 million people worldwide,” we can better help ourselves and others, while accepting that there is a step everyone can take towards understanding yourself and others, to help manage everyday life.

As many will realize, American society tends to ebb and flow with public opinion and knowledge of the time. Changes to our way of life happen every day, but many issues have taken much longer than others to receive recognition. The benefit, and sometimes curse, of American free speech, is that opinions can be voiced, and laws are passed to support those issues positively. In this same token, with every opinion, there is usually opposition. People who find the issue not important enough, or opposite to their way of life. Oftentimes, with so many issues to resolve, the people who need the most help are forgotten in the mix of things. It also can be misconstrued by the media, swaying the balance of control to one group or away from the problem at hand. Worst of all, it can be flipped to seem evil or wrong. When trying to understand issues in America, some only look at the majority impression of the problem at hand, thus concluding without any knowledge.

Hopefully, with reading this there is a bit more knowledge spread on an issue that affects more people than one might think. Much of American life revolves around the pursuit of success and not the pursuit of happiness. Making money, having material items, being successful so others will notice you. Even more prevalent today and at a much younger age is the use of technology to compare your life progress to others. However, helping one another to make it through tough times, is far more valuable than material items.