Articles

Social Media Leads to Stress and Depression for Working Adults

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Today’s digital age has made social media platforms crucial to people’s everyday lives by facilitating many types of interaction, including communication, information dissemination, and professional networking. However, many people’s mental health has suffered as a result of the extensive use of social media, especially adults in the workforce. To what extent do working individuals’ social media habits contribute to their stress and mental health? That’s the question this report sets out to answer. The examine how the intrusive nature of social media, the pressure to maintain an online presence, and the constant exposure to curate online personas can lead to increased stress and vulnerability to depression through a comprehensive literature review and empirical analysis. The research highlights the need for more research into the effects of social media use on mental health and well-being and the significance of targeted interventions and digital literacy programs in helping to lessen the negative effects of social media use among this demographic. This research adds to the expanding body of information about the link between technology and mental health, providing insights that may help people and institutions encourage more positive online habits and cultivate a healthier perspective on technology.

The primary goals of this study are to investigate how much time spent on social media sites is associated with increased levels of stress and depression, to pinpoint specific social media behaviours that correlate with these adverse outcomes, and to investigate moderating factors that may influence the observed associations. This study used a mixed-methods strategy, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative interviews, to shed light on the intricate relationship between social media use, mental health, and the realities of today’s contemporary workforce.

Pets as Healers: The Role of Pets in Promoting Owners’ Mental Well-being among Adults in Bangkok, Thailand

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This study aims to investigate the relationship between pet ownership, pet attachment, and mental well-being among adults in Bangkok, Thailand. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, collecting quantitative data through standardized self-report questionnaires and demographic information. A total of 61 participants completed the survey, including both pet owners and non-owners. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, independent sample t-tests, and multiple regression analyses will be used to examine whether pet attachment significantly predicts mental well-being outcomes. Preliminary descriptive results suggest that most participants own dogs and cats, report moderate-to-high levels of pet attachment, and perceive psychological benefits such as reduced loneliness and emotional comfort. The findings are expected to provide evidence on the psychological benefits of pet companionship and inform future mental health interventions.

The Effect of Health Education on Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Depression Among Eleventh-Grade Students at SMK Umi Kulsum Banjaran Bandung

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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of health education on students’ knowledge and attitudes toward depression among adolescents.

Theoretical Framework: The research is grounded in health behavior theories such as the Health Belief Model and mental health literacy frameworks, emphasizing the role of education in shaping awareness and behavioral responses to mental health issues.

Method: A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The sample consisted of 85 eleventh-grade students at SMK Umi Kulsum Banjaran Bandung, selected through total sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires before and after a health education session on depression. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.

Results and Discussion: The study revealed a statistically significant increase in students’ knowledge (p = 0.000) and attitudes (p = 0.001) regarding depression after the intervention. These results indicate that structured health education effectively enhances awareness and fosters a more positive attitude toward mental health issues in adolescents. Limitations include the absence of a control group and short-term evaluation.

Research Implications: The findings suggest that integrating mental health topics into school-based health education programs can improve mental health literacy among students, potentially leading to earlier recognition and intervention in cases of adolescent depression.

Originality/Value: This research contributes to the growing field of adolescent mental health promotion by demonstrating the practical impact of targeted educational interventions in vocational school settings.

The Psychological Effects of Depression in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway

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This research explores the psychological dimensions and personality development of the main characters in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway using a literary psychological approach grounded in Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. The study focuses on Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren Smith, examining how their inner experiences reflect the dynamics of the id, ego, and superego. Clarissa’s outwardly composed and socially acceptable persona conceals deeper emotional conflicts and existential concerns, while Septimus embodies the psychological trauma of war, expressed through hallucinations and emotional breakdown. The analysis reveals how societal expectations, personal experiences, and mental health challenges shape each character’s identity and behavior. Through this lens, Mrs. Dalloway is shown to be a rich narrative of emotional struggle and psychological depth, offering insight into the complex interplay between individual psyche and social reality.

A Comprehensive Analysis: Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults with Leukemia: A Systematic Review

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This study focuses on the prevalence of depression among patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These two forms of leukemia most commonly affect our target population: adolescents and young adult leukemia survivors (AYA-LS) – a population defined as individuals diagnosed with leukemia between the ages of 12 to 39 years old.

Although current literature has employed various assessment tools to evaluate comorbidities like depression and anxiety among LS, these measures have limitations. Such limitations include potential assessment bias stemming from oncologists’ focus on pathology and psychiatrists’ inability to address the distinct suffering experienced by this population fully. For this reason, this study recognizes the age-specific differences in cancer, particularly those diagnosed at a young age. Thus, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches to address the mental health needs of AYA-LS. This consolidation and review of research holds the potential to advance support and intervention strategies, ultimately enhancing the mental health and overall quality of life for young adult leukemia survivors.

This study relies on electronic databases such as EBSCOhost, the British Journal of Cancer, PubMed, Google Scholar, and publications from the Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM).

Prevalence and Comorbidity of Generalized Anxiety and Depression among Medical Students at Selected Universities in Lusaka, Zambia

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Research shows that medical students suffer from anxiety and depression, which are the 2 biggest mental health disorders, and their health only deteriorates upon entering the medical field. Although studies have been conducted to investigate their existence, very few to none have explored their prevalence and association amongst medical students in Zambia. This study will therefore investigate on the prevalence and comorbidity of both anxiety and depression amongst medical students in Zambia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 376 medical students from 2 medical universities which were selected using a combination of convenience and voluntary sampling techniques. The Patient health questionnaire was used to assess depression whilst the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale was used to assess anxiety amongst medical students. The data was analyzed using both Descriptive statistics, specifically measures of central tendencies and cross-tabulation were used to explain the study participant in relation to study variables. The study employed inferential statistics, specifically, the Pearson’s Product Moment correlation coefficient (r) was used to measure the correlation between anxiety and depression. The study revealed that the prevalence of depression amongst the participants was 68% and the comorbidity of anxiety and depression was found to be 60.4% (p < 0.001). The study revealed high prevalence and comorbidity of anxiety and depression. Universities should collaborate with non-governmental organizations to treat, educate and improve on the management of anxiety and depression among medical students.

The Effects of Air Quality on Mental Health, and A Comparative Study of Teenagers Aged 12-18 During January and February in Lampang, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya, and Bangkok

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Nowadays, populations around the world are suffering from mental health issues, especially depression, and the number is estimated to increase every year. Not only depression issues but also air pollution that is surging. Air pollution has been shown to affect people’s respiratory systems and may even have an impact on mental health, leading to various diseases, for instance depression and Alzheimer’s disease. These disorders tend to occur in people of all age groups and in all countries and regions. Interestingly, each area has different air qualities, which raises concern of its impact on mental health. To investigate this issue, a cross-sectional survey was performed focusing on teenagers aged 12-18 in three different provinces in Thailand to compare the effect of air quality on mental health. This survey used a questionnaire consisting of 34 questions to collect data from 629 individuals participating in this research. The data analysis was performed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) program. Our results display the mean score of mental health and air quality as 2.62 and 3.02, respectively, which states that there is an average rate of these 2 variables. Furthermore, the one-way ANOVA test comparing mental health levels in 3 residents shows no significant difference (p-value = 0.225), however, one-way ANOVA comparing the air quality shows a significant difference between the 3 provinces (p-value less than 0.001). We also conducted a t-test to compare the 2 variables between pupils who have underlying medical conditions and pupils who don’t have them. Unfortunately, we found no significant difference for mental health in pupils with and without medical conditions (p-value = 0.75) and for air quality in pupils with and without medical conditions (p-value = 0.52). Nevertheless, the correlation analysis obtained an r-value of 0.30, which indicates that the survey produced a weak positive correlation between mental health and air quality. This type of study is rarely conducted in Thailand, which means there will need to be more studies in this field. Regarding this research, it is apparent that air quality has an effect on mental health, so an open mind of caring for ourselves and others about this issue would be practical.

The Study on the Effect of Owning Pets, Dogs or Cats, On the Rates of Stress and Depression in Thailand

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Several studies have reported that pets can help people decrease their stress and depression. This encourages people to own either cats or dogs to help their mental health. This research aims to find the effectiveness of pets owning on the rate of stress and depression between petting dogs and cats. This research may help people who struggle with mental health. If this research confirms that dogs and cats have an impact on stress and depression, this may help people decide whether to own dogs or cats. On the other hand, if owning dogs or cats doesn’t have a correlation, people may need to see other ways or may discuss other factors that would come after buying a cat such as time, price, and pet’s behavior. Thus, we conducted a survey consisting of 33 questions. We had 26 pilot responders, revealing 0.819 for pet owners and 0.899 for non-pet owners. Our results from one-way ANOVA (F-test) show no correlation between dog owners, cat owners, and non-pet owners for their stress and depression rates (p-value = 0.333). This suggests that owning pets is not the main factor that could help people to step away from stress and depression.

Herbal Interventions as Promising Therapeutic for Alleviating Depression: A Comprehensive Review

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Depression is a global mental health challenge with significant social and economic burdens. While conventional pharmacological treatments have been the cornerstone in depression management, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative and complementary herbal therapies. Herbal interventions have emerged as promising therapeutic approaches for depression treatment. Both clinical and preclinical research has shown that individuals with depression often experience simultaneous activation of neuro-inflammatory response within immune system and heightened activity in hypothalamus pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of  neuroendocrine system. These two systems interact with each other bidirectionally through neural, immunological and humoral mechanisms. This review article provides an outline of the current progress of research on herbal interventions, emphasizing their potential as emerging therapeutics for depression. It discusses the mechanisms of action, safety profiles, and evidence from clinical studies supporting the use of various herbal remedies. Herbal interventions and traditional Chinese formulations hold promise as a valuable adjunct or alternative to conventional treatments, offering new avenues for the comprehensive care of individuals with depression.

Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Mental Health from a Psychological Perspective: A Review of the Contemporary Literature

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Social media has become deeply embedded in society, with most individuals spending several hours on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter each day. While social media provides opportunities for connection, entertainment, and information, increasing research indicates use can negatively impact mental health. This paper reviews literature examining the psychological effects of social media on wellbeing. Key areas explored include social comparison and its links to depression and anxiety, exposure to idealized self-representation and impacts on body image, online harassment and cyberbullying, associations between social media addiction and mental distress, fear of missing out (FOMO), and sleep issues. The complex bi-directional relationship between social media and mental health is discussed, acknowledging both potential benefits and drawbacks. Recommendations are provided for individuals aiming to use social media in a psychologically healthy way, as well as areas needing further research. Ultimately, moderate usage paired with conscious digital habits may allow society to harness social media’s upsides while minimizing its risks to well-being.