Risk for depression and suicide in servicemen

Risk for depression and felo-de-se in portionmenDepressive botherThe Struggle of Our Nations SonsAbstractThis paper discusses the causes and risk of depressive incommode growth amongst Full-Time field of say aidmen and the possible risk of self-destruction ideation. The predicted outcome was that the cause of depressive rowdyism developing amongst Full-Time discipline dishmen is associated with the becharm their upbringing urinate in relation to how they cut with hardship. Survey ending have proved that pip-squeak symptoms of depression is developing amongst most of the Full-Time bailiwick Servicemen even so do not show signs of suicide ideation. In the discussion segment, several(prenominal) psychological theories will explain and validate the reasons to why Full-Time national Servicemen who argon cladding hardship have developed minor to even severe symptoms of depressive disorder. In conclusion, the causes argon associated with the upbringing of an individual and the lack of fulfilment in various needs.Depressive rowdinessThe struggle of our nations sonscapital of capital of capital of Singapore, minuscular yet strong and striving country that has gained recognition amongst the colossal shadow of nations with history geological dating far beyond what our young nation has. How did a nation so young acquire such(prenominal) stability in less than a century? The answer, Military Force and no, it does not just identify to military prowess but also the transition of boys to men. Singaporeans argon familiar with the term case Service, to serve as a Full Time study Servicemen (NSFs) in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF) or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for two year service period at the age of eighteen. It is a fearful yet enlightening process for the young sons of the nation, be given the responsibility to serve and protect the nation is no easy feat. As such, they argon provided energetic trainin g that puts their mind and body to the test, pushing them to their limits to promote growth in both physical and psychic capability. For most, the process of going by National Service are filled with obstacles surpassing anything they have experienced, having to address with their physical training, their mental aptitude cosmos tested while juggling responsibilities of their individual roles amongst their friends, family and love ones.Depressive Disorder has been a serious health problem all around the world this does not exclude Singapore, as one in 17 hoi polloi in Singapore having suffered with Major Depressive Disorder at least once in their animation. In the recent years, at that place has been several suicide cases involving Full-Time National Servicemen and with depressive disorder and suicide rates on the rise, extra attention should also be given to our nations sons who are going by means of hardships in order to keep the nation safe.Depressive DisorderIn the ordi nal edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of arms of Mental Disorders (APA, 2013), Depressive Disorder is as describedDepression comes in various forms but one common feature is that they share similar features such as front line of sadness, emptiness, irrit competent mood while having significant cognitive changes that affects a persons ability to function. The all difference is the duration, timing, and the cause of it. (pp. 155).During the fifty fourth military personnel easilyness Assembly held by the World wellness Organization and the ministers of health, it is stated in the report that depression is in the fourth position amongst the ten pencil lead causes of global burden of disease and is expected to rise to the second place by the year 2020, World Health Organisation (WHO, 2001). This report reflects how common depression is and the seriousness of this mental disorder is not nighthing to be taken lightly, considering that most of the people who commit sui cide are also clinically depressed, (WHO, 2001).A subscribe to conducted by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) shows that Major Depressive Disorder emerged as one of the top leash mental illnesses along with Alcohol abuse and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, with one in 17 people in Singapore have suffered from Major Depressive Disorder at some point in their supporttime and bulk of it occurred by the age of 29 while most of those who were affected werent seeking help, (IMH, 2013). suicideIn a recent statistical report retrieved from the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) for National suicide rate reflected that in the year 2012, the do suicide rate was at the all-time high rate since 1992, hitting the aggregate of 467 and 298 of them were males, (SOS, 2013). Having more than than half of the fatality being males also reflects how vulnerable Full-Time National Servicemen are to suicide ideation and the steadily increasing self-destructive rate in Singapore as well as on the global scale.During a Parliament Question and Answer segment in the year 2013, it is reported that a based on a local research study from the year 2000 to 2004 showed that a third of the extreme suicide population because of relationship problems and another third was associated with financial or employment concerns, (Ministry of Health (MOH) Singapore, 2013) gender fit in to research study, based on gender, females are more likely to develop depression as compared to males, in the ratio of two females to one male the male population has a higher centile of completing suicide as compared to females. (Kua EH, Mahendran R, Fung D, 2002),Risk FactorsSeveral of the risk factors for depression could be triggered by gainsay life events such as relationship get it ons, financial difficulties, physical illnesses, unemployment, lack of support and loss of loved one, all which can be associated with Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. Maslows theory revolves around human motive and the Hierarch y of Needs is made up of a pyramid that is divided into several segments such as Physiological, Safety, drive in/Belonging, Esteem and Self-Actualization needs, (Maslow, 1943). With the lack of fulfilment or rather, a lack of motivation, one could issue in a state of depression.Due to the limited case study, literature review and research study of depressive disorder amongst Full-Time National Servicemen in Singapore, the purpose of the research study is to create awareness to the general human race roughly depressive disorder amongst Full-Time National Servicemen as well as identifying the causes amongst the servicemen population. This would then hope to result in a reduced number of self-destructive cases amongst our Nations sons.I predicted that this research study will be able to validate my assumption that the causes of depression amongst Full-Time National Servicemen is due to the purlieu they grew up in and their inability to get away with various roles and issues while going through the tough changes in environment during National Service. Full-Time National Servicemen are also not receiving generous attention in regards to mental health care even though they are significantly more vulnerable to developing depressive disorder whilst going through National Service which also relates to the increased risk of possible suicidal cases in the future.MethodsParticipantsThere are a total of 16 leaveicipants, all whom are male and were any still in their Full-Time National Service period or have recently absolute their national service.DesignAn online survey was conducted using SurveyFace, an online survey tool. The survey is structured in a expression that majority of the questions being closed ended, whereas the open ended questions are meant for participants to provide qualitative information in relevance to the question. The link was then shared through online social networking , Facebook. The topic of the survey was omitted to hamper participan ts from being hesitant towards a potentially sensitive subject such as depression.ProcedureParticipants consist of netizens, who had met the criteria stated on the survey link volunteered to participate in the survey by clicking the link posted on social networking order, Facebook. There are a total of 14 questions and responses are available as both individual forms or overall summary of responses. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes depending on individuals. non all answers were required to answer and open ended answers vary in length depending on the participant.ResultsAccording to the results, slightly more than half of the participants had their expectation met nigh how National Service is going to be and majority of the total respondents found that their experience as a Full-Time National Servicemen is positive and beneficial. Results also indicates that more than half of the respondents associate the toughness of National Service with how they were brought while al most half of the respondents found it easier to cope with issues during National Service as compared to life as a civilian.More than two handfuls of respondents had negative olden experiences that would manifest itself during times of hardship yet only a handful of the respondents issue were recurrent. Based on the Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, respondents attributed that the lack Self-Actualization is the leading cause of issues during National Service whereas Love and belonging needs and Esteem needs are tied at second.Based on the results, volume of the respondents had also indicated to have at least one of the mild symptoms of depression and of the ten, eight also showed turn back symptoms of depression while five of them also have severe symptoms of depression.Results also reflected that majority of the respondents matte up that the Singapore Armed Forces should provide more attention to Full-Time National Servicemens mental health. Half of the total respondents were provided by the SAF with means to cope with emotional distress while the other half did not. Less than a third of the respondents received mental health state evaluation from their superiors while almost all of the respondents felt that it is recommended that superiors conduct a mental assessment of Full-Time National Servicemen on a daily basis. banterAccording to Freuds psychoanalytic theory in regards to the causes behind melancholia or presently known as clinical depression, is the result of a surplus of pleasure in the society and the state of civilization itself (Freud, 1929). When a state of pleasure is prolonged, it would only produce a feeling of mild contentment, in other talking to with Singapore being one of the safest country, providing quality living for most, individuals have the tendency to be complacent about how privileged they are. They who grew up having what they want most of their life and not having gone through hardships during their early puerility maturational st age will have a hard time in the future, especially during National Service when one has to leave their comfort zone, experiencing hardships surpassing what most have gone through.For most part of the hypothesis was supported that majority of the Full-Time National Servicemen found that their upbringing contributed to how they comprehend National Service and the intensity of the toughness that they experience as well as finding it harder to cope with issues while doing their National Service as compared to as when they were civilians. This could be explained through Bowlbys Attachment theory which states that ones early childhood experience has a significant amount of figure out on the behaviour and development in the future (Bowlby, 1988)Most of the male population in Singapore have heard of stories about National Service, comparing how tough National Service used to be for the older generation and how bring up the younger generations are because of the vast improvement to the s ystem and facilities. The younger generation are indeed having it easy now, even having the opportunity to bring along smart phones into their respective camps. Superiors are also more gentle as compared to the olden days where punishment faceed to have no limits, from kissing the tree to having an endless demo into the late night, pushing individuals to their physical and mental limit.Through all the hardships, there will be moments when individuals are put into a depressive state, feeling empty, sad, having irritable mood, accompanied by changes in the thinking process that could influence ones ability to function. These are all common experience which everyone goes through at some point of their life but most do not know that these are also a couple of(prenominal) of the various symptoms of depressive disorder which are stated in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of arms of Mental Disorders, (APA, 2013). Because of this reason, people often overlook t he severity of early identification of individuals who whitethorn be well on the way at developing a full fledge clinical depression. Freuds model of overexposure, based on the pleasure principle, can offer one explanation for the prevalence of depression in developed countries. According to this theory, pleasure is, on one hand, omnipresent, and on the other, unattainable, as we have become almost deadened to the experienceProblems of daily life does not simply vanish during times of hardship, instead, to those going through National Service, it whitethorn seem to blow out of proportion. Not having time to rectify the issues of their life foreign of National Service due to the intense trainings, and the freedom of going home daily is something only a few are privileged with. Many NSF are burdened with the responsibility of their various role as an individual, be it as a son, brother, friend, boyfriend or even spouse to others while going through their National Service. With depr ession on the rise, the increased suicide rate would increase as well. Though there arent many recorded cases of suicide amongst National Servicemen, it does not mean that the intentions arent there. When an individual has suicidal thought, it only requires a moment of impulse to attempt suicide and in the worst case scenario, it whitethorn lead to death. Providing necessary care to individuals who are showing early symptoms of depression is important as to prevent it from escalating into a more serious condition.Full-Time National Servicemen has also acknowledged that they are not receiving enough mental health concern as compared to physical health due to the lack of systems that look into individuals who may be emotional distress. This could be because as a member of the military force, they would expect soldiers to be able to have the physical capacity that allows them to perform task needed for survival during times of war but due to the intensity of the training, many may have failed to cope with the stress that comes along with it hence resulting in a state of emotional vulnerability.Only a few have stated that buddy systems are introduced during Basic Military Training (BMT) which offers individuals at least a partner to confide in when facing emotional distress but as soon as they get posted into their units, there seem to be a complete lack of system that could offer Full-Time National Servicemen the means to cope with emotional distress such as counselling service, suicide hotline and even the buddy system isnt implemented. With the lack of such system, Full-Time National Servicemen have a higher risk of having their depressive symptoms overlook and may develop depressive disorder and in the worst case scenario, result in suicidal attempts.ConclusionIn conclusion, the overall results has supported my prediction that an individuals upbringing has significant impact on how they would perceive experiences in the future and their ability to cope with is sues were negatively affected during their national service as compared their life as civilians. However, contrary to what I have predicted, results have shown the lack of support in regards to Full-Time National Servicemen having any form of suicide intention or ideation. This may have been because regardless of how tough National Service is to most, they would still regard it as a positive experience and a necessary manakin in their life.Depression may still be on the rise and results have also reflected on how common depression is amongst the Full-Time National Servicemen, they do not show sign of suicide ideation which shows that it is still not too late to provide preventive measures in assuring that Full-Time National Servicemen are receiving sufficient attention to their mental health. By implementing a system that seeks to assure that Full-Time National Servicemen are receiving ample attention in regards to their mental health, it could greatly reduce the risk of depressive disorder from developing and would result in the vast improvement in the overall performance by the servicemen protecting our nation.LimitationsThe research has several limitations. Due to having past experience as a Full-Time National Servicemen, several questions may have contained biasedness and prediction was made with the aid of my past experience. The research study did not include participants ethnic group and religion hence losing out precious viewpoints in that aspect as Singapore is a multiracial country.Future ResearchA personal interview would have provided greater prescience in information and may have contributed crucial information which the survey question could not gather. ain interview would also allow participants to voice out areas of improvement in relevance to the topic that may have been omitted during the progress of study.ImplicationsIf there was a system that allowed superiors to conduct a daily check on Full-Time National Servicemen mental condition, it could greatly reduce the risk of depression from developing further and could continue many lives just by identifying the individuals with early symptoms and providing them with therapy.ReferenceAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition.Bowlby, J. (1988). 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