Put Yourself Together in The Other Shoes

PUT YOURSELF TOGETHER !!! IN THE OTHER´S SHOES !!!
A PROJECT PROPOSAL
Table of contents
33239215 Put yourself together!!! in the other´s shoes!! DR71098A – 29 April 2014
_______________________________________________________________________ 3
Abstract________________________________________________________________ 5
Introduction____________________________________________________________ 6
Research_______________________________________________________________ 9
Clinical Depression: a brief description 9
The Stigma around it 11
Statistics- 12
Worldwide 12
Mexico: Level of Stress and Depression 13
Common places between depressed and non-depressed people- 19
1) Stress: a risk for falling under Depression 19
2) The culture of Emotion-Inhibition 20
3) Difficulty of solving problems: another stressor 21
The advantages of sharing emotions 22
Put yourself together!!! in the other´s shoes!!! 23
Summary 25
Development___________________________________________________________ 26
The project 26
Why theatre-based? 26
Who will be recruited? 27
What methods will be used to achieve the performance aims? 27
Who is the intended audience? 29
Implementation________________________________________________________ 30
2
Who are the specific institutions I am approaching for support? 30
Finance 31
Work plan 32
Marketing 32
Accessibility 33
Evaluation & Monitoring 33
Tracing 33
Conclusions____________________________________________________________ 34
Bibliography___________________________________________________________ 35
Further reading list_____________________________________________________ 37
3
Abstract
____________________________________________________________
This essay researches, develops and implements a project that attacks the stigma attached to people
suffering from depression. It intends to lessen this stigma by providing accurate information of this
mental illness and promoting empathy by reflecting on the common places between depressed and
non-depressed people. The proposed common places are: the daily stress faced in cosmopolitan
cities, the culture of emotion-inhibition that contributes to the accumulation of this stress, and the
difficulty of solving our problems due to this accumulation and it contributing to it. One can
conclude that anyone who lives in a cosmopolitan city can develop this disabling illness, as they are
highly exposed to psychosocial stressors. In this matter, the author considers that this reflexion should
lessen the stigma towards depression. The author intends to expose these arguments in a theatre-based
performance that will be strategically implemented based on the context of Mexico City, where she
resides.
4
Introduction
________________________________________________________________
The present essay is a theoretical and practical exercise based on a personal assumption. My
hypothesis is that the stigma attached to depression results not only from a lack of information of this
disorder but also due to a lack of an emotional/empathic connection with those who are depressed.
Until now, I have no knowledge of any scientific or spiritual methods that would allow us to fully
experience other people’s emotions as if they were our own. Empathy, then, is probably the closest to
this. I presume to create this empathy by reflecting on our own risk for falling into depression and the
common places we might share with those who have already been diagnosed with this disorder.
Before writing this essay, I carried out an informal interview with two unknown middle-aged men in
the street. I asked them what they thought about depression. Both men argued categorically that -
depression is not an illness; that life is too short to expend it lamenting and thus, depressed people don
´t want to be happy-. Yet, one of them accepted he had been depressed for ten years after his brother
died, but he was the most reluctant to believe that depression is as disabling as any other illness. I felt
lost. I didn´t know what to say to this person who had experienced depression personally and still was
prejudiced about it. Since then, I have had many doubts. Does empathy really exist or it is just an
illusion? I honestly confess that I constantly bow to the latter. However, I gaze upon those greatest
changes in history, like women´s rights, and I feel hopeful.
An important experience that also contributed to the creation of this project is my own depressive
condition. I have been diagnosed with dysthymia, a chronic depression that requires medical and
5
psychological treatment, which I have followed for five years now. In my need to understand this
condition, I searched for others like me. I found out that plenty of people suffer like me. Most of them
are elderly, but there are also lots of young and middle aged people. A case in point worth mentioning
is that of a twenty-five year old girl. Currently suffering depression for several years now, she hasn´t
responded to any kind of treatment. Leonardo Ruiz, a psychiatrist from the National Institute of
Psychiatry of Mexico, commented, in relation to this case, that there are different levels of depression
and each organism reacts different to the disorder and the treatments. At very severe levels, people
can even get catatonic or, in the worst case, it may lead to suicide. I really cannot imagine their
suffering, less speak on their behalf.
I realised then that I had to define the scope of my study object. Hence, I created a Gauss-bell scheme
that illustrates to whom I am addressing and from which point of view am I speaking. On the left hand
side reside the worst possible audience (those who, even though they suffer from depression, do not
empathise with it). On the right hand side, the very severely depressed people.
In summary, I cannot speak for all depressed people but I can from the depression I am familiar with
(mine and others). At the same time, I believe that such a degree of obstinacy from those situated on
6
the left hand side is hopeless, thus I am addressing those who might reconsider their prejudice
towards depression.
In my previous Contextual Course Essay, Insights of Depression (2013), I widely described the
symptoms of this disorder but I did not set down a project proposal. Here, I do develop one, which
will be found under three major topics: The Research, which is the argument and justification of the
performance, The Development, specifically the project description, and The Implementation,
strategically planned in the context of Mexican culture.
I will put forward arguments that are testable for what I posit, but some rely only on my assumptions
and intuition, on what I firmly believe in due to my experience with depression, its stigma and the
positive results of sharing emotions.
7
Research
________________________________________________________________
Clinical depression: a brief description.
I use here the term ‘clinical’ to emphasize the nature of the illness of depression but ‘been depressed’
wouldn´t need this previous term to mean that it is “a clinically diagnosable condition, an illness with
recognisable symptoms1 [due to a] complex interaction of social, psychological and biological
factors”.2 Instead, it is usually misunderstood as just “sadness” (a common and non-disabled reaction
to a non pleasant event).
Depression is a complex and vicious cycle between chemistry imbalances in the brain (biological
factor), and a pessimistic or low mood personality (psychological factor) as well as external
social factors that can trigger or worsen both.
On the biological hand, there is a lack of production of serotonin in depression (a hormone that give
us the feeling of pleasure) and an increase in stress hormones such as glucocorticoids. These chemical
imbalances may occur due to genetics, diet, lifestyle, hormonal changes and social or psychological
stress; “Research shows that the hippocampus [a region of the limbic system] is smaller in some
1
Fielding, Helen, Why are we all so depressed? Feeling fed up with life, miserable, anxious, gloomy?
So is everyone else, The Independent, 2013. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-we-all-
so-depressed-feeling-fed-up-with-life-miserable-anxious-gloomy-so-is-everyone-else-helen-fielding-
reports-1613921.html
2
World Health Organization, 2012, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs369/en
8
depressed people”. 3 We are talking then, of an undeniable biological factor in depression. However,
the psychological and social factors are equally relevant.
If there is a genetic tendency to depression plus negative life experiences reinforce this, the person is
more vulnerable to fall into depression, specially after a traumatic episode. Even gender is a possible
condition for this, as women tend to ruminate bad feelings and have more hormonal changes than
men. All of these psychosocial and biological factors turn on stress-hormones, and if there is no outlet
for the frustration caused by this stress, the person might develop a pathological learning to feel
helplessness according to Dr. Sapolsky4.
There are many kinds of depression5 and the level of severity classifies them. Let us take for instance
minor and major depression. After some depressive episodes, a people can again fall into another and
more severe one, without it necessarily having been triggered by a social factor. This means, that he
already has a major depression with a dysfunctional chemistry with a tendency to get depressed.
However, whether someone falls into a minor or a major depression, both can result in a disabling
situation that hinders their daily lives and their recovery won´t depend just on their will.
3
Harvard Health Publications, What causes depression?,
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm
4
Sapolsky, Robert, Stanford´s University Lecture on Depression, 2009, min. 42:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOAgplgTxfc
5
“The ninth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) contains between nine and
thirteen different categories to which a depressive illness may now be allocated”. Rowe, Dorothy,
The Experience of Depression, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, New York-Brisbane-Toronto, 1978,
p. 4.
9
The Stigma around it
“The Stigma Shout survey from the UK program

Time to Change showed that almost nine out of ten people
with mental health problems (87%) reported the
negative impact of stigma and discrimination on their lives”.6
People that are not familiar with this disorder usually think that depressed people are just sad. As we
all have experienced this mood from time to time, we expect others to overcome it as we have done
so. But if they do not do this, based on our expectations, we label them as lazy, victims or
existentialists. This may be explained because the physical impairment of depression is not as visible
as other illnesses. For instance, a person who is depressed can constantly complain to his friend of
how ‘down’ he feels (and probably they will get tired of listening to him) but the latter do not see him
when he is alone at night, dealing with insomnia. It may seem that he is resting in his bed, but in
contrast to what people imagine, depressed people’s minds are constantly active with catastrophic
thoughts. Yet, he probably will have to get up early, he will be tired all day long and he will not be
able to perform effectively at work.
The negative impact of discrimination is that it makes the depressed people more disabled than
they are already due to their condition. Surprisingly, people who have been diagnosed with this
disorder ignore that their condition is a mix of biological and psychosocial factors. They usually do
not separate between their genetic tendency, their personality and socially external factors. To be
depressed then results in an auto-stigmatization; a confusion-cloud where they think their depression
is totally their fault. At the same time, they are reluctant to confess to others their condition because
they are afraid of people´s reaction and if this is negative, it is very likely that he will opt to withdraw
into himself more than he was already, which becomes in a double-stigmatization.
6
Time to Change, http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/what-are-mental-health-problems/stigma-
discrimination#stigmashout
10
Statistics -
Depression Worldwide
It is important to have a worldwide knowledge of the statistics of depression to compare with those of
Mexico. In this matter, the World Health Organization7 states:
1. Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally more than 350 million people of
all ages suffer from depression.
2. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the
global burden of disease.
3. More women are affected by depression than men.
4. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Suicide results in an estimated 1 million
deaths every year.
5. “It is estimated that by the year 2020, depression will be the second most common
cause of ill health and premature death worldwide”. 8
Demographically, the elderly are the most affected from this illness (approximately 1 in 5 older
people). 9 However, Bill Deakin, professor of Psychiatry at Manchester University, “…adds that it is
beginning to affect younger people and that more people are getting depressed now than in the past”.
7
World Health Organization, 2012, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs369/es/
8
Health Promotion Agency, http://www.depression.org.nz/depression
9
Mental Health Foundation, http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-
statistics/
11
10
According to the National Institute of Mental Health “more than a half of the world´s population
will have a depressive disorder at some point in their lifetimes”, [however], fewer than half of those
affected in the world (in some countries, fewer than 10%) receive treatments”. 11
Depression and levels of stress in Mexico
Later on, it will be seen that stress is highly related to depression. Hence, it is appropriate to explore
Mexico´s level of stress and rate of depression in order to contextualise my project.
“According to the World Health Organization, Mexico is ranked with the highest level of stress and
from the 75,000 strokes within a year, 25% are related to illnesses caused by fatigue and stress at
work. […] With three quarters of stressed Mexican workers, we overpass the records of China and
the United States”.12 Nonetheless, Mexico is also considered as one of the four countries that show
less prevalence in Major Depressive Episodes.13 We have arrived at a contradiction: Mexico is
ranked with the highest level of stress of all countries, yet it is one that shows less depression among
its population.
10
Watts, Geoff, Why do some people never get depressed?, BBC News Magazine, 2013,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16749565
11
Ross, Christine, The Aesthetics of Disengagement, Contemporary Art and Depression, Minnesota
Press, United States, 2006.
12
Universia, México, México es el país con más alto índice de estrés ,2013,
http://noticias.universia.net.mx/en-portada/noticia/2013/07/04/1034482/mexico-es-pais-mas-alto-
indice-estres.html
13
“On average, the estimated lifetime prevalence was higher in high-income (14.6%) than low- to middle-
income (11.1%) countries. Indeed, the four lowest lifetime prevalence estimates (< 10%) were in low- to
middle-income countries (India, Mexico, China, South Africa). Conversely, with the exception of Brazil, the
highest rates (> 18%) were in four high-income countries (France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the USA”.
Bromet, Evelyn, Cross-national epidemiology of DSM-IV major depressive episode, Biomedical
Central Medicine, 2011
12
Gotlib and Hammen14 might unravel this contradiction:
“Many epidemiological studies have found that prevalence rate of depression varies
considerably across national (and presumably, cultural) lines. […] It is possible that the different
prevalence rates that were found were due to the different methods of assessing depression rather
than to culture. […Others] have been attributed to cultural variation in the conception of mental
illness (with Western cultures viewing emotional problems as separate from physical complaints
more than Asian cultures), to differences in the amount of stigma attached to mental illness (with
Asian cultures stigmatizing emotional problems more than Western cultures), and to different
levels of available social and familiar support (with Asian participants having more social support
than their Western peers)”.
In conclusion, Mexico may show high levels of stress and depressed people but due to its culture,
people might prevent themselves from this illness as family (a great Mexican value) can result as an
important supporting network. On the other hand, it exists a great stigma towards those who are
depressed and this results on a very low use of mental services. Thus the statistics on Mexican
prevalence of depression may not reflect an accurate reality. 15 In fact, “no national data on lifetime
prevalence and risk factors for DSM–IV [Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental disorders IV
version] psychiatric disorders are available in Mexico”.16
14
Gotlib, Ian H., Hammen, Constance L., Handbook of depression, The Guilford Press, New York -
London, 2002, p. 472
15
“In spite of the important burden of disease that mental health problems represent, the last data
from the National Enquiry of Epidemiologic Psychiatry points that there is a low use of the services
[bound to this kind of disorders]”. Berenzon, Shoshana, Saavedra Solano, Nayelhi, Medina-Mora, Ma.
Elena, Sistema
de Salud Mental en México (IESM-OMS), México, 2011,
http://www.who.int/mental_health/who_aims_country_reports/who_aims_report_mexico_es.pdf
16
Medina, Borges, Benjet, Berglund, Psychiatric disorders in Mexico: lifetime prevalence in a
nationally representative sample, British Journal of Psychiatry,
13
Some statistics do show that:
1. “6.4% of Mexican population suffer from depression. The National Health Program
(2007-2012) describes that this disorder is the principal cause of damage generated by
health problems that does not lead to death among women, surpassing illnesses such as
diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart diseases. In men, depression occupies the ninth place.
It has also been demonstrated that depression is more disabling than other chronic
diseases such as arthritis, diabetes and hypertension”.17
2. “One out of five individuals will present at least a mental disorder in their lifetime. The
three metropolitan areas [Mexico, Guadalajara and Nuevo Leon] present the highest
prevalence of anxiety disorders (37%) [in which depression is allocated]”. 18
3. “While psychiatric disorders are common in the Mexican population, very severe mental
disorders are less common and there is an extreme under-utilization of mental health
services”.19
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/190/6/521.long
17
Heinze, Gerhard, Camacho, Pedro, Guía clínica para la atención de Trastornos Mentales, Instituto
Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Múñiz, México, 2010
18
Medina-Mora, Ma. Elena, Borges, Guilherme, Lara Muñoz Carmen, Benjet, Corina, Blanco,
Jaimes Jerónimo, Fleiz, Bautista, Villatoro Velázquez, Jorge Rojas Guiot, Estela, Zambrano Ruiz,
Joaquín, Casanova Rodas, Leticia, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Prevalencia de trastornos mentales y uso
de servicios, Red de Revistas Científicas de América Latina, el Caribe, España y Portugal, 2013,
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=58242601
19
Berenzon, Shoshana, Saavedra Solano, Nayelhi, Medina-Mora, Ma. Elena, Sistema de Salud
Mental en México (IESM-OMS), México, 2011,
14
4. “According to the Mental Health Program from the Faculty of Medicine at UNAM.
[National Autonomous University of Mexico] the depressive syndrome occupied the first
place among all the diagnosis, with a 48% average regarding the student population”.20
With reference to this last point, it might be difficult then to have a realistic overview on depression
rates in Mexico but it certainly face several stress factors that indicate us that possesses a high rate of
this illness.
A serious study of this made by The Legatum Prosperity Index proposes some indicators that relate to
lifestyles with mental health. This is a study of 142 countries that ranks them into the happiest or
saddest according to 8 indicators, such as stable political institutions, freedom of expression, good
education and healthcare, personal freedom and a feeling of being safe and secure. Mexico occupies
the 59th place of 142 in this index21. Compared to the other 142 countries, Mexico might appear not as
the best but not as the worst place to live, and this is probably true. Nonetheless, Mexico has deep
deficiencies in many of the indicators.
Poverty
20
Armienta, Saul Ruiz, Depression, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara,
http://genesis.uag.mx/posgrado/revistaelect/salud/sal003.htm
21
Legatum Institute, Legatum Prosperity Index, 2013, http://prosperity.com/#!/country/MEX)
15
A poverty measurement carried out by the National Council of Politic and Social Development
Evaluation22 between 2010 and 2012 states that 53.3 million people (48.4% of its population) live in
some kind of poverty.
Unemployment
While employment (ranked at 5.2%) seems not as bad compared with other countries like the UK with
7.2% or Greece and Spain with 27.2% and 25% accordingly, the ranking of Mexico takes into account
informal employment (without social security, benefits, and retirement pension) that may also feign a
‘good employment situation in Mexico’.
Salaries
Mexico occupies the lowest level regarding the minimum wage compared with the following
countries:
22
CONEVAL, http://www.coneval.gob.mx/medicion/Paginas/Medici%C3%B3n/Pobreza%202012/
Pobreza-2012.aspx
16
* http://infogr.am/salarios-minimos-en-el-mundo?src=web
Education
“Low education was significantly associated with MDE [Major Depressive Episodes] only in Israel,
the USA, Mexico and Ukraine”. 23 “Mexico occupies the last place on education level among the 37
countries members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This
latter also points that in Mexico, from 100 children only 62 will finish the primary school; 45 will
conclude the secondary school and 27 the high school. Only 13 will graduate from a bachelor degree
and only two or three will get to a master degree”. 24
23
Central Medicine, 2011, p. 5, http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-9-90.pdf
17
Delinquency and insecurity
Mexico has an average of 10,935 crimes for each 100,000 inhabitants.25 According to the OECD
Mexico is on top of the crime and insecurity comparative among the 36 countries members of this
organization. 26
Although happiness or levels of satisfaction can be very subjective and ‘been unhappy’ doesn´t
necessarily mean to be depressed, they do reflect part of the society´s well being and its vulnerability
to mental health disorders.
Common places between depressed and non-depressed people
The following topics comprise three major things that I believe depressed and non-depressed people
share in common.
1) Stress: a risk for falling into depression
24
Al momento Noticias, México último lugar en nivel educativo: OCDE, Gobierno del Distrito
Federal, 2013, http://www.almomento.mx/mexico-ultimo-lugar-en-nivel-educativo-ocde/
25
INEGI (National Institute of Statistic and Geography), Tasa de incidencia del delito e inseguridad
por cada 100,000 habitantes 2009, National Insecurity Survey (INEGI), 2009, Mexico.
http://www3.inegi.org.mx/sistemas/tabuladosbasicos/default.aspx?c=26738&s=est
26
Morales, Yolanda, Mexico a la cabeza en inseguridad y violencia, El Economista, 2013,
http://eleconomista.com.mx/finanzas-publicas/2013/11/05/mexico-cabeza-inseguridad-violencia
18
Dr. Robert Sapolsky finds that stress is what really triggers depression27. Whether you own a genetic
tendency and/or a pessimistic psychology, it is always a stressful social event that triggers the first
depressive episode. When we over-produce stress (specially, high levels as in cosmopolitan cities) it
can degenerate into affections such as diabetes, colitis, hypertension and other illnesses, and in this
case, psychological pathologies. In contrast, a study among the Kaluli tribe from Papua New Guinea
conducted by the anthropologist Edward Schieffeling (1847-1947) shows that living in a more natural
environment prevents people getting depressed:
“ He interviewed over 2,000 men, women and children regarding their experience of
grief and depression and found only one person who even came close to meeting the
diagnostic criteria for depression. Dr. Ilardi, author of The depression Cure, 2009
feels the answer is very clear: -The more modern a society’s way of life is, the
higher the rate of depression. The human body was never designed for the modern
post-industrial environment. He contends that our bodies have always been designed
for a more rigorous lifestyle where physical exercise, diet and even sunlight
exposure helped maintain a positive mood. Yet, today we spend more time sitting,
eating processed food and living under fluorescent lighting. To summarize, the
evidence is showing that the epidemic of depression can be explained by changes in
the way we live”. 28
Dr. Stephen Ilardi argues that our lifestyle is the principal cause for depression. He posits a
Therapeutical Lifestyle Change (TLC) 29 to avoid falling into depression such as diet, exercise, healthy
27
Sapolsky, Robert, Stanford´s University Lecture on Depression, 2009, min. 45:20
28
Lykes, Diane E., Principal of Synergy Counselling Associates in Alban,
http://www.crlmag.com/articleDetail.cfm?id=245
29
Ilardi, Stephen, Depression is a disease of civilization, Tedxtalk, 2013, min. 10:32
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv3BP0Fdi8
19
sleep, sunlight, anti-ruminating activity and social connection. In the next topic, I focus on this social
connection, specifically on human emotion communication.
Stress can lead anyone to a minor or a major depression (depending on their genetics) simply because
it evolves on psychological and physical complications that are very difficult to work out among all
the demands of the present life.
2) The culture of Emotion-Inhibition –
“Society has closed up so that people feel themselves to be

individuals rather than part of a group. It's a loss of an
emotional network, people for you to care about and to care
about you. We are a much more isolated and lonely society
than we were 50 years ago.”
- Simon Armson, the Samaritans' chief executive - 30
Aside from stress, I find that depressed and non-depressed people silence their most major personal
problems. The first ones, probably because they are afraid of being discriminated, but also, and as for
the second ones, because we have learned to hide our emotions based on the culture we live in.
In this respect, Pennebaker says that:
30
Lorna Martin, The depression epidemic: We've got more freedom, wealth and opportunity... so why
are so many women unhappy?, Main Online, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-
1270763/The-depression-epidemic-Weve-got-freedom-wealth-opportunity--women-
unhappy.html#ixzz2mw2EB1Cp
20
“ [We are living in] the age of inhibition” “…where although we know that talking
about our problems can be good for us, …we also know that we should put on a
happy face and look at everything in a positive light. We also know that whining
and complaining about our problems will get us nowhere”.31 -“[We] feel ashamed
about having psychological problems because [we] believe--wrongly-- that no one
else like [us] is having those problems. People like [us]--strong, smart, successful
people—do not have psychological problems. Only weak, limited, inept people
do-. Although silence may serve as an extended form of communication which can
contain a great spectrum of emotions that speech wouldn´t be able to describe, it
is not always healthy to remain in silence when this is synonymous of stress”. 32“
Over time, the work of inhibition serves as an accumulative stressor on the body,
increasing the probability of illness and other stress-related physical and
psychological problems”. 33
3) The difficulty of solving problems: another stressor
As Dr. Sapolsky points out, we need an outlet for the frustration caused by stress. Hiding our
emotions contributes to this frustration, but how can we share them if we are not even conscious of
them?
31
Pennebaker, James W., Opening up, The healing power of Expressing Emotions, The Guildford
press, New york, 1990, p. 11, 12.
32
Leibow, David, The Shame About Shame, The College Shrink, 2011,
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-college-shrink/201101/the-shame-about-shame
33
press, New york, 1990, p. 9.
21
It is not easy to self-reflect nowadays. This is basically because there is no time and energy to even
listen to our emotions or be conscious of our problems, less to solve them. Therefore, ancient traumas
(i.e. from childhood), and recent psychological and social problems accumulate.
Having enough time can be very subjective and depends on how people manage it. However, it is
undeniable that in Mexico City, work and transportation take a lot of time from us. In private
companies, working hours have increased from 10 to more (depending on the workload).
“Over 20 million people live in the metropolitan zone of Mexico City. [They spent
an average of between 1 to 1.5 hours a day on transportation]. 11 million of them
inhabit the State of Mexico [a zone that surrounds the capital and from which
people spend from 3 to 4 hours a day to get to their work and home]. In June 2010,
the IBM Commuter Pain Survey revealed that traffic negatively affects 56% of
work performance in people that live in Mexico City. On a scale from 1 to 100,
where 1 is the lowest level of traffic and 100 is the highest, Mexico and Beijing got
99%”. 34
People are getting home approximately between 8 and 9 pm and have to deal with family and/or home
stuff. It is not surprising they end up with very low energy for even wanting to think on how to solve
their problems. No wonder why some stultifying entertainment such as TV or social networks are in
order! Two solutions are very obvious to me: decreasing working hours, and finding a way to reduce
traffic. Yet, since these solutions are not in my hands, what I propose is emotion-sharing as one way
of venting stress.
34
CNN México, La disputa por el Estado de México, 2011,

http://mexico.cnn.com/nacional/2011/04/08/8-de-cada-10-personas-que-salen-del-df-se-van-a-vivir-
al-estado-de-mexico
22
The advantages of sharing emotions
Communicating our emotions to others can bring very positive advantages:
1. The simple act of exteriorising emotions/problems prevents people from accumulating stress.
It works as a relief; just like crying. We must remember we are social beings and we are not
meant to be isolated, neither physically nor spiritually.
2. Verbalising our emotions/problems can lead us to be conscious of them and ease their
solution.
3. Talking to people is a way of finding out that others think like us: an excellent way to feel we
are not alone in this world.
Since as far back as I can recall, I am a person who digs into others’ feelings. My method consists in
sharing my emotions and problems. Some people react at the beginning with suspicion but, over time,
they learn to trust me and finally share theirs. Similarly, the method of my performance is informative
but at the same time confessional and sincere in order to achieve the above advantage number 3.
Put yourself together!!! in the other´s shoes!!!
Not everything in my performance is meant to have this sense of ‘digging into others’ emotions in a
light and non-threatening way’. What I am about to discuss may seem a little bit aggressive:
23
When people discriminate against us (depressed people) they usually imply – ‘Get over it!’ – as if it is
something we could do magically. Consciously or unconsciously, they are asking us –to make a
titanic effort to get out of our stupid depression! –35 I would argue back – Fine. I´ll do that when you
solve the problems you are always complaining about –. They would probably say that they have no
time, no energy (or even, that they do not have problems). I would then answer – Well, make a titanic
effort! Be your own boss and don´t work in that company, buy a helicopter to avoid traffic, do not
play with your children after work, do not watch TV and then you´ll find more time and energy! –.
I know it sounds really stupid but this is what they are actually asking us to do: something far beyond
our physical capacity, at least in the time they expect us to do it. It is as absurd as asking someone that
has not eaten for several days to run a race. He simply has not the physical energy to move. As
depressed people, we have no physical energy or clarity to think properly. Getting over a depression
can take years (maybe a lifetime) and the existing treatments do not offer a cure, but only control
actions.
35
Of course, this is just my interpretation, yet is very valid as all the discriminating phrases that
depressed people have experienced and share found in blogs such as:
* Green, Charlotte, The 10 Stupidest Things You Can Say To A Depressed Person, Thought
Catalogue, 2013, http://thoughtcatalog.com/charlotte-green/2013/09/the-10-stupidest-things-you-can-
say-to-a-depressed-person/
* Deborah, Worst Things to Say to Someone Who’s Depressed, Wind of madness: depression mind,
2010, http://www.wingofmadness.com/worst-things-to-say-to-someone-whos-depressed
* Yahoo Answers, Stupid things people say to you when you're depressed?,
http://mx.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130609120856AAUqD1i
24
Summary
I have found that more similarities than differences exist between depressed and non-depressed
people. Although, the genetic predisposition to depression can be an important difference compared
to those who aren´t depressed, the scheme below shows that they share common psychosocial
stressors due mostly to psychosocial causes.
Stress Emotion-inhibition Difficulty of = Can

causes + causes + solving lead to
problems
causes
Severe
Neurological Neurological depression
caused by
Depressed & Psychosocial depression or
and social
Psychosocial stress suicide
Non- Neurological
depressed Psychosocial Psychosocial caused by Depression
social stress
25
Development
________________________________________________________________
The project
As previously pointed out, the principal aim of my piece is to inform and generate empathy. It is a
theatre-based performance (1 hour approximately) that includes an open talk session with the
audience about the topic and the effectiveness of the performance for further adjustments.
The key element of the performance is a carefully written text in the form of a narration in colloquial
language that will provide information and statistics about depression. Along with this narration,
artistic media such as Video, Lighting, Music and Robots will illustrate this text imbuing the
performance with graphic metaphors. There is also a character present (who is a depressed person)
who will lie on a bed almost until the end, and from which he/she will get up and directly face the
audience in complete silence trying to make an eye-emotion connection with them.
Why theatre-based?
Though my piece is not a ‘conventional play’ (with characters or dialogues) but rather a
multidisciplinary performance, it is in theatre where I have experienced the kind of empathy I want to
achieve. For me, the wise interaction between elements such as music, text, video, lighting and acting
26
can reach beyond reasoning and promote mutual understanding through a deeper emotional
experience. I aim for an indoor theatre because ‘obscurity’ is also an important element for my piece.
Who will be recruited?
The whole ideology of the performance plus the direction and production of the performance relies on
me. However, I would have to cast an actor or actress who would have a strong personality on stage.
There are also some technicians who I would have to hire such as:
1. A Lighting operator
2. Ushers (2)
3. A Robot designer and manufacturer
Regarding the latter, Hugo Carmona is an aeronautic engineer and an industrial mechanic who will
help with the robots. The other positions haven´t been filled yet.
What methods will be used to achieve the performance aims?
I looked at other performances on mental health for inspiration such as Julie McNamara´s and Bobby
Baker´s performances. However, I did not feel a real connection with them. I come mainly from a
background in music. I have only recently approached the performance world and have not attended
enough performances in order to reference a similar work to mine. To be completely honest, I have
not even had much interest in looking at others’ theatre works.
27
My ideology is very similar to what Slava Polunin36 writes:
“The most important thing is to understand what I want to say. As soon as I understand it, it takes a
certain form. […] You´ve just got to learn to have a free mind in order to think only of what you
want to say, and not how to show it. […] Now, there´s no difference for me between ‘what to do’
and ‘how to say’; it turns it on by itself. Of course, I do analyse something, but I try to do this as late
as possible. […] When you´re trying to do it ‘scientifically’, you produce carrion. […] So the
more anarchy, freedom, intuition are there, the better, not forgetting though, about consideration.”
If I chose a colloquial, but soulful, text in the form of a narration, it is probably because I wanted it to
be accessible and touching. If I chose Video in the form of –children drawings- it was for the same
reason. The actor is a melancholic presence whereby life passes in front of him without noticing. The
robots represent this life and are also an entertaining devise to get a dynamic performance.
Regarding my support team, I will provide them with this document and the script beforehand for all
to read. After that, I will lead two or three sessions to discuss our points of view.
36
Polunin, Slava, Kazmina, Natalia, A monologue of the Clown or a Pie of ten layers, Julie Delvaux,
http://es.scribd.com/doc/106971542/Slava-Polunin-A-Monologue-of-the-Clown#download
28
Who is the intended audience?
It is essential to address people that suffer and do not suffer from depression (from young to elder).
Hence, health institutions such as psychiatric hospitals, health centres and asylums are targets.
However, any kind of venue will be suitable, for another of the performance’s aims is to reach people
who might be uninformed or who have a relationship with this illness.
The performance could work within school systems, because the performance is intended to be
accessible and entertaining but, for now, I cannot guarantee this until I have written the script and I
am sure it will be intellectually understandable to children.
29
Implementation
________________________________________________________________
Who are the specific institutions I am approaching for support?
Health centres and Institutions
- National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Múñiz

- Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS)
- Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE)
- Psychiatric Hospital Fray Bernardino
- La Luz al Ocaso asylum, Queretaro, México.
Organizations that fight against discrimination
- CONAPRED. Council for prevention and elimination of discrimination

- INDEPEDI. Institute for the integration and development of disabled people in Mexico City
Academic institutions
- RADIO-UNAM
- MUAC, Academic Museum of Contemporary Art (UNAM)
Art Festivals
- IKUS International Festival 2014 (from 22 – 24 October 2014, Mexico City)
For financial support specifically
- FONCA/CONACULTA scholarship grants with £ 5,119.2 in a year and with the first
payment due in October 2014.
- CONECTA, Business Incubator grants with £ 2,000
Finance
30
The following is the first financial draft taking into account the minimum amount of money that some
business incubators are offering.
CONCEPT
Materials robots £ 730

cables £ 15
props £ 25
bed £ 75
SUBTOTAL £ 845
Lead artist salary
Research/Original Idea £350

Script making £ 50
Course taken for robot £ 100
manufacture
Props manufacturing £ 50
Audio and Video Design £ 75
Marketing:
£ 50
£ 20
Direction £ 250
SUBTOTAL £ 945
artist/ushers salaries
robot manufacture person £ 100

lighting operator £ 30 per day
performer £ 60 per day
ushers £ 17 each per day
SUBTOTAL £ 207
TOTAL £ 1997
I am aware that I will need more money for ushers/artist salaries for each performance. Perhaps some
donations could be requested at each performance for this. If I am granted the Fonca/Conaculta
scholarship, part of the money will be used to hire an agent to promote the performance.
Work plan
31
The work plan covers seven months. This means that the main performance season is intended for
October 2014. After this date, the tracing of the project will be found later on in this document. The
scheduling of the work is as follows:
Marketing
There are two strategies for this: Marketing on my own, and with the support of the
institutions/organizations. Some of the latter may provide programs, flyers and web marketing for the
event. As for me, I will run a blog that will allow people to discuss the subject and get free
notifications through email on the coming event. I also intend to create promotional videos/ads to post
on the web prior to the performance.
Accessibility
32
All of the venues will have to be equipped with appropriate installations for disabled people such as
ramps and nearby bathrooms, at the least. Regarding asylums or psychiatric hospitals, they will have
to provide health carers or relatives to assist the patients before, during and after the performance.
Evaluation & Monitoring
There is a first evaluation of the performance due in June 2014. Feedback between the crew and the
audience will monitor the clarity of the information and the effectiveness of the artistic media. It is
also intended to be a confessional-room for people to say what their personal opinion is about
depression (an illness or not an illness?) and/or their experience with it. The talk will be recorded for
performance-adjustment-purposes due in July 2014.
Tracing
All of the performances will be documented for further applications:
- The Radio UNAM institution and its venue support is an option for presenting the
performance in February 2015. The project has already been sent to them.
- Further applications for other scholarships from Fonca/Conaculta represent a major financial
support after the performance has already been launched and/or invited to participate in an
International Festival.
Conclusions
________________________________________________________________
33
Depression is a disabling illness that can affect any kind of person. Although genetics can definitely
signify the difference between someone moderately depressed and someone severely depressed,
psychosocial factors such as stress accumulation still remains as the main cause of triggering or
worsening depression. Mexico is considered a country with high levels of stress due to several factors.
It is also a quite uninformed society with regards to the real nature of depression, the realistic amount
of people that cope with it and the treatment alternatives. Hence, it tends to discriminate, exclude,
miss-diagnose and miss-quantify those people who suffer from it.
I believe there is no real understanding unless we put ourselves in the other person´s shoes on an
emotional level. In this pursuit of empathy, my project consists of providing information, but also
reaching beyond the data and affecting people emotionally (sometimes poignantly and sometimes
aggressively). These three ways are conceived as an experiment that will be tested throughout the
performances and the evaluation talks.
I am also conscious of my limitations. As an artist, I have no experience in negotiations or how to sell
my product. Thus, I will seek help through a business incubator that will guide me in the pursuit of
interested parties and provide me with financial resources.
Bibliography
____________________________________________________________
Armienta, Saul Ruiz, Depresión, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara,
http://genesis.uag.mx/posgrado/revistaelect/salud/sal003.htm
34
Berenzon, Shoshana, Saavedra Solano, Nayelhi, Medina-Mora, Ma. Elena, Sistema de Salud
Mental en México (IESM-OMS), México, 2011,

Central Medicine, 2011, p. 5, http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-9-90.pdf
CNN Expansion, México, el país con más estrés laboral, 2013,

http://www.cnnexpansion.com/economia/2013/07/02/mexico-el-pais-con-mas-estres-laboral
CNN México, La disputa por el Estado de México, 2011,

http://mexico.cnn.com/nacional/2011/04/08/8-de-cada-10-personas-que-salen-del-df-se-van-a-vivir-
al-estado-de-mexico
CONEVAL, Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social, 2014

http://www.coneval.gob.mx/medicion/Paginas/Medici%C3%B3n/Pobreza%202012/Pobreza-
2012.aspx
CONAPRED, Consejo Nacional para prevenir la discriminación, Mexico City,

http://www.copred.df.gob.mx/index.jsp
El Universal, México, País con más estrés laboral, 2013,

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/ciencia/2013/mexico-pais-mas-estres-laboral-78744.html
Fielding, Helen, Why are we all so depressed? Feeling fed up with life, miserable, anxious, gloomy?
So is everyone else, The Independent, 2013, http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-we-all-
so-depressed-feeling-fed-up-with-life-miserable-anxious-gloomy-so-is-everyone-else-helen-fielding-
reports-1613921.html
Gotlib, Ian H., Hammen, Constance L., Handbook of depression, The Guilford Press, New York -
London, 2002, p. 472
Green, Charlotte, The 10 Stupidest Things You Can Say To A Depressed Person, Thought Catalogue,
2013, http://thoughtcatalog.com/charlotte-green/2013/09/the-10-stupidest-things-you-can-say-to-a-
depressed-person/
Harvard Health Publications, What causes depression?,

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm
Heinze, Gerhard, Camacho, Pedro, Guía clínica para la atención de Trastornos Mentales, Instituto
Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Múñiz, México, 2010.
Health Promotion Agency, New Zealand, http://www.depression.org.nz/depression
Ilardi, Stephen, Depression is a disease of civilization, Tedxtalk, 2013,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv3BP0Fdi8
INDEPEDI, Institute for the integration and development of disabled people in Mexico City,
http://www.indepedi.df.gob.mx/index.jsp
INEGI (National Institute of Statistic and Geography), Tasa de incidencia de delitos por cada
100,000 habitantes 2009, National Insecurity Survey (INEGI), 2009, Mexico.
http://www3.inegi.org.mx/sistemas/tabuladosbasicos/default.aspx?c=26738&s=est
35
Legatum Institute, Legatum Prosperity Index, 2013, http://prosperity.com/#!/country/MEX)
Leibow, David, The Shame About Shame, The College Shrink, 2011,
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-college-shrink/201101/the-shame-about-shame
Lykes, Diane E., Principal of Synergy Counselling Associates in Alban,

http://www.crlmag.com/articleDetail.cfm?id=245
Lorna Martin, The depression epidemic: We've got more freedom, wealth and opportunity... so why
are so many women unhappy?, Main Online, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-
1270763/The-depression-epidemic-Weve-got-freedom-wealth-opportunity--women-
unhappy.html#ixzz2mw2EB1Cp
Medina, Borges, Benjet, Berglund, Psychiatric disorders in Mexico: lifetime prevalence in a

nationally representative sample, British Journal of Psychiatry,
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/190/6/521.long
Medina-Mora, Ma. Elena, Borges, Guilherme, Lara Muñoz Carmen, Benjet, Corina, Blanco,
Jaimes Jerónimo, Fleiz, Bautista, Villatoro Velázquez, Jorge Rojas Guiot, Estela, Zambrano
Ruiz, Joaquín, Casanova Rodas, Leticia, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio.
* Prevalencia de trastornos mentales y uso de servicios, Red de Revistas Científicas de América

Latina, el Caribe, España y Portugal, 2013, http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=58242601
* Prevalence, service use, and demographic correlates of 12-month DSM-IV psychiatric

disorders in Mexico, (Mexican National Comorbidity Survey), Cambridge University Press, 2005,
http://inprf.bidigital.com:8080/bitstream/123456789/1197/1/PsycholMed2005%3B35%2812%291773
-1783.pdf
Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health and Statistics, http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-

information/mental-health-statistics/
Morales, Yolanda, Mexico a la cabeza en inseguridad y violencia, El Economista, 2013,

http://eleconomista.com.mx/finanzas-publicas/2013/11/05/mexico-cabeza-inseguridad-violencia
press, New york, 1990.
Polunin, Slava, Kazmina, Natalia, A monologue of the Clown or a Pie of ten layers, Julie Delvaux,
http://es.scribd.com/doc/106971542/Slava-Polunin-A-Monologue-of-the-Clown#download).
Ross, Christine, The Aesthetics of Disengagement, Contemporary Art and Depression, Minnesota
Press, United States, 2006.
Rowe, Dorothy, The Experience of Depression, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, New York-Brisbane-
Toronto, 1978.
Ruiz, Leonardo, Psychiatrist at the National Institute of Psychiatry Juan Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz,
Interviewed on January 2014.
Sapolsky, Robert, Stanford´s University Lecture on Depression, 2009,

Time to Change, http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/what-are-mental-health-problems/stigma-

discrimination#stigmashout
36
Universia México, México es el país con más alto índice de estrés, 2013,
http://noticias.universia.net.mx/en-portada/noticia/2013/07/04/1034482/mexico-es-pais-mas-alto-
indice-estres.html
Yahoo Answers, Stupid things people say to you when you´re depressed?,
https://mx.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130609120856AAUqD1i
Watts, Geoff, Why do some people never get depressed?, BBC News Magazine, 2013,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16749565
Further reading list

____________________________________________________________
Baker, Bobby,
* A model family, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzUseHVro3A,
* Put yourself together Haarlem!, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnU6pBiuGMM
Baker, Bobbly, Panel, Sick, Access all areas, http://vimeo.com/76056222
BBC, The Truth about Depression, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5YubjEqbZ8
Black Dog Institute, Stress, Sydney Australia, 2013,

http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/depression/causesofdepression/stress.cfm
Breel, Kevin, Confessions of a depressed comic, Tedxtalk, 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

Qe8cR4Jl10
Breen, Zoe, 13 Questions: Artist Bobby Baker, Ouch!, 2013,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/interviews/13_questions_artist_bobby_baker.shtml
CONOSAMI, National Council of Minimum Salary,

http://www.conasami.gob.mx/pdf/salario_minimo/sal_min_gral_prom.pdf
Coxon, Rebecca, Mental Health Heroes - Bobby Baker, Mental Healthy,

http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/personality-disorders/personality-disorders/mental-health-heroes-
bobby-baker.html
Dayton, Tina, Emotion Sobriety, from relationship trauma to resilience and balance, Health
Communications Inc., 2007, United States, p. 37
Deborah, Worst Things to Say to Someone Who’s Depressed, Wind of madness: depression mind,
2010,
http://www.wingofmadness.com/worst-things-to-say-to-someone-whos-depressed
Felluga, Dino, Modules on Marx: On Capital, Introductory Guide to Critical Theory.

http://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/marxism/modules/marxcapitalism.html
37
Forbes, The Happiest and Saddest Countries in the World, 2013,

http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2013/01/09/the-worlds-happiest-and-saddest-
countries-2/
Illinios Department of Public Health, Facts about depression,

http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/factsheets/dep.htm
Insel Thomas, Toward a new understanding of mental illness, Tedxtalk, 2013,

http://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_insel_toward_a_new_understanding_of_mental_illness
Laplante, Logan, Hackschooling makes me happy, Tedxtalk, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=h11u3vtcpaY#t=24
Montero Mejía, Alvaro, El Capitalismo Salvaje de nuestros días, El país.cr, 2013,

http://www.elpais.cr/frontend/noticia_detalle/3/79217
Mulgan, Geoff, The Locust and the Bee, predators and creators in capitalism´s future, Princeton
University Press, New Jersey – United Kingdom, 2013.
NHS, Clinical Depression, http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Introduction.aspx
OECD, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,

http://www.oecd.org/economy/mexicoeconomicforecastsummary.htm
Philips-Hing, Martin, Why men don’t talk about their emotions or attend therapy…, Abbotsford
Today Magazine, 2008, http://www.psychologist1.com/why-men-don%E2%80%99t-talk-about-their-
emotions/
Solomon, Andrew,
* Depression, a secret we share, Tedxtalk, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

eBUcBfkVCo
* Depression, Too, is a Thing with Feathers, 2008, http://andrewsolomon.com/articles/depression-

too-is-a-thing-with-feathers/
* Our Great Depression, 2006, http://andrewsolomon.com/articles/our-great-depression/
Torralba Roselló, Francesc, La gestión de los sentimientos, USTEC-STE,

http://www.sindicat.net/n.php?n=11071
Tsai, Jeanne L., Knutson, Brian, Fung, Helene H., Personality Processes and Individual
Differences, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by the American Psychological
Association, Vol. 90, No. 2, 288–307, p. 288-289.
Valderrama, Toby, Capitalismo Ingenuo versus Capitalismo Salvaje: Revolución o Muerte, 2013,
http://www.revolucionomuerte.org/index.php/editoriales-audio/2014-capitalismo-ingenuo-versus-
capitalismo-salvaje
Warren, Emily, The myth of self-discovery, Tedxtalk, Clearmont College, 2012,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Xw76SsHOM
38
* I had a black dog, his name was depression, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=XiCrniLQGYc
39

Put Yourself Together in The Other Shoes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Put Yourself Together in The Other Shoes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Put Yourself Together in The Other Shoes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

PUT YOURSELF TOGETHER !!! IN THE OTHER´S SHOES !!!

Clinical Depression: a brief description 9

The Stigma around it 11

Mexico: Level of Stress and Depression 13

Common places between depressed and non-depressed people- 19

1) Stress: a risk for falling under Depression 19

2) The culture of Emotion-Inhibition 20

3) Difficulty of solving problems: another stressor 21

The advantages of sharing emotions 22

Put yourself together!!! in the other´s shoes!!! 23

Who will be recruited? 27

What methods will be used to achieve the performance aims? 27

Who is the intended audience? 29

Who are the specific institutions I am approaching for support? 30

Evaluation & Monitoring 33

Further reading list_____________________________________________________ 37

changes in history, like women´s rights, and I feel hopeful.

suffering, less speak on their behalf.

strategically planned in the context of Mexican culture.

positive results of sharing emotions.

Clinical depression: a brief description.

recognisable symptoms1 [due to a] complex interaction of social, psychological and biological

to a non pleasant event).

social factors that can trigger or worsen both.

the psychological and social factors are equally relevant.

helplessness according to Dr. Sapolsky4.

The Stigma around it

“The Stigma Shout survey from the UK program

able to perform effectively at work.

into himself more than he was already, which becomes in a double-stigmatization.

Mexico. In this matter, the World Health Organization7 states:

all ages suffer from depression.

2. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the

global burden of disease.

3. More women are affected by depression than men.

deaths every year.

cause of ill health and premature death worldwide”. 8

Depression and levels of stress in Mexico

Mexico´s level of stress and rate of depression in order to contextualise my project.

less prevalence in Major Depressive Episodes.13 We have arrived at a contradiction: Mexico is

Gotlib and Hammen14 might unravel this contradiction:

than their Western peers)”.

version] psychiatric disorders are available in Mexico”.16

Some statistics do show that:

diseases such as arthritis, diabetes and hypertension”.17

prevalence of anxiety disorders (37%) [in which depression is allocated]”. 18

deficiencies in many of the indicators.

some kind of poverty.

‘good employment situation in Mexico’.

and only two or three will get to a master degree”. 24

Delinquency and insecurity

to mental health disorders.

Common places between depressed and non-depressed people

1) Stress: a risk for falling into depression

environment prevents people getting depressed:

evidence is showing that the epidemic of depression can be explained by changes in

the way we live”. 28

connection, specifically on human emotion communication.