Depression is a common but serious medical condition that not only negatively impacts the individual, but the people around them as well. It is brought about by factors including genetics, substance abuse, and other psychological facets. However, the most common factor in regards to depression is social isolation in which the individual is starved for companionship and emotional support. Even though the family may be present, the desire for third party acceptance is always there. In some cases with certain individuals having friends or a certain amount of friends helps reassure them of the fact that they are accepted and included by their peers or colleagues. This is more likely in a scenario where the individual has low self-esteem and is extremely insecure about his or her social skills and can draw comfort from numbers. In this case if the individual were to have a smaller number of friends, with everyone else around them having large groups and enjoying social scenarios, slowly and gradually they are likely to get more mellow and depressive. However this form of depression doesn't tend to be serious or fatal unless there is gene for depression present, if the individual is chronically depressed or has a substance abuse problem. Social depression added to any of these scenarios can trigger a more harmful or fatal form of depression. If we were to deny that the number of friends has no part in causing depression, then we have to consider why people with medium to large groups of friends tend to be more involved with society, considerably happier and successful? Although people with friends have also been known to go into depression after incurring a
RUNNING HEAD: HOW DOES THE NUMBER OF FRIENDS ONE HAS AFFECT THE 4 LIKELIHOOD OF DEPRESSION
Sudden life-altering event or if they have tendencies based on genetics or substance abuse.
Friendship is thought to