Mental Health Margaret Atwood Analysis

Words: 586
Pages: 3

Is anyone listening? Despite the ongoing conversation on mental health, far too many people still weep alone, writes Margaret Atwood Although depression may strike only at one person in a family, it can still create a large impact on the whole family. The impact may be caused by the topic itself. It’s so intangible that it makes it particularly hard for friends and family who cannot see or feel the force behind the suffering to start the conversation. Depression doesn’t just affect the mind, it also affects the physical body. It impedes a person’s ability to work and function.

Starting the conversation can be hard if people have no idea what depression really even is. Why is the word such an uncomfortable one when this issue occurs in everyday life and is quite common? There are many novels that examine the issue of depression. However,
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However, it affects everyday life in many ways. For example, Mia was in charge of the laundry but when she was afflicted with depression, the children often found they had no clothes to wear. Despite Mia feeling unwell, she still wanted to help but, “Luca [didn’t] have any school shirts and Daddy [didn’t] know how to use the washing machine.” Even making breakfast was a chore. The father was forced to cook breakfast and he made the mistake of cooking eggs which the kids dislike, but they did not have the heart to tell him. “The place [was] beginning to look like a pigsty [because her] dad [wasn’t] the tidiest cook and there [were] plates and frying pans all over the place.” This is another example of how depression can impact families on a large scale. These things may seem small to anyone but these are the little things that will have a significant impact on the family. Another way depression derails the family dynamics is the irritability expressed by the individual which sets off conflicts. Negative thought patterns also creates a prism of pessimism for