Podcast: Does An Unequal Society Breed Depression And Anxiety?

The deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain in quick succession – both were reportedly battling depression – have brought the issue of mental illness and its causes and effects such as depression and suicide into public discussion again. Mental health is a topic that sorely needs debating worldwide – and if celebrity deaths have prompted it, so be it.

In this context, this podcast on whether social and economic inequality is the primary contributor to our increased stress levels, anxiety and mental illnesses, is timely.

The podcast discusses the age-old belief that money cannot buy happiness. Or can it? Will a bigger holiday, a greater bank balance and a larger car make us all happier? If no, why not though? A growing body of research is finding that not wealth per se but how it is distributed is a major trigger of our happiness (or the lack of it).

Professors Wilkinson and Pickett, who argue in their book ‘The Inner Level’ that wealth inequality causes a range of problems, from obesity to mental illness to stress, say the psychological effects of inequality ensure that we measure our inner worth in relation to our wealth and social status. The more unequal the society, the more people feel stressed about how they are judged. Not only that, inequality encourages ‘conspicuous consumption’; that is, if you live in a more unequal area, you are more likely to splurge on status goods. And if you cannot, there is an instant drop in self-esteem and confidence. The psychologists call this the ‘social evaluative threat’, where all social contact becomes increasingly stressful.

Curiously, it is a good community life and quality social interactions that have again and again shown up as factors responsible for better health and happiness. But with inequalities consuming our brains, houses (and hearts) get barricaded, antagonisms (like the sort against immigrants) rise as does ghettoization.

Understanding this is just the first step in moving towards a more equal society.