Many works of literature often emphasize certain social issues that are common in today’s society. Social issues are prevalent in a widespread of countries and are at times universal. A social issue can be defined as a condition that is considered undesirable to some individuals within a society (McDowell Class Notes, 2014). Some examples of social issues include; crime, poverty, gang violence, and more. In Elizabeth Wurtzel’s novel Prozac Nation, the social issue of depression is emphasized through her own experiences. Prozac Nation is a powerful and witty novel that divulges into the truths of depression. The novel centres on Wurtzel’s journey with depression from the age of 11 to her senior year in Harvard. Growing up, she explains how her parents’ divorce and overall family dynamics contributed to her poor mental health. This is further exemplified when she begins attending Harvard. She reveals her experiences with countless therapists…show more content… Depression can be classified as not only a health issue but a social issue thus categorizing it under the social science of sociology. The issues discussed in the novel, Prozac Nation, can be explored through Labelling Theory. Labelling Theory is a theory that deals with how labels influence self identity and the behaviour of individuals (McDowell Class Notes, 2014). Sociologist Howard Becker developed this theory in the 1960s. Becker specifically examined the concept that people who are labelled “criminals” will accept this label as a personal identity and partake in behaviour deemed criminal (Moffitt, 2014). Similarly, those who are labelled “depressed” suffer from the stigma of depression. A stigma means a characteristic or mark of shame and disgrace (McDowell Class Notes, 2014). The stigma of depression is different from that of other mental illnesses because of the negative nature associated with the illness that makes depressives seem weak