Some Very Shocking Statistics on Depression

The effects of depression on a person or a family are enormous. Depression not only affects a specific individual, it can have a long-lasting impact that can cause emotional scars to loved ones, and even to society. The problem of depression is indeed compelling. Here are some statistics to support this fact.

Every year, around 19 million people in America the mental condition that can be subsumed under the general category of 'depressive disorders.' Some of these conditions are dysthymia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. In societies that have experienced the effect of industrialization, experts estimate that around 10 to 15 percent of their adult population can be diagnosed as depressed. Among American people who are 15 to 44 years of age, depression is one of the leading causes of disability. All over the world, it is one of the leading causes of disability for people who are aged 5 and above.

The symptoms of a major depressive disorder can appear at any age, but the median age when these symptoms occur is 32. More recent studies have found that as much as 4 percent of children who are in pre-school age already have clinical depression. Another study showed more alarming results: every year, the number of children who have depression symptoms increase by 23 percent. This may be due to the fact that the usual antidepressants prescribed to adults have little or no effect on individuals under the age of 18.

The rate of women who have been diagnosed with clinical depression is about twice that of men. This information may be misleading, though; because men are not as willing as women to seek treatment for their condition, the recorded cases are lower. In general, experts believe that as much as 80% of individuals who are suffering from clinical depression are not diagnosed and treated. Depression is an illness that may come back at intermittent periods during one's lifetime - if you suffered from depression in the past, there is a higher risk of recurrence later on.

The economy suffers as a result of depression as well. Depression can cause absenteeism at work, thus dealing a major blow to the business of the company. Studies estimate that more than $51 billion annually are lost due to low productivity and absenteeism caused by depression. This amount does not include yet the costs for medication and treatment.

In spite of all these compelling statistics, there is still an existing stigma that is attached to patients who have clinical depression. In a study, more than half of the respondents say that they view depression as a personal weakness. The results of another study showed that 41% of women said that they were too ashamed to seek professional help to combat their condition.