Depression is one of the least commonly talked about disease. Although, according to research, it has been proven that that depression is amongst the leading causes of disability worldwide. However, due to the attached stigma that depression is a sign of weakness, people avoid talking about mental illnesses, including depression.
Can Anyone Be Affected By Depression?
What people are or aren’t affected by depression is one of the most discussed issues when depression, its prevalence, and its prevention comes under discussion. It is a common assumption that depression only affects people that are going through a hard time in life. Stress and sadness are often confused with depression; however, stress and sadness is a state of mind, and depression is a mental illness that can affect anyone from all walks of life. From young children to middle-aged to older people – anyone can get affected at any age.
A vast majority is also unaware of the fact that similar to specific physical health issues, issues related to mental health such as depression and anxiety are not always preventable. However, mental health patients can also live a healthy life if they are provided with professional mental health treatment. Nonetheless, people hesitate to talk about depression, which is a significant reason why most depression patients go undertreated for years.
Commonly signs of depression include loss of interest, anger, willingness of harming others or yourself, feeling confused, having personality shifts, feeling worried or scared without a specific reason, becoming anti-social, feeling less energetic, change in weight or appetite, feeling unclear or difficulty in making decisions and sleep issues.
Prevalence of Depression
Although depression is not a newly discovered mental health illness; nonetheless, people are unaware of the scale that it is affecting people in the world. The stigmas attached to depression stop us from talking about depression that has led us to the alarming statistic of people that are suffering from depression.
According to the latest depression stats, more than 300 million people are suffering from depression (According to WHO). Only in the U.S., more than 16.2 million adults that makes 6.7% of the total adult population is suffering from major and seasonal depression. More than 50% of people that are diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Depression has prevailed to a level that approximately 15% of the adult population is expected to experience depression at some point during their lifetime. Adults can experience major depressive episodes between the ages of 18 to 25. These stats are alarming because parents and guardians often shift their attention from their children after they have crossed 18; due to this, the symptoms of depression might go unnoticed. Women are highly likely to experience depressive episodes. According to stats, 8.5% of women have depression; whereas, depression rate is 4.8% in men.
Depression stats prove that depression is prevailing worldwide, but what makes the matter more alarming is that although depression is treatable, most depression patients worldwide do not receive timely and adequate professional treatment.
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