There is a lot of information about depression on the internet, in books, and on television. For some people, they find so much information that they are unable to comprehend any of it, and end up being more confused than ever before. This article will give you some basic facts regarding depression, which will hopefully help you put things a little better into perspective.
First of, if you are suffering from depression, there is no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed, as you are not alone. Research indicates that approximately fourteen million people will suffer from depression or a related mental disorder each year. Out of all of those people, very few will actually seek or receive treatment, less than twenty percent. Out of the entire adult population, roughly sixteen percent will suffer from some type of depression before they die. One fact that you should really absorb is that out of those fourteen million people who will suffer from depression this year, ninety percent or better will state that their depression has impacted all facets of their normal daily lives, family, work, and personal relationships. That fact right there should tell you how important it is to seek treatment for your depression, not only for your sake, but for the sake of your family and friends as well. People who suffer from untreated symptoms of depression are also usually more likely to pick up infections and viruses due to the effect of depression symptoms on the body’s immune system.
Out of all of the women in the world, at least one out of every five will become severely depressed at some point in their lifetime, making them twice more likely to suffer from depression than men. Currently, there are about seven million women in the United States of America alone that suffer from the effects of severe depression on a daily basis, and out of those, roughly fifteen percent will eventually take their own lives due to the untreated symptoms of depression. Women rarely seek medical intervention to help treat their depression, and currently, depression causes many women to become permanently disabled, unable to work, or care for themselves or their families. Women who are between the ages of twenty-five to forty-four years of age are more likely to suffer from depression, being especially prone after giving birth. Postpartum depression can occur anytime within the first year of the child’s birth, and left untreated, can lead to very dire consequences for both mother and baby.
While true that more women than men suffer from the effects of depression, the risk of suicide is significantly higher among men, especially men whose depression was triggered by divorce or the death of a spouse. Men are used to being the breadwinner, and when they find themselves unemployed, or forced to retire, they often will succumb to depression. Men who suffer from the long-term effects of depression are also more likely to develop heart conditions, which is one common cause of fatality among middle-aged men today.
For some, it is hard to believe that children have anything to be depressed about. They have no bills to pay, no job to stress over, no social obligations, etc. The fact of the matter is, however, that many children suffer from the effects of depression, especially during the teenage years. There has been no link to gender or economic status with childhood depression. It has been proven however, that if one parent has a history of depression, or it runs in the family, that the child may be more likely to suffer. Depression can severely impact a child’s performance in school, and all of his relationships with his peers, and if left untreated, can lead to other mental disorders in adulthood.
If you look at the statistics, depression is not an uncommon problem, but very few people recognize it for what it is, or seek treatment. Failure to seek medical treatment can lead to many other medical and mental problems, especially for sufferers of long term depression. There are numerous options available that have been proven effective, from medication, to cognitive and behavioral therapy. The first step is realizing that there is a problem that you cannot handle on your own.
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