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Depression Statistics
The rate of depression is doubling every 20 years and, according to a Harvard Medical Center study, the rate of childhood depression is increasing by 23% a year.
Preschoolers are the fastest growing market for antidepressants.
Depressive disorders affect ~18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
Everyone will at some time in their life be affected by depression--their's or someone else's, according to Australian Government statistics. (Depression statistics in Australia are similar to the US and UK.)
According to the World Health Organization depression second largest killer after heart disease by 2020--and studies show depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.
80% of people who see physicians are depressed and studies are increasingly linking illness to depression, including osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, some forms of cancer, eye disease and back pain.
Depression results in more absenteeism than almost any other physical disorder and costs employers over US$51 billion per year in lost productivity alone.
30% of women are depressed. Men's depression rate was assumed to be half that of women, but new estimates are higher.
41% of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help.
54% of people believe depression is a personal weakness.
80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment.
FDA (US govt) warns of possible dangers of antidepressants and serious side effects (could lead to child suicide, linked to brain tumors, abnormal bleeding).
There is absolutely no evidence that antidepressants work for young children. (2004 clinical review in British Medical Journal found no scientific evidence whatsoever that SSRIs work for preschoolers, or indeed for anyone under eighteen.)
Most antidepressants are banned for children in Great Britain.
Many studies show antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) work only as well (or less) than placebos.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has an 80% relapse rate in the long term, according to a University of Washington study.
Most doctors advise a combination of therapy and antidepressants as well as family support.
New studies show supportive relationships are a crucial factor in healing emotional and physical illnesses, including depression and anxiety.
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