Sad Facts: The Statistics Of Depression

Depression is a disorder that can affect people among a number of backgrounds and situations. Because it is sometimes is the subject of jokes or only featured on television in its extreme, some might have the impression that depression affects only a select few people. However, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression statistics suggest that nearly 20 million people in the United States suffer from this mental disorder. If that number sounds surprising, then let's look at some more of the statistics about depression, to help you better understand who's at risk and how it can affect the life of you or the lives of those around you.

The Gender Gap

One of the most interesting statistics related to depression is that of which gender suffers from it more. As it turns out, regardless of race, depression seems to affect about twice as many women as men. This can be caused by a number of unique reasons, such as postpartum depression, which can strike women who have otherwise never had a depressive episode. This makes it important for women to watch out for depression. Another one of the more interesting depression statistics show physical reasons why women should treat depression: according to the NIMH, women suffering from lifelong depression suffer from lower bone density, leading to a 40% increased chance of hip fracture over a period of 10 years of suffering.

Affecting Work

According to depression statistics from the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability for those from the ages of 15 to 44, which means that this disorder has a significant impact on our businesses. Other statistics about depression from the NIMH show that depression costs the nation about $12 billion in lost workdays each year, and almost as much from lost productivity, since depression can have a negative impact on such things. So, whether you're a worker wondering if you should treat your depression or a boss wondering if you should do what you can to educate your employees about depression, the answer is yes! It will ultimately save money.

Treating Depression

Unfortunately, even though many people suffer from depression, few people seek out treatment. As many as two out of three depression sufferers never seek proper treatment, according to depression statistics from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. This is unfortunate, as statistics on depression treatments from the NIMH show that nearly 80% of all people who seek some sort of treatment for depression have a noticeable improvement within four to six weeks. With a treatment rate like that, it would make sense that if you or someone you know is suffering from depression, treatment should be sought immediately.

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