| The effects of depression on a person or a family are | | | | adults have little or no effect on individuals under the |
| enormous. Depression not only affects a specific | | | | age of 18. |
| individual, it can have a long-lasting impact that can | | | | The rate of women who have been diagnosed with |
| cause emotional scars to loved ones, and even to | | | | clinical depression is about twice that of men. This |
| society. The problem of depression is indeed | | | | information may be misleading, though; because men |
| compelling. Here are some statistics to support this | | | | are not as willing as women to seek treatment for |
| fact. | | | | their condition, the recorded cases are lower. In |
| Every year, around 19 million people in America the | | | | general, experts believe that as much as 80% of |
| mental condition that can be subsumed under the | | | | individuals who are suffering from clinical depression |
| general category of 'depressive disorders.' Some of | | | | are not diagnosed and treated. Depression is an illness |
| these conditions are dysthymia, bipolar disorder, and | | | | that may come back at intermittent periods during |
| major depression. In societies that have experienced | | | | one's lifetime - if you suffered from depression in the |
| the effect of industrialization, experts estimate that | | | | past, there is a higher risk of recurrence later on. |
| around 10 to 15 percent of their adult population can be | | | | The economy suffers as a result of depression as |
| diagnosed as depressed. Among American people | | | | well. Depression can cause absenteeism at work, thus |
| who are 15 to 44 years of age, depression is one of | | | | dealing a major blow to the business of the company. |
| the leading causes of disability. All over the world, it is | | | | Studies estimate that more than $51 billion annually are |
| one of the leading causes of disability for people who | | | | lost due to low productivity and absenteeism caused |
| are aged 5 and above. | | | | by depression. This amount does not include yet the |
| The symptoms of a major depressive disorder can | | | | costs for medication and treatment. |
| appear at any age, but the median age when these | | | | In spite of all these compelling statistics, there is still an |
| symptoms occur is 32. More recent studies have | | | | existing stigma that is attached to patients who have |
| found that as much as 4 percent of children who are | | | | clinical depression. In a study, more than half of the |
| in pre-school age already have clinical depression. | | | | respondents say that they view depression as a |
| Another study showed more alarming results: every | | | | personal weakness. The results of another study |
| year, the number of children who have depression | | | | showed that 41% of women said that they were too |
| symptoms increase by 23 percent. This may be due | | | | ashamed to seek professional help to combat their |
| to the fact that the usual antidepressants prescribed to | | | | condition. |