Posted by Aurora on Tue, 05/08/2012 - 11:49 AM
THE IMPACT OF DEPRESSION
One of the most common mental health conditions, depression saps personal, relational, and societal resources. The impact of depression may be seen in the following statistics:
• In the United States, 19% of the adult population is affected by
depression, according to the Center for Disease Control.
• Some studies indicate 20% of young people develop depression
by age 18. In families where one parent is depressed, that
increases to 40% of youths by age 20 and 60% by age 25.(1)
• Women are twice as likely to develop major depression as men
and have higher rates of seasonal affective disorder and dysthymia
(chronic low-grade depression).(2)
• About 10 to 17% of men will develop major depression in their
lifetime, and men are four times as likely to die from suicide as
women.(3)
• In addition, "depression is a well-known risk factor for coronary
artery disease, heart attack, and stroke."(4)
• Studies of identical twins indicate that heredity accounts for about
40% of the risk of major depression.(5)
Classic Symptoms of Depression: feeling sad or empty; appearing tearful; decreased interest or pleasure in daily activities; unintentional changes in appetite and weight; changes in sleep patterns; physical restlessness, agitation, or lethargy; fatigue and lack of energy; feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or excessive guilt; inability to think or concentrate; difficulty making decisions; and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts. The degree and duration of these symptoms is significant.
Gender Differences: Women are twice as likely to be affected by depression as men.(6) Women are more likely to gain weight, to overlap with anxiety disorders, to lose interest in relationships, and to feel less energetic and sad. Men are more likely to display frustration, irritability, anger, and recklessness; to lose weight; to overlap with obsessive-compulsive disorders; to become agitated; to lose interest in work or hobbies; to self-medicate by abusing alcohol and illegal substances; to become abusive, controlling, or violent; and to engage in risky behaviors.
- Elizabeth S. York, M.Ed., LPC, LMFT