120 Million People Worldwide Are Depressed

Depression affects around 120 million people worldwide and by the year 2020 will be the 2nd most common health problem in the world, according to World Health Organisation (WHO). Around 20% of the world's children and adolescents are estimated to have mental disorders or problems. About 10-15% of older people are thought to suffer from depression, and the incidence in nursing homes is much higher. In 2002, depression accounted for 4.5% of the worldwide total burden of disease. The UK has one of the highest rates of self harm in Europe, at 400 per 100,000 population. 1 in 4 British adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any one year, and one in six experiences this at any given time, according to The Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity report. Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. 54% of people believe depression is a personal weakness. 15% of depressed people will commit suicide. 80% of people who see physicians are depressed.

Depression often co-occurs with other illnesses and medical conditions: 25% of cancer patients experience depression; 10-27% of post-stroke patients experience depression; 1 in 3 heart attack survivors experience depression; 1 in 3 HIV patients may experience depression; 50% of Parkinson's disease patients may experience depression; 50-75% of eating disorder patients (anorexia and bulimia) experience depression; 27% of individuals with substance abuse disorders (both alcohol and other substances) experience depression; 8.5-27% of persons with diabetes experience depression.

Women are almost twice as likely to become depressed as men. The higher risk may be due partly to hormonal changes brought on by puberty, menstruation, menopause and pregnancy. About 10 to 15 percent of women experience postpartum depression after giving birth.

Major depressive disorder, also called major depression, is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once–pleasurable activities. Major depression is disabling and prevents a person from functioning normally. An episode of major depression may occur only once in a person's lifetime, but more often, it recurs throughout a person's life.

Mild to moderate depression can often be successfully treated with psychotherapy, sometimes known as "talk therapy". Exercise can help reduce feelings of depression by increasing the body's supply of endorphins, chemicals in the body that increase the feeling of well being.

For some cases, especially in more severe depression, psychotherapy combined with medication may be needed. After a complete evaluation, your health care professional will decide if medication is appropriate in your case and what medication or combination of medications will work best for you. Medications affect individuals differently and it may be necessary to adjust dosages or even change medications, depending on your response and reaction. Commonly prescribed types of antidepressants include SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), and tricyclics. Side effects can vary among these medications, but may include nausea, headache, insomnia, nervousness, sexual problems, drowsiness during the day, bladder problems, blurred vision, and dry mouth.

In some situations in which medications and psychotherapy have not been effective, depression may be treated by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Also known as "shock therapy", ECT has come a long way from its early days.

Antidepressants: selective serotinin reuptake inhibitors: Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Fluovoxamine, Paroxetine, Citalopram, Venlafaxine.

Tricyclic antidepressants (tricyclics): Clomipramine, Imipramine.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): Tranylcypromine, Isoprocarboxazid.

Benzodiazepines: Clonazepam, Alprazolam, Lorazepam.

Azipirones: Buspirone.

Beta blockers: Propanolol

WHO data suggests that depression causes 6% of the burden of all diseases in Europe in terms of disability adjusted life years. The cost of depression corresponds to 1% of the total economy of Europe.