Lets face it, depression statistics these days is all about pretty scary numbers. Nearly 20 million people in The United States of America suffer from depression. That's right: 20 million out of the 300 million US citizens. From every 15 people you know, at least one is a depressed person.
You may have the impression that depression affects only a select few people, but the harsh truth is, that depression isn't picky at all. It is a disorder that effects people from any background, from every walk of live, regardless age, race or even gender. Surprised? You are not alone. So let's have a look at some more numbers. Because although depression doesn't discriminate, some people have a higher risk profile.
Every survey ever done, shows that depression affects about twice as many women as men.
Why? Nobody really knows. It can be caused by a number of reasons. Fact is, women have to be extra careful to watch out for depression.
Lets talk money. According to the NIMH depression costs this nation a staggering $20 billion each year. Have of it is due to a loss of productivity, the other half is due to lost workdays. That's why more and more employers try to educate their employees about recognizing depression.
Surveys have shown more alarming numbers. Let's take a look at the number of people that look for professional help when they suffer from depression. It's hard to believe, but just one out of every three depression patients seek proper treatment. That means exactly what it says: two out of three, the fast majority, run the risk of not getting healthy and slip into a lifelong depression.
Finally there is some good news as well. Statistics show that nearly 80% of all depressed people who seek treatment have a significant improvement within a couple of weeks. Treatment rates like that makes you really wonder why just one out of every three patients seeks professional help.
