Do you wonder if that blue feeling you have is depression? While everyone experiences sadness at a loss or disappointment at certain points in life, a surprising number of people are affected by major depressive disorder, an unrelenting form of sadness and despair.
The statistics are staggering. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every 10 American adults say they have depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 6.7 percent of American adults have MDD, or major depressive disorder, during an average year. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance states that depression affects more than 23 million Americans every year and that it is the most common serious brain disease in the United States. Numbers from the World Health Organization estimate that about 350 million people have depression globally. Knowing why depression sets in and who's likely to be affected by it can help you better understand it and recognize it, should a major depressive disorder take root.
“The number of people with depression may be rising due to more awareness and more acceptance of depression as a disease. Major depression is more than just feeling low. It is a real disease that runs in families and meets accepted diagnostic criteria,” said Tina J. Walch, MD, psychiatrist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
At Risk for Depression
One depression fact that holds true across racial and economic differences is that depression is twice as common in women as it is in men. “A big part of that is due to female hormones, but you also have to take into account that men are less likely to report depression and women are more likely to admit to depression,” said Dr. Walch.
Here are more facts on risk factors for this mood disorder:
Age. Major depression is most likely to affect people between the ages of 45 and 65. “People in middle age are at the top of the bell curve for depression, but the people at each end of the curve, the very young and very old, may be at higher risk for severe depression,” says Walch. Late-life depression affects about six million Americans, but 90 percent of them never seek help.
Race. Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to meet criteria for MDD, according to the CDC. That statistic can be confusing because black Americans are actually 40 percent less likely to experience depression during their lifetime, according to NIMH. “I would not take statistics on race too seriously. Depression does not discriminate by race. The differences most likely reflect different racial views on talking about depression and asking for help,” said Walch.
Economics and education. CDC statistics show that people with less education, less economic stability, and less insurance coverage are more likely to meet the criteria for MDD. “It seems to make sense that people under more economic stress would be more depressed, but depression has nothing to do with your IQ or your job. It’s a disease. Factors like education and economics may trigger depression symptoms or make it harder for you to find treatment, but they do not cause the disease,” stressed Walch.
Marital status. CDC statistics show that people who were previously married are at higher risk for major depression. A review of the effects of marriage and divorce on depression by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that marriage consistently lowers the risk of depression symptoms in both men and women. Research also consistently shows that divorce increases the risk for depression symptoms.
Family history. Many studies have shown that depression can be passed down through families. If you have an identical twin with major depressive disorder, your chance of having MDD is about 50 percent. If you have a parent with depression, your chance of having depression is about 25 percent. But just like all of the other statistics, they don’t tell the whole story. Adoption studies show that a child adopted by a parent with depression also has a higher risk.
Fact: Depression Treatment Works
Here are some numbers on depression treatment that really matter:
- Up to 80 percent of people with depression respond to treatment within four to six weeks.
- Up to 50 percent of people who do not respond to treatment fail because they stopped getting treatment.
- Despite the success of depression treatment, about two out of three people with depression still don’t seek help.
“Depression treatment really can work wonders," said Walch. Unlike some other mental health disorders, treatment for depression can get you back to where you were before depression. The statistics are interesting, but the bottom line is that depression is a treatable disease. “You can’t will it away any more than a diabetic can will away high blood sugar,” said Walch.
Last Updated: 8/5/2014