An overview of Depression including facts and figures

1. Introduction

It is normal for people to feel sad and grief stricken at some point of their lives. Everyone gets "the blues" at one time or another as a result of stressful events. However, some people develop a more serious illness called depressive disorder. Depressive disorder is a very common mental illness and most people will get it at some point of their lives. However, people need to understand the difference between unhappiness and sadness and the symptoms of depressive disorder, because without treatment, depressive disorder can last for months or years, while affecting a person's ability to cope through life. And this is what the report is based on, depressive disorder. In this report I will be examining what depression is, the symptoms, major causes and risk factors, statistics and figures, the treatment available and current health promotion strategies.

2. Research and Findings

What is Depression?

The symptoms that are associated with depressive disorder include sleep disturbance, loss of interest in life, lack of interest in food or overeating, low energy, fatigue, long lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness and guilt, loss of concentration, thoughts of death and suicide.

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How Many People Have It?

Depression can occur at any age. However, research shows that depressive disorder is mainly present in young adults, ranging from 15 to 20 years and people who are in their early 40's. It affects 340 million people worldwide and 1 in every 20 people will become depressed with women twice more likely as men to suffer from it. In the year 2020 depression is anticipated to become the leading cause of disability and the 2nd leading contributor to the global burden of disease.

Some facts and statistics of depression include:

Depressive disorder can occur at any age. It is mainly present in young adults (15-20...