Depression is the main cause of disability worldwide. We should continue talking about the importance of getting help, argues Linda Rosenberg, president and chief executive officer of the US National Council for Behavioral Health.
Every year when flu season comes around in the US, there are notices posted in every corner pharmacy promoting flu shots, and public spaces feature reminders about the importance of getting involved in simple preventive measures, like hand washing.
I can’t help but wonder: how can depression and suicide get the same attention? Is there something each of us can do to help?
The World Health Organisation points out that depression is the main cause of disability globally, and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.
A large factor in this burden is the lost quality of daily life, lost productivity to employers and fractured relationships. This burden is not only felt by the person living with depression, but by their families, colleagues and friends. It is felt by us all.
And we continue to lose too many people to depression and suicide.
Grim statistics
In the US, suicide is the only 'top ten' cause of death that has an increasing rate (2.4% increase between 2011 and 2012), according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Behavioral Health Barometer for 2013, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), reports that approximately 4% of US adults report serious thoughts of suicide; that is around 9m people. Countless more probably soldier on, too ashamed of their thoughts and feelings to voice their pain. Looking at trends in youth rates of depression, more than 9% of young people aged 12-17 have a major depressive episode each year--and many of them do not seek help.
We can blame the economy, complex and complicated healthcare systems, poor access to care, or even technology, which removes our need for daily social interaction. Simply assigning blame will not change these statistics—we have to work to address the root causes. Depression and suicide affect us all, and we all have a part to play in supporting change. Let's continue talking about the importance of getting help—not just among ourselves, but with our families, our friends, and our neighbours.
Linda Rosenberg will be one of the speakers at an upcoming Economist conference, The Global Crisis of Depression.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited (EIU) or any other member of The Economist Group. The Economist Group (including the EIU) cannot accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by any person on this article or any of the information, opinions or conclusions set out in the article.
