Many people struggle with depression or know someone who does. There are many types of depression, and the signs and symptoms can vary widely. In all cases, depression is considered to be a mood disorder that causes feelings of sadness, hopelessness and worthlessness while causing sleep and appetite changes. Unmanaged depression can be incredibly debilitating, and its symptoms may cause some people to turn to drugs or alcohol in an attempt to ease symptoms. However, self-medication with drugs or alcohol often worsens depression symptoms.
Related Topic: Alcohol and Depression
Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) show that major depression is one of the most common mental health issues in the United States. Nearly 20 million adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2017, representing over 7% of the adult population. People aged 18–25 had the highest rate of depression (13.1%), and women are more likely to experience depression than men (8.7% versus 5.3%). In addition, 64% of people met the criteria for depression that caused severe impairment (missing work or failing to meet other responsibilities).
The lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorders is approximately 17%. This means that nearly one in five Americans will experience an episode of major depression at some point in their life.
Adults are not the only people who suffer from depression. According to NIMH data, 13.3% of U.S. teenagers had at least one major depressive episode in 2017. Teenage girls were more likely to experience depression than boys, with rates of 20% in girls compared to 6.8% in boys.