statistics

中文The statistics on depression are staggering. In this article you will learn more about the prevalence of depression and related mental health disorders in the nation and in the world at large.

According to studies conducted and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization and information gathered from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, the Center for Mental Health Services, and Brown University Long Term Care Quarterly, the following are true of people with depression.

General Depression Statistics

• Recent statistics suggest roughly seven of every one hundred people suffer depression after age 18 at some point in their lives.
• As many as one in 33 children and one in eight adolescents have clinical depression. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 10 to 24.
• Most people diagnosed with major depression receive a diagnosis between their late twenties to mid-thirties.
• About six million people are affected by late life depression, but only 10% ever receive treatment.
• For every one man that develops depression, two women will, regardless of racial or ethnic background or economic status.
• More than half of all people caring for an older relative show clinically significant depressive symptoms.
• By the year 2020, depression will be the 2nd most common health problem in the world.

Statistics on Depression and Other Diseases

• Depression often exists with other diseases, including chronic pain, arthritis, diabetes and HIV patients.
• Depression is also known to weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to other medical illnesses.
• People with depression are four times as likely to develop a heart attack than those without a history of the illness. After a heart attack, they are at a significantly increased risk of death or second heart attack.
• 25% of cancer patients experience depression.
• 10-27% of post-stroke patients experience depression.
• 1 in 3 heart attack survivors experience depression.
• Almost half of all patients with Parkinson’s suffer from depression, ranging from mild to moderate.
• Approximately one of every two patients with an eating disorder suffers from major or clinical depression.
• 27% of individuals with substance abuse disorders (both alcohol and other substances) experience depression.
• Depression may increase a woman’s risk for broken bones.

Statistics on the Economic Impact of Depression

• Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44.
• Clinical or major depression is the top cause of disability throughout the world for persons 5 and over.
• In the United States alone, businesses may spend anywhere from twelve to seventy billion dollars caring for or paying for the medical expenses of employees that have depression or suffer from a related mental illness.

Getting Help

Here is the good news however: depression is one of the most treatable illnesses – 80-90% find relief. Researchers diligently work to develop new and successful treatments for depression among all age groups. Studies suggest patients that seek treatment, whether from psychotherapy, medication therapy, holistic therapy or a combination of these, as many as eighty percent or more improve dramatically. Unfortunately, many people with depression still suffer in silence, perhaps because they do not recognize the symptoms of depression or feel they cannot afford medical treatment for their disease.

If you or someone you know suffers from depression make sure you get help. There are literally thousands of online and offline support organizations.

(The above article is from Depression Help Spot)

关于抑郁症的统计是惊人的。在这篇文章中，你会看到抑郁症和相关的精神紊乱在美国和全世界有多么地普遍。

下列的统计数据是跟据美国医学协会杂志（Journal of the American Medical Association）和世界卫生组织（World Health Organization）发表的调查结果和从美国精神健康学院（National Institute of Mental Health)、抑郁症和燥郁症支持联盟（Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance）、精神健康服务中心（Center for Mental Health Services）、和布朗大学长期护理季刊（Brown University Long Term Care Quarterly）搜集的资料整编的。

关于抑郁症的一般统计数据

• 近期的统计表明大约7%的人在18岁后会在一生中的某个时刻得抑郁症。
• 33个儿童当中就有一个，8个青少年当中就有一个患临床抑郁症。自杀是10到24岁年龄段中第三大死因。
• 大多数的严重抑郁症患者是在二十几岁到三十多岁之间得到确诊的。
• 大约六百万的人受到老年抑郁症的影响，但只有10%的人得到医治。
• 对每一个患抑郁症的男士，就有两个患抑郁症的女士。这跟种族、民族、或经济条件无关。
• 在照顾年老亲友的人当中，一半多的人有明显的抑郁症状。
• 到2020年, 抑郁症将会成为全世界第二大最普遍的健康问题

关于抑郁症和别的疾病关联的统计

• 抑郁症通常是与别的疾病同存的，包括慢性疼痛、关节炎、糖尿病和HIV。
• 抑郁症会减弱免疫系统、容易得别的疫病。
• 抑郁症患者心脏病发作的几率是常人的四倍。在心脏病第一次发作后，第二次发作或死亡的几率会大大地增高。
• 25%的癌症病人会经历抑郁症。
• 10-27%的中风病人会经历抑郁症。
• 1/3的心脏病发作幸存者会经历抑郁症。
• 几乎一半的帕金森患者会得轻度到中度的抑郁症。
• 大约一半的饮食失调患者有严重（临床）抑郁症。
• 27% 的酗酒和滥用药物的病人有抑郁症。
• 抑郁症可能会增加妇女骨折的危险。

抑郁症对经济影响的统计

• 在美国严重抑郁症是15到44岁年龄段导致残废的主要原因。
• 临床或严重抑郁症是全世界导致5岁以上人残废的主要原因。
• 单单在美国，企业化在得抑郁症或相关的疾病的员工的医疗费用是在120亿到700亿之间。

寻求帮助

但好消息是抑郁症是最容易医治的疾病之一， 80-90%的患者都能得到医治。研究人员正在努力地研制对于所有年龄群的有效医治方法。调查表明寻求医治的患者，无论是心理治疗、医药治疗、全人治疗、还是前面几种治疗并行，八成以上的都能有显著的改善。不幸的是，许多患者仍然在无声地受苦。可能是因为他们没有意识到得了抑郁症，或是觉得负担不了医治的费用。

如果你或你认识的人受抑郁症之苦，一定要寻求帮助。目前有上千的在线和不在线的支持机构。

(根据Depression Help Spot的一篇文章翻译。)