Breaking Through Barriers - Support partners; helping people with depression

Depression - a widespread and misunderstood illness

Prevalence

Depression is very common around the world, and it is on the rise:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2001, depression was ranked number 4 among diseases that cause disability.¹ By the year 2020, depression is expected to rank 2^{nd 1}
An estimated 121 million people worldwide live with depression, according to the WHO.¹ In addition, one in four families will have at least one member with a mental disorder at any given point²
Worldwide, it is estimated that 5.8 percent of men and 9.5 percent of women will have depression at some point in their lives³

Cause

The cause of depression is not yet understood and, in fact, sometimes there may even be no noticeable cause. Experts believe some people were born with the ability to easily become depressed.⁴ They also believe that stressful events, illness, medications and other factors can lead to an imbalance of certain brain chemicals and cause depression.⁵

Some people become depressed after a major life change — the death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a job or a move. Even happy events, such as becoming a parent or getting married, or smaller changes in life, can sometimes trigger depression. No matter how large or small the change in life, changes can be stressful and can greatly affect a person’s emotions.

Some risk factors for depression include:

A family history of depression
Death or illness of a loved one
Constant mental/physical stress at work
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
Drug or alcohol abuse
Chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis, heart disease, HIV or chronic pain
Major life events, such as moving, graduating from college, changing jobs, getting married or divorced, becoming a new parent, or retiring
Financial difficulties

Depression can also be triggered by other medical conditions. Illnesses such as stroke, a heart attack, cancer, nerve diseases (such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease), and hormonal changes (such as menopause) can cause depression. People who have these conditions should be especially aware of the symptoms of depression and should speak with their healthcare professional if they experience any of them.

Depression and suicide

There may be times when feelings of hopelessness and despair lead people with depression to think about taking their own lives. If you notice that symptoms are becoming worse in a loved one with depression, such as unusual changes in their behavior, or anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, restlessness, or overexcitement and hyperactivity, you should encourage them to see a doctor immediately.

References

World Health Organization. Factsheet - Depression. 2005. Available at: http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/definition/en/
WHO. Mental health in the WHO European Region. Fact sheet Euro/03/03. 8 September 2003. Available at: http://www.euro.who.int/document/mediacentre/fs0303e.pdf
World health Organization. Facts sheet. 2002. http://www.who.int/whr/2001/chapter2/en/index4.html
Beardslee WR, Gladstone TRG et al. A Family-Based Approach to the Prevention of Depressive Symptoms in Children at Risk: Evidence of Parental and Child Change. Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.2006; 129
Ohayon, MM, Schatzberg, AF. Using Chronic Pain to Predict Depressive Morbidity in the General Population. Arch Gen Psychiatry/Vol 60. 2003: 39