| Depression is a very real and common occurrence in | | | | According to the National Health Service (NHS, 2009), |
| our society today. As our society has become | | | | in the UK, anxiety and depression are the most |
| increasingly competitive, stressful and busy, more and | | | | common mental health problems, and the majority of |
| more people are struggling to cope with the mounting | | | | cases are caused by stress. NHS research shows |
| pressure on their lives. The World Health Organisation | | | | that approximately 15% of people suffer a bout of |
| estimates that approximately 450 million people | | | | severe depression at some point in their lives. This |
| throughout the world are affected by mental health | | | | figure is likely to be even higher as many people who |
| problems, with depression as one of the major | | | | suffer from depression do not get help, or are not |
| categories of mental health distress affecting people | | | | formally diagnosed with the condition. |
| (Overcome Depression, 2009). | | | | Despite these high statistics depression should never |
| Overall, mental health around the world is a significant | | | | be considered a normal part of life. Depression is a |
| issue, with the number of people suffering from some | | | | very serious condition that requires medical treatment |
| form of mental distress growing year by year. The | | | | and ongoing management. Being able to recognise the |
| Office for National Statistics in the United Kingdom | | | | symptoms and causes of depression is the key to |
| (2009) estimates that one in six adults at any one time | | | | understanding your depression and seeking the right |
| have 'significant' mental health problems. Another major | | | | treatment and management techniques for these |
| survey that is frequently quoted puts the figure at one | | | | negative emotions. |
| in four, using a wider definition (Mind, 2009). | | | | As a society, we still have a long way to go in |
| The breakdown below gives an overview of mental | | | | providing effective treatment and support for sufferers |
| health in Britain alone, showing the forms of treatment | | | | of depression. Community education and awareness |
| commonly required: | | | | on mental illness including depression is essential in |
| - Around 300 people out of 1,000 will experience | | | | allowing for the development of appropriate services |
| mental health problems every year in Britain | | | | and support facilities for depression sufferers. |
| - 230 of these will visit a GP | | | | Awareness and acceptance of mental health issues in |
| - 102 of these will be diagnosed as having a mental | | | | our society will also allow depression sufferers to be |
| health problem | | | | more open in recognising their condition, understanding |
| - 24 of these will be referred to a specialist psychiatric | | | | their condition and seeking help. |
| service | | | | As a sufferer of depression, admitting the problem and |
| - 6 will become inpatients in psychiatric hospitals (Mind, | | | | seeking help is one of the hardest things to do, |
| 2009; Based on figures from Goldberg, D. & Huxley, P, | | | | however it is the only positive step you can take in |
| 1992, Common mental disorders a bio-social model, | | | | gaining control of your life and managing your negative |
| Routledge.) | | | | emotions. Take that step today! |