Emotional illness is surprisingly common
Consumer Reports gives a quick overview of the prevalence of depression in our population.
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Women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression disorders, men to mask their symptoms by self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. Lifetime prevalence of diagnosed mental illness (in percentage of population):
Source: Lifetime and 12-Month Prevalence of DSM-III-R Psychiatric Disorders in the United States: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey, June 1993. The survey—currently the most up-to-date estimate of rates of mental illness in the U.S.—is set to be updated later this year.
If you suspect you are suffering from depression, make an appointment with your doctor soon. Prompt, proper treatment of depression can control symptoms and restore your quality of life. With many drug and nondrug options available, having up-to-date, unbiased information is very important.
This article originally appeared in Consumer Reports on Health in February 2005.
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