Depression Is The Most Widespread Illness – WHO

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has alerted the world community on the rising cases of depression, saying it has risen by more than 18 per cent since 2005.

In a statement, the Director General of the WHO, Margaret Chan said: “These new figures are a wake-up call for all countries to re-think their approaches to mental health and to treat it with the urgency it deserves.

In 2015, the WHO estimated 322 million people globally were living with depression, making it the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide.

However, the agency found that the majority of those with the condition aren’t receiving adequate care in high income countries; it estimates 50 per cent of those with the disorder don’t get treatment, while in low-income countries that number rises to between 80 per cent to 90 per cent.

In part, this stems from a lack of funding — on average, only three per cent of a government’s health budget is spent on mental health programs.

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense of well-being. People with a depressed mood can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, angry,ashamed, or restless.

They may lose interest in activities that were once pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details or making decisions, experience relationship difficulties and may contemplate, attempt or commit suicide.

Depression’s impact is financial, as well as psychological. Symptoms include lack of energy, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, substance abuse, anxiety, and thoughts of self-harm, which, while clearly not great for mental or physical health, also take a toll on economic productivity.

The WHO estimates that costs related to the condition add up to $1 trillion annually.

While there’s still a stigma associated with the condition, more people are speaking out about their own, individual experiences, which is an encouraging sign. According to Chan: “For someone living with depression, talking to a person they trust is often the first step towards treatment and recovery.”