Depression - the facts

What is it?

Depression is a serious and common mental illness. It is a feeling of constant sadness. It affects sleep, appetite and concentration.

How many people have it?

Approximately 6 million people suffer from depression in the UK. It is predicted that by 2020 depression will be the second leading cause of disease burden.

Up to 50% of people with clinical depression do not receive proper diagnosis and treatment for their illness.

What are the costs of depression?

Depression costs the UK £8 billion annually.

Do many people with depression commit suicide?

15% of people diagnosed with depression end up committing suicide.
70% of suicides in the UK are by people who are depressed.

Who gets it?

There is a higher incidence of depression among women than men. Depression also affects children. 10-20% of children require support and help for depression.

What causes it?

The metabolism of the brain is affected and the levels of certain chemicals altered.
Genetics and family history play a role as well as life events.
Over 25% of people wrongly believe that depression is a sign of weakness, or a phase people can snap out of.

Do people recover?

Taking medication usually shortens the duration of depressive episodes.
Some people only experience one episode of depression while others can suffer from long bouts of the illness with frequent relapses.

What treatments are available?

Antidepressants are used to address the chemical imbalance in the brain.
Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) is used in severe cases of depression.

How does depression differ from anhedonia?

Anhedonia means 'lack of pleasure' and refers to a condition in which people no longer feel pleasure from something which is normally pleasurable. Anhedonia can occur without depression, but people with depression suffer from anhedonia along with other symptoms.