Depression

An estimated 300 million people suffer from some form of depression worldwide.¹ Depression can be classified from mild to moderate or severe, and has a range of contributors. Social, physical and biological factors can all affect an individual’s mental health, and treatments range from cognitive behavioral therapy to antidepressant medication, though medications are used primarily for moderate to severe cases of depression.² Less than 50 percent of those affected by depression receive any treatment.³ Recurrent depressive disorder is a continuing series of depressive episodes while bipolar affective disorder is distinguished by alternating series of manic and depressive episodes.⁴ Severe cases of depression can lead to suicide, and though most cases of depression do not lead to suicide, the majority of suicides stem from a mental illness, most commonly depression.⁵ Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States alone, and 50 percent of those who commit suicide were suffering from depression.⁶ However, 80–90 percent of all those who go through treatment for depression respond positively.⁷