An estimated 3.8% of the population experience depression, including 5% of adults (4% among men and 6% among women), and 5.7% of adults older than 60 years. Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression (1).
In their lifetimes, about one in five Australians will experience depression. Around the world, depression affects around 300 million people.
Depression. Impacting an estimated 300 million people, depression is the most-common mental disorder and generally affects women more often than men.
More than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness. Over 1 in 5 youth (ages 13-18) either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness. About 1 in 25 U.S. adults lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
Anxiety disorders (such as Social Phobia) are the most common type of disorder, affecting 1 in 6 (17%, or 3.3 million) Australians, followed by Affective disorders (such as Depressive Episode) (8%), and Substance Use disorders (such as Alcohol Dependence) (3. %).
Depression is about 50% more common among women than among men. Worldwide, more than 10% of pregnant women and women who have just given birth experience depression (2). More than 700 000 people die due to suicide every year.
production of serotonin – serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression.
Childhood anxiety disorders are very common, affecting one in eight children. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates a prevalence between the ages 13 and 18 years of 25.1 percent and a lifetime prevalence of 5.9 percent for severe anxiety disorder.
One in four adults and one in 10 children experience mental illness, and many more of us know and care for people who do.
3 million Australians are living with anxiety. Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. 1 in 4 people will experience anxiety at some stage in their life.
A number of treatments are available for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), antidepressants and light therapy. A GP will recommend the most suitable treatment option for you, based on the nature and severity of your symptoms.
On average, SAD will last about five months of the year. Typically, symptoms will develop in October, worsen around the end of daylight saving time, followed by a more drastic decline in November. January and February tend to be the months with the most severe symptoms of depression.
Biologically, there may be a reason women cry more than men: Testosterone may inhibit crying, while the hormone prolactin (seen in higher levels in women) may promote it. But a desire to cry is not all nature.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age.
The average age of onset for major depressive disorder is between 35 and 40 years of age. Onset in early adulthood may be linked with more depressive episodes, a longer duration of illness, and therefore a more difficult clinical course.
halaxy.com ranked number 1 and is the most visited Mental Health website in Australia in May 2023, followed by psychologytoday.com as the runner up, and powerdiary.com ranking at 3rd place as the leaders of the Mental Health websites in Australia.
Mental illnesses can be covered by the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act. It is against the law to discriminate against a person because of their disability.
Mental health is a key component of overall health and wellbeing (WHO 2021). In any year in Australia, an estimated 1 in 5 people aged 16–85 will experience a mental health disorder (ABS 2022).