How Many Americans Are Affected by Depression?

A Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey conducted in 2009 revealed that about 40 million American adults had recently been diagnosed with depression. Signs of depression include feelings of emptiness and extreme sadness that last for prolonged lengths of time. Depression can lead to withdraw from normal activities, lower ability to function in everyday life, and suicide or self-harm.

All Americans

• Clinicians call depression "the common cold of mental illness" because so many Americans are diagnosed with the condition. In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1 in 20 Americans over the age of 12 had depression. This study also stated that 80 percent of those with depression found difficulty functioning at home or work.

Age

• According to the National Institute of Mental Health, signs of depression usually appear between the ages of 15 and 30. The Gallup survey noted Americans aged 45 to 64 more frequently reported depression than other age groups. The Centers for Disease Control states around 2 million American adolescents had an episode of depression in 2007 but less than 39 percent received treatment. One in 33 American children has the illness. About 7 million adults older than 65 experience some form of depression.

Gender

• Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Explanations vary from societal power structure imbalance to cultural mores preventing men from emoting.

Socioeconomics

• A study published in the June 2005 American Journal of Public Health found that poverty is a strong predictor of depression in individuals. The Gallup survey found adults making a yearly salary of less than $24,000 were more likely to have depression. The Centers for Disease Control study found that 1 in 7 Americans living at or under the poverty line had depression. All three studies cited evidence that whites were more likely to experience depression than other ethnic groups.

Family and Friends of Depressed Americans

• Understand the facts and symptoms of depression. Encourage professional treatment and be aware of potential for self-harm or suicide. Offer both emotional and practical support, but leave time and space for personal reflection as well. Finally, know where to go for help. Find local mental health facilities and keep the numbers on hand.