Depression is a real illness. A treatable mental illness. It affects nearly 20% of the population.  According to the Centers for Disease Control every American adult with suffer at least two bouts with depression in their life time.  It can be triggered by traumatic life events, a death of a loved one(s), a chemical imbalance in the brain, or it can be hereditary. It is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed. Most often people suffering from depression become withdrawn, lethargic, uninterested in things and activities they once enjoyed. They often become filled with feelings of worthlessness or immense shame. Often it is no fault of their own. It is an illness that many people have endured.

Statistics by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and NAMI states that 50% of all Americans will suffer from a mental health crisis and that on average every American adult will suffer from at least two bouts of depression in their life time.

Anxiety is actually the most common mental illness affecting 40 million American adults 18 years or older. 18% of the American population. Major Depressive Disorder affects 14.8 million American adults, or 6.7% of the American population. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD affects 7.7 million American adults or 3.5% of the American population. (Source: Anxiety and Depression Association of America. ADAA.) 5.7 million or 2.6% Americans suffer from BiPolar Disorder. (Source: Depression and BiPolar Support Alliance. [DBSA].) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affects about 5 million American adults or about 2 to 3 percent. (Source: Psych Central). About 1 in 20 individuals live with Borderline Personality Disorder. (Source: NAMI.)  These statistics are from those that seeks help, and obtain a diagnosis. Imagine what the numbers might be with those who don’t seek help. Mental illness is now being called the “silent epidemic.”

The good news is that these mental illnesses can be treated and recovery for many mental illnesses is not only possible, it occurs.  Unfortunately there is still a stigma associated with depression and other mental illnesses and often people don’t seek help.  Often because of fear of being out-casted to even shunned due to the stigmatization associated with mental illness. This stigma needs to stop.  Stigma is caused because of the lack of education, knowledge, wisdom and empathy about mental illness.

If you are someone who is suffering from depression, anxiety, or activities or lack thereof, interfering with normal activities or know someone who is; ask for help, or if someone you know is suffering or showing long periods of sadness extending more than a week, help them get help. Don’t wait. Talk to them and by all means listen to them.  Often an empathetic and caring ear can go a very long way.  There are many resources of help. And in America, it is now affordable to seek help for mental illness. And there is no dollar amount that is too much to help someone with depression and even possibly save a life. No matter how hopeless you or someone you know may feel or think their situation is, there is hope, and there is treatment.

People often don’t get the mental health services they need because they don’t know where to start.   Talk to your primary care doctor or another health professional about mental health problems. Ask them to connect you with the right mental health services.