Who Gets Depression?
- low estimate: 5% (Epidemiological Catchment Area)
- high estimate: 24% (National Comborbidity Study).
Depression is a GENETICALLY TRANSMITTED ILLNESS:
- in one study, the biggest predictor of the development of depression in adopted-away women was the presence of depression in the biological mother (whom they had never met);
- 50% of identical twins will develop depression if the other twin developed depression;
- this rate is 25% for fraternal twins.
- a family history of depression makes you 2-5 times more likely to develop depression yourself.
Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression.
- in any given year, about 13 % of women and 8 % of men will suffer a major depressive episode;
- why? Various theories:
- psychosocial / feminist;
- biochemical;
- hormonal.
Who else are most likely to get depressed?
- those who are widowed, separated, or divorced;
- those who have suffered a prior depressive episode;
- those who suffered a major loss, especially the death of the spouse or diagnosis with a serious illness;
- diagnosis with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, frequently leads to depression, especially following the first episode.