Depression Facts

Depression is mental illness that ranges in severity and impacts millions of Americans. Knowledge is always powerful for patients and the public, and this is especially true with mental illnesses like depression.

Who Is Afflicted With Depression?

According to the Washington University School of Medicine, 17.5 million Americans are diagnosed with depression and of these people, 9.2 million have what is referred to as clinical or major depression. This is not a rare disease nor is it a minor affliction that someone can just snap out of. It is a real medical condition that almost always requires some form of medical treatment to control and overcome.

Older Adults, Suicide and Depression

In 2004, 16 percent of suicide victims in the United States were those over the age of 65, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Of these patients, as many as 75 percent saw a physician within a month of committing suicide. Depression is often present in people over 65 who commit suicide. More...yahoo health