Mental illnesses are more prevalent than most Americans know. Unfortunately there is a negative stigma associated with mental illnesses which leads to people being underdiagnosed and not treated. Depression is the number one mental illness in the world with an estimated 350 million people living with it worldwide and about 1 million people committing suicide every year because of it. It is one of the largest health concerns of today. Depression is a vast problem that goes undertreated because people feel embarrassed to seek help due to the negative stigma. They continue to live with the symptoms of hopelessness, sleep deprivation, difficulty focusing and social withdrawal. Depression is often associated with other conditions as well such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. The scale of the problem is huge, but there is hope; up to 90% of people find themselves feeling better with treatment in just a few weeks.

Key Points:

• At least 350 million people are living with depression.
• 80-90% of people seek treatment find themselves getting better from depression in just weeks.
• Some common signs and symptoms of depression are loss of interest, sleep deprivation, social withdrawal, and change in appetite.