SHARE

33 Important Depression Statistics to Be Aware of in 2024

written by / January 6, 2022

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders. There’s a wide range of risk factors, both genetic and environmental, but there’s no strict rule to say who will suffer from it. Many people will experience a depressive episode in their lifetime. However, there’s still a stigma attached to mental disorders, and depression is no exception.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders. There’s a wide range of risk factors, both genetic and environmental, but there’s no strict rule to say who will suffer from it. Many people will experience a depressive episode in their lifetime. However, there’s still a stigma attached to mental disorders, and depression is no exception.

That’s why we decided to compile this comprehensive list of depression statistics. Hopefully, it will raise public awareness about this mental issue, especially since it can be successfully treated. Read on to find out more about depression and mental health. 

The Top 10 Depression Stats Everyone Should Know

  • In 2020, 27.8% of American adults claimed to be struggling with the symptoms of depression during the pandemic.
  • Over 300 million people suffer from depression worldwide.
  • The US is third worldwide in relation to the overall burden of depression.
  • About 15% of adults will experience depression at least once in their lives.
  • 5% of Americans suffer from seasonal depression.
  • 2.8% of Americans suffer from bipolar disorder.
  • About 50% of new mothers diagnosed with postpartum depression experienced some of the symptoms during pregnancy.
  • Treatment for depression proved effective in up to 80% of the cases within 4–6 weeks.
  • Almost 800,000 people all over the world commit suicide every year.
  • US employers lose about $100 billion every year due to depression.

COVID-19 and Depression Statistics for 2024

Depression Statistics - Featured

Here, we’ll be looking at the effects of the global pandemic on people’s mental health and instances of depression. 

1. In 2020, 27.8% of American adults claimed to be struggling with the symptoms of depression during the pandemic.  

(Medical News Today)

Prior to the pandemic, only 8.5% of adults in the United States said that they were experiencing the symptoms of depression. This means that the instances of depression more than tripled while the world was dealing with COVID-19. 

2. Toward the end of June 2020, 40% of Americans said they were experiencing mental health problems or substance abuse issues. 

(CDC)

The effects of social distancing and self-isolation were felt deeply by many people. Some turned to substances for relief, while others struggled with deteriorating mental health. 

Depression Statistics Worldwide

In this section, we’ll be looking at global statistics and facts about depression and mental health issues. 

3. Over 300 million people suffer from depression worldwide.

(World Health Organization)

This widespread mental disorder can be a serious health condition that may interfere with all aspects of life. Therefore, it’s crucial to raise awareness of this problem and help people overcome the stigma commonly attached to it.

4. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world.

(World Health Organization)

However, it’s estimated that HIV/AIDS will push it to second place by 2030.

Depression Statistics in America

Here, we’ll focus on the instances of depression in the United States. 

5. The US is third worldwide in relation to the overall burden of depression.

(U.S. News)

The WHO measures the overall burden of depression in terms of quality years of life lost due to disability or death. According to their data, China ranked number one, and India holds second place.

6. About 15% of adults will experience depression at least once in their lives.

(Verywell Mind)

Based on anxiety statistics, this is the most prevalent type of mental disorder in the US. However, depression doesn’t lag behind much.

7. About 17.3 million US adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2017.

(NIMH)

Based on these statistics on depression, this number accounted for 7.1% of the US adult population. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a major depressive episode is defined as a period of at least two weeks when someone feels depressed or shows no interest in daily activities. This will be accompanied by other symptoms related to depression, such as sleep problems, lack of concentration, or low energy levels.

8. 5% of Americans suffer from seasonal depression.

(Verywell Mind)

Women are more likely to suffer from this type of depression. Namely, depression stats show that 4 out of 5 people with this mental disorder are women. Seasonal depression is also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and it’s a type of depression that’s triggered by seasonal changes. Typically, people with SAD start experiencing depressive episodes in the fall.

9. 2.8% of Americans suffer from bipolar disorder.

(NIMH)

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is a type of depression that equally affects men and women. It’s characterized by unusual changes in mood and activity levels. As the stats indicate, 83% of people with this mental disorder show severe symptoms.

10. Psychotic depression affects about 25% of patients who are hospitalized because of depression.

(Healthline)

Psychotic depression is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. A psychotic episode will affect 1 in 13 people in the world before age 75, according to psychotic depression rates

11. About 1.5% of US adults suffer from persistent depressive disorder.

(ADAA)

Persistent depressive disorder is a type of depression that typically lasts for at least two years. On average, people develop this mental disorder at the age of 31. According to the US depression statistics, almost 40% of adults suffering from persistent depressive disorder don’t receive treatment.

Women and Depression

Depression Statistics - Women

Do women suffer more from depression than men? Here, we’ll be looking at questions like this and finding answers. 

12. Women are more likely than men to suffer from depression.

(NCHS)

In the period of 2013 to 2016, 10.4% of women had depression compared to 5.5% of men. Interestingly, the ratio of men and women with depression was similar in previous years as well.

13. About 50% of new mothers diagnosed with postpartum depression experienced some of the symptoms during pregnancy.

(Verywell Mind)

However, postpartum depression statistics show that about 50% of women with postpartum depression have never experienced a depressive episode before.

14. 10% to 15% of new mothers may experience postpartum depression within three months after giving birth.

(American Psychological Association)

This percentage accounts only for women who experience a major depressive episode. However, if we take into account minor depressive episodes as well, up to 20% of new mothers suffer from depression. Additionally, up to 80% of women experience a lighter form of postpartum depression, also known as “baby blues.” One of the more interesting depression facts is that men can also experience postpartum depression—it’s estimated that about 1 in 10 new fathers will suffer from it.

Treatment of Depression

There are many different treatments for depression out there. In this section, we will be looking at some of these treatments.  

15. Treatment for depression proved effective in up to 80% of the cases within 4–6 weeks.

(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)

The majority of patients who were treated for depression felt better within 4–6 weeks of starting their treatment. Their treatment included either medications, psychotherapy, attending support groups, or a combination of these. However, almost two-thirds of people with depression don’t get proper treatment.

16. Fewer than 50% of people with depression get adequate treatment.

(World Health Organization)

Even though the depression facts and statistics show that this mental disorder can be effectively treated, many people around the world don’t get the right treatment. In some countries, only up to 10% of the people suffering from depression are adequately treated. Some of the reasons so many people go without treatment are lack of trained health care professionals, incorrect diagnoses, and the social stigma attached to mental illness.

17. In 2017, about 35% of the US adults who had a major depressive episode didn’t get any treatment.

(NIMH)

According to mental health statistics, of those who did receive treatment, 6% were treated with medication alone. 15% received care from a professional, and the treatment for 44% was a combination of the two.

18. The rate of relapse for psychotherapy is lower than it is for medications.

(The Efficacy and Effectiveness of Psychological Treatments)

According to a Canadian study, the rate of relapse for psychotherapy was 26.5%, while for medications, it was 56.6%. Also, the drop-out rate was lower for psychotherapy (23.6%) than it was for medications (28.4%).

19. 12.7% of Americans aged 12 and older took antidepressants in the past month.

(NCHS)

According to the depression facts and stats for the 2011–2014 period, women were also twice as likely to take antidepressant medications as men. 16.5% of women took antidepressants in the past month compared with 8.6% of men.

Depression and Suicide

Depression Statistics - Suicide

Unfortunately, depressive episodes can lead to suicide. Here, we’ll be looking at suicides connected to depression. 

20. Almost 800,000 people all over the world commit suicide every year.

(World Health Organization)

Depression is a serious mental disorder that can have serious consequences. It can even lead to suicide. It’s devastating that this is the second leading cause of death in young people aged 15–29, as we can see in the WHO’s depression and suicide statistics.

21. 47,173 Americans committed suicide in 2017.

(NCHS)

Based on the National Vital Statistics Report, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. It accounted for 1.7% of total deaths in 2017.

22. About 110 Americans commit suicide every day.

(HDRF)

Additionally, the depression statistics over time have shown that about 3,500 Americans attempt to take their own life every day. Since depression is one of the leading causes of suicide, it’s vital that this mental disorder isn’t left untreated.

Depression Across Different Age Groups

In this section, we’ll look at how depression relates to age. Therefore, we tried to collect stats across different age groups, including children and teen depression statistics

23. The median age at which people develop major depressive disorder is 32.5 years.

(ADAA)

Still, major depressive disorder affects people of all ages, and there’s no strict rule to say when people can develop it.

24. In 2019, the highest rate of depression was among young adults aged 18–29.

(CDC)

This piece of information answers the question, What age group has the highest rate of depression? 21% of adults who experience depression were between the ages of 18 and 29. 18.4% were between the ages of 45 and 64, and the percentage remained the same for people over the age of 65. The lowest rate of depression among adults was found in the age group of 30–44, with a percentage of 16.8%. 

25. About 3.2% of US children aged 3–17 had depression in 2016.

(The Journal of Pediatrics)

According to their parents or caregivers, 9.7% of them had severe depressive symptoms, while about 45% had mild or moderate symptoms. Adolescent depression statistics indicate that depression was most prevalent among children aged 12–17.

26. About 7 million US adults aged 65 years and older suffer from depression.

(CDC)

Since old age brings a number of unfortunate events, such as serious illnesses and the loss of loved ones and close friends, it’s not uncommon that people aged 65 and older develop depression. This mental disorder can lead to other severe health problems and shouldn’t be ignored.

Depression and Other Health Issues

How do other health issues affect depression? Here, we’ll be exploring the relationship between health issues and mental health. 

27. Almost 50% of people suffering from depression also have an anxiety disorder.

(Verywell Mind)

Anxiety statistics on a worldwide scale show that the combination of depression and anxiety is the most prevalent mental disorder in Britain—7.8% of the population suffers from it. The relationship between these two mental disorders is rather complex since depression can make us feel anxious, but it also goes the other way around—anxiety can cause depressive feelings. Fortunately, there’s a range of effective treatments for this mix of mental disorders, including some relaxing techniques, such as yoga and meditation.

28. People with other medical conditions often suffer from depression as well.

(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)

Based on the depression rates in America, about 1 in 4 people with cancer will suffer from this mental disorder. Also, up to 27% of patients who had a stroke experience depression. Similarly, about a third of people who had a heart attack suffer from depression.

29. People suffering from depression have a 64% higher risk of developing coronary artery disease.

(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Additionally, people with coronary artery disease are 59% more likely to have another cardiovascular problem, such as a heart attack, if they also suffer from depression. These statistics on depression indicate an alarming relationship between this mental disorder and coronary artery disease. However, more research is needed to find out whether depression is, in fact, a risk factor for coronary artery disease.

Depression Costs

How much does depression cost? In this section, we’ll be looking at the direct and indirect costs of depression. 

30. US employers lose about $100 billion every year due to depression.

(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)

Lost productivity alone incurs an annual cost of $44 billion for employers in the US.

31. The annual cost of depression amounts to $210.5 billion.

(Verywell Mind)

Work absences and decreased productivity are responsible for about 48% to 50% of the economic burden caused by depression. Furthermore, depression stats in the US show that medical expenses account for about 45% to 47% of the economic costs.

The Rate of Depression in the US Across Different Demographics

What groups of people are more likely to suffer from depression? Here, we’ll focus on depression among certain demographics. 

32. People living below the poverty level were more than twice as likely to suffer from depression as those living at or above it.

(NCHS)

Between 2009 and 2012, 15.4% of people below the poverty level suffered from depression, compared to 6.2% of people living at or above the federal poverty level.

33. White adults are more likely to have a major depressive episode than black or Hispanic people.

(NIMH)

Curious about which race has the highest rate of depression? 7.9% of white adults in the US have had a major depressive episode. On the other hand, the prevalence of a major depressive episode among black adults and Hispanic adults was 5.4% in each group.

Bottom Line

Depression is a serious mental disorder that can have a range of unpleasant symptoms, from feelings of hopelessness to aching muscles and stomach pain. It typically affects the sufferer’s ability to function normally, making them unable to perform their everyday activities. This mental disorder shouldn’t be taken lightly since it can even lead to death. The rate of suicide is increasing every year, and depression can be blamed.

We hope that these alarming stats on the depression rate will help people realize that seeking professional help is the way to go. There’s a wide variety of treatment options that can effectively relieve depression’s symptoms and help people enjoy their lives again.

FAQs

What percent of the population has depression?

In 2019, 7.1% of all adults in the United States suffered from depression. This worked out to around 17.3 million people who experienced depression at that time. We may expect the numbers to rise after 2020 and the global pandemic. 

(NIMH)

What is the #1 cause of depression?

There are a number of causes of depression, so it is difficult to label one as the main cause. These causes include genetics and family history, trauma during childhood, the makeup of your brain, health issues, and drug abuse. 

(Healthline

How many people in the world suffer from depression?

Depression statistics from early 2020 show that around 264 million people throughout the world suffer from depression. 

(World Health Organization)

Sources