As many as one in 33 children and one in eight adolescents may have depression. The suicide rate in young people has increased dramatically in recent years. In 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, suicide was the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds. Fifty to 75 percent of youth in juvenile justice facilities have a diagnosable mental disorder. Mental Health Matters to the Workplace n Seventy percent of people who use illicit substance are employed.
Depression ranks among the top three workplace problems following only family crisis and stress.
Major depression is the second leading cause of disability in the US and worldwide. Mental Health Matters to Healthcare n Up to half of all visits to primary care physicians are due to conditions caused or exacerbated by mental or emotional problems. Nearly two thirds of all people with diagnosable mental disorders do not seek treatment. Depression greatly increases the risk of developing heart disease. People with depression are more than four times as likely to have a heart attack than those without a history of the illness.