Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration. These problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairments in an individual's ability to take care of his or her everyday responsibilities. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide, a tragic fatality associated with the loss of 1 million lives per year. Depression is projected to become the leading cause of disability and the 2 nd leading contributor to the global burden of disease by the year 2020.
Depression occurs in persons of all genders, ages, and backgrounds.
Facts Depression is common, affecting about 340 million people worldwide. Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Depression can be reliably diagnosed and treated in primary care.