The True Cost of Depression
Originally published:
by Lyric Wallwork Winik
Parade Magazine
Americans overwhelmingly consider mental health every bit as important as physical health for one’s wellbeing, according to a recent PARADE/Research!America poll. Nevertheless, most of us think mental illness isn’t treated with equal importance in our health-care system, and there’s ample evidence to back that up. “Today, only 20% of people with major depression get even minimally adequate treatment, and 43% aren’t being treated at all,” says Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. The costs are staggering: Mental illness causes more disability cases than any other form of illness in adults in America and accounts for well over $100 billion in lost productivity each year. Sufferers also have a higher risk of developing illnesses like heart disease and an increased risk of substance abuse and suicide. Dr. Insel notes that while the U.S. has about 18,000 homicides a year, it has more than 31,000 suicides.
In any year, nearly 10% of the U.S. population suffers from depression. “Depression has a biological basis and an environmental component,” says Dr. Douglas Jacobs, director of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health. He adds that most people respond to treatment in three to six months. Beyond drug therapies, which have vastly improved, doctors have found new ways to teach patients techniques such as “resiliency” to cope with difficult situations. So, what keeps people from seeking treatment? Often simple misdiagnosis: Many sleep problems and chronic pain actually are symptoms of depression. In other cases, it’s stigma: Ashley Judd recently revealed that she’d battled depression for years but hid her anguish. “I needed help,” said the actress. “I was in so much pain.” Another obstacle is lack of insurance. The PARADE/Reseach!America poll found that 65% of Americans “strongly agree” that mental-health services should be part of any basic health-care plan.
“These illnesses are just as real as other medical illnesses,” Dr. Insel says. “If mental illness was affecting someone I loved, I would make every effort to get medically approved treatment from him or her.”