Depression is no joke, it
may have been when you told someone "go see a shrink" but the stuff is real and
very serious today.
Sad for everyone, The Star article, the members (if true), I read/heard a couple of years ago it'll be the #1 diagnosed thing by doctors by 2020?
http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/
Who is affected?
Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.
20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime.
Mental illness affects people of all ages, educational and income levels, and cultures.
Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).
How common is it?
Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.
Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.
It also doesn't help that we're blasted with crazy, stupid, violent negative images through the media (in the news in particular).