Major Depression

Additional Facts about Major Depression:

- In the United States, depressive episodes occur twice as frequently in women than men

- Lifetime risk of major depression is 10% to 25% in women and 5% to 12% for men

- At any given time, approximately 5% to 9% of women and 2% to 3% of men suffer from major depression

- An untreated episode typically lasts 4 months or longer

- Up to 15% of individuals with major depression commit suicide and depression in the elderly is even more highly associated with suicide

- The disorder can occur at any time in a person's life, but the average age of onset is in the mid-20s (however, the trend is toward a younger age of onset)

- The disorder is 1.5 to 3 times more common in close relatives than in the general population

- About one-half people with a primary diagnosis of major depression also have an anxiety disorder