By 2020, it is estimated that depression will be the second biggest cause of morbidity after heart ailments, as it triggers various other diseases by lowering immunity and increasing malignancy.
Unfortunately, in India, people don’t take the disease seriously and it goes untreated in almost 80-90 per cent of cases due to stigma, myths, and lack of awareness. Even though crores of rupees have been sanctioned for National Mental Health Progra-mme, the money does not reach where it should because of corruption.
According to the World Health Organisation, depression is a common disease affecting 121 million people worldwide. An estimated 75 per cent of people who commit suicide are found to be suffering from depression. With treatment, 70-80 per cent of depression cases can be cured. “Depression is the most common mental ailment after anxiety disorder afflicting around 15-20 per cent of the population,” says Dr S.R.R.Y. Srinivas, assistant professor at the Government Institute of Mental Health. “Causes are biological or genetic, psychological and social or environmental. The last could be a financial crisis, academic pressure, job stress, chronic diseases, failure in love affair, interpersonal relations etc.”
If neglected or left untreated, it increases steroid levels, which in turn reduces immunity, decreases bone mineralisation leading to osteoporosis and early arthritis. In the long run, it increases the risk of malignancy, heart attacks, and decreases the chances of recovery from chronic and cardiac ailments by 2.5 to 3.5 times.