Girl Behind the Fence: Depression

Book excerpt: You no longer have to beone of over 300 million people struggling with depression. Depression affects over 18 million adults in the United States alone, and over 300 million worldwide. Yet many people are too embarrassed to seek help, tell themselves they are over-reacting, or don't know that depression is considered a serious medical disorder of the brain. In fact, under the umbrella of depression there are also other diagnoses such as: bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health shared these shocking statistics: Because of depression, workers miss a combined total of 490 million work days per year which causes a combined annual economic loss for businesses of over $100 billion. Bipolar Disorder affects 6.3 million people in the United States alone. Depression is the leading cause of suicide - with one person dying by suicide every 13 minutes. Postpartum Depression affects 15% of new mothers within a month of delivering their baby. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)affects 8 million adults each year. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death with an average of 1,400,000 suicide attempts each year which is an average of 3,600 people attempting to end their life each day. The World Health Organization (WHO) rates severe depression in the same disability category as terminal cancer, stating that depression is the # 1 cause of disability for ages 15 - 44. While it's important to understand that everybody feels down at times, if your "down days" interrupt yourself-care, relationships, or career, you are likely depressed. The more you answer "yes" to the included questionnaire, the more likely you could be clinically diagnosed with depression. Therefore, inside of this book are the stories of women from around the world who have struggled with depression, just like you. Their personal stories, tips, and tools may be just what you need to help conquer the "down days".