Major depression affects approximately 15 million American adults each year. The current economic crisis may contribute to this statistic and may actually increase the amount of people struggling with depression.
A recent national survey by Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Depression is Real Coalition have found that people who are unemployed are four times as likely as those with jobs to report symptoms of mental health issues. Other key findings from this survey include the following:
– 13% of unemployed people report that they have thought of harming themselves. This is 4 times more than reported by people with full-time work.
– People who are unemployed are twice as likely to report concern with their mental health or use alcohol or drugs within the last 6 months than people working full-time.
– People with a forced change in employment are twice as likely to report symptoms consistent with severe mental illness than would be expected.
Since the unemployment rate has been around 10%, many people are struggling with all the hardships of being out of work. Financial stress affects many aspects of our lives. It can create friction in relationships and bring up feelings of guilt and despair. These days, looking for work is harder than ever. The stress of being unemployed can create or worsen feelings of depression and anxiety.
If you are feeling depressed and/or anxious, it’s important to seek treatment. Studies have shown that treatments for depression such as psychotherapy and antidepressants are effective over 80% of the time. If your economic situation is hindering you from getting help, there are low-cost options available in the community. It’s important to seek out the help you need to get your life back on track.
If you or a loved one are having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting yourself, contact Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) at 454-3521 or 911 immediately.
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