Depression Worldwide Doubles

The rate of depression has increased by 50% globally over the past two decades, said Dr. Ahmad Hajebi, head of the Health Ministry’s Mental and Social Health Office. “Global studies and figures show that depression, now burdening nearly 350 million in the world, has doubled in incidence over the past 23 years,” he said Sunday at a conference on the occasion of World Health Day 2017 which focuses on depression.

“Also, rates of depression and anxiety among teenagers have increased by 70% in the past quarter century.” The rate of psychological disorders in 15-64 year old Iranians is 23.6%, 12.7% of whom (6.4 million) are living with depression and 2.2% with severe depression.

In a nationwide Health Ministry survey, 67% of the population said they never sought professional assistance for depression, because they assumed it would end eventually on its own. The conference was held in Tehran attended by high-ranking officials including the health minister, his deputies, and Dr. Jihane Tawilah, WHO representative in Iran.