A recent report by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association shows a troubling trend:
Depression diagnoses are on the rise. A 33% increase over 3 years appears to be bad news, but Bruce Y. Lee, Associate Professor of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School or Public Health, has an interesting take on the data.
Rising depression rates may be due to:
- Society
- Social media
- Social isolation
Lee points out that the report only takes into account those who were diagnosed with depression, not those who actually had major depression. Many with major depression never seek help, so these increasing numbers may indicate that more people are getting the assistance they need.
There’s no doubt it can be difficult to seek help when depressed. Many people avoid going to healthcare professionals because they worry about the side effects associated with standard depression treatments.
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. Reports like this one from Blue Cross Blue Shield raise awareness for the wide reach of depression. Awareness is the first step in finding hope. If you are struggling with depression, you don’t have to fight it alone!