11 Facts About Depression

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1. Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. Symptoms of a depressive episode can include: loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, change in weight, difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, energy loss, feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of death or suicide.^[“Understand the Facts: Depression.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Accessed May 22, 2019.]
2. 21 million adults in the United States have had at least one major depressive episode (8.4% of all US adults).^ ["Prevalence of Major Depressive Episode Among Adults." National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed January 25, 2023.]
3. Personal or family history of depression, major life changes, trauma, stress, and certain medications can contribute to a higher risk of developing depression.^[“Depression: Overview.” National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed May 22, 2019.]
4. 4.1 million adolescents in the United States have had at least one major depressive episode (17% of the US population aged 12 to 17).^[“Statistics: Major Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed January 25, 2023.]
5. Anxiety and depression disorders are closely related. Nearly 50% of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.^[“Facts and Statistics.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Accessed May 22, 2019.]
6. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States among people between the ages of 15 and 44.^[“Understand the Facts: Depression.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Accessed May 22, 2019.]
7. Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression.^[“Depression in Women: Understanding the Gender Gap.” Mayo Clinic. Accessed May 22. 2019.]
8. There is no "one-size-fits-all" for treating depression, but common treatments include: antidepressant medications, traditional forms of psychotherapy, or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).^[“Depression: Overview.” National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed May 22, 2019.]
9. In 2021, an estimated 280 million people in the world experienced depression.^["Depression." World Health Organization. Accessed January 25, 2023.]
10. Depression comes in different forms, such as persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia), postpartum depression, psychotic depression, seasonal affective disorder, and major depression.^[“Depression: Overview.” National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed May 22, 2019.]
11. Depression is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.^[“Depression: Key Facts.” World Health Organization. Accessed May 22, 2019.]

Welcome to DoSomething.org, a global movement of millions of young people making positive change, online and off. The 11 facts you want are below, and the sources for the facts are at the very bottom of the page. After you learn something, Do Something. Find out how to take action here.

For crisis intervention, information, referrals, and support, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. For 24/7 crisis support at your fingertips, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting DS to 741741. Additional resources can be found at the bottom of this page.

1. It’s estimated that at least 1 in 7 children in the US has experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year.^[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Child Abuse & Neglect: Fast Facts.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/fastfact.html]
2. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse, followed by physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological abuse.^[U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. “Child Maltreatment 2018.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology /statistics-research/child-maltreatment]
3. In 2018, about 16% of children who were abused experienced more than one kind of maltreatment.^[U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. “Child Maltreatment 2018.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology /statistics-research/child-maltreatment]
4. Boys and girls experience similar rates of childhood abuse (48.6% and 51% respectively).^[The National Resource Center for Reaching Victims. “Youth Victimization Fact Sheet.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://education.victimsofcrime.org/?mdocs-file=360]
5. Rates of child abuse and neglect are 5 times higher for children in families with low socio-economic status compared to children in families with higher socio-economic status.^[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Child Abuse & Neglect: Fast Facts.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/fastfact.html]
6. Children younger than one year old are the most vulnerable to maltreatment, accounting for almost half of child fatalities from abuse in 2018.^[U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. “Child Maltreatment 2018.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology /statistics-research/child-maltreatment]
7. In 2018, 76% of child abuse perpetrators were a parent to their victim.^[U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. “Child Maltreatment 2018.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology /statistics-research/child-maltreatment]
8. In 2018, 62% of children placed in foster care were removed from their homes due to abusive neglect, totalling over 160,000 children.^[U.S. Department o fHealth and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administrationon Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau. “The AFCARS Report #26”. Accessed August 3, 2020. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport26.pdf.]
9. Children who experienced any form of violence in childhood have a 13% greater likelihood of not graduating from high school.^[World Health Organization. “Child Maltreatment.” Accessed July 31, 2020. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/child-maltreatment.]
10. Adult survivors of childhood abuse are more likely to experience mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, eating disorders, and substance use disorders.^[Cameranesi, Margherita et al. “Linking a History of Childhood Abuse to Adult Health Among Canadians: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. May 31, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6603908/.]
11. Adult survivors of childhood abuse are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors like smoking, alcohol and drug use, and unsafe sex. They’re also more likely to report overall lower health than those who haven’t experienced childhood abuse.^[Springer, Kristen et al. “The Long-term Health Outcomes of Childhood Abuse.” Journal of General Internal Medicine. October 18, 2003. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1494926/.]

Additional Resources

National Child Abuse Hotline: 24/7 at 1-800-422-4453

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 24/7 at 1-800-799−7233

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline: 24/7 at 1-800-622-4357

Crisis Text Line: 24/7 text DS to 741741