The United Nations agency is leading a campaign to end the stigmatization of this mental disorder, the first obstacle to identification and treatment.
Depression, this taboo malaise. On the occasion of World Health Day, dedicated this year to this very common mental pathology, the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching a campaign called “Let’s talk” to raise awareness about depression and put an end to it. to the silence that surrounds him.
This is not just a formula. Worldwide, 300 million people are suffering from depression, according to the latest data from the WHO. It is the leading cause of morbidity and disability in the world and it continues to grow. The prevalence of depression thus increased by more than 18% from 2005 to 2015.
“Lack of support”
Three groups that are disproportionately affected by depression, namely: adolescents and young adults, women of childbearing age (especially after childbirth) and the elderly (over 60).
“The lack of support for people with mental disorders, coupled with the fear of stigma, prevent many of them from accessing the treatment they need to lead productive and healthy lives,” the agency said. UN in a communicated.
Depression affects everyone, regardless of age, horizon, social class, country … It causes moral distress and has an impact on the ability of people to perform tasks of daily life, sometimes with disastrous consequences on family and social relations, on a personal, professional, financial level … “In the worst case, depression can lead to suicide, which is now the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds”, recalls ‘WHO.
Depression is the leading cause of morbidity and disability worldwide according to WHO @WHO https://t.co/n9Lp5ppAJb pic.twitter.com/pkYv0I0C8E
– United Nations (UN) (@ONU_fr) April 4, 2017
Reduce stigma
Thus, the agency emphasizes the need to prevent and treat depression. To do this, a better knowledge of its mechanisms is necessary, but also a reduction in the stigma associated with this disease. This is therefore the aim of the guide written by WHO and entitled “Filling the mental health gap”. “Using this guide, more than 90 countries, at all income levels, have introduced or scaled up programs to address depression and other mental disorders,” says the WHO.
Besides a better societal consideration, financial investments are necessary. Many countries have devoted few resources to this disorder. “Even in high-income countries, almost 50% of people with depression go untreated.” On average, only 3% of public health budgets are invested in mental health, with this figure varying from less than 1% in low-income countries to 5% in high-income ones.
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