A major study published in The Lancet this week suggests that for many people depression is a more serious problem than angina, arthritis, asthma and diabetes. And for those who suffer from depression as well as these other chronic diseases, their health is concomitantly worse - because of the depression. This study took place in 60 countries across the world - suggesting that this is a universal problem. So why are so many people depressed? Have lots of people always been depressed, or is this something new? Until relatively recently depression was not really recognised as an illness and people were told to "pull themselves together". We are rather more humane now and treat this debilitating illness as we would any other - and not always with happy pills. Some people do benefit from therapy and exercise and don't need medication. But I wonder if the stresses of modern living - and I am not talking only about "executive stress", but the terrible burden of trying to put food on the table and a roof over your head when there is no work available - are not taking their toll globally. The world is a widely connected place - people in the most remote areas can see the enormous amount that the other half have - in comparison to their enormous lack. Rather than putting happy pills in the water supply perhaps we should all be trying to give back to our communities in an effort to equalise society and reduce this terrible burden of ill health.
Dr Bridget Farham, editor: https://www.bizcommunity.com