WHO report Almost ten percent of people suffer from depression

Depression costs $ 1 trillion a year
Nearly one in ten people worldwide suffer from depression or anxiety. Not only does this often cause great suffering for those affected and their relatives, but also causes huge costs. Especially because of absenteeism and lost production, as a new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows.

Depression also causes huge costs
From year to year, the news keeps telling us that depression causes billions of dollars or mental illnesses are costly. Apparently, the situation does not change for the better. A new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) concludes that depression and anxiety disorders cost the world economy up to $ 1,000 billion or $ 1 trillion each year. Reasons are in particular absenteeism and loss of production. The work, featured in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, also provides evidence that investing in mental health services is worthwhile.

According to a recent WHO report, around ten percent of people worldwide suffer from depression and anxiety. That causes huge costs. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com)

More and more people with mental illness
Almost ten percent of the world's people (615 million) suffer from depression and anxiety. The number of illnesses has been increasing for years. Experts blame wars and poverty, but also social anxiety and stress. In addition, better diagnostics could have made it easier for people to recognize illnesses. Basically, depression can occur at any age, for the first time most often between 20 and 30 years. Depression in children is also known. In Germany, the treatment is psychotherapeutic, in case of severe depressive episode in addition to medication.

Investing in better health is worthwhile
As Time reports online, every dollar invested in treating anxiety and depression leads to a four-dollar gain through better health and higher labor productivity. The British newspaper The Guardian predicted that 50 million years of work could be lost by 2030 without better health care. For the study, treatment costs and health outcomes were calculated in 36 low, middle and high income countries by 2030. The cost of better treatment is estimated at $ 147 billion. On the other hand, there is an improvement in productivity of five percent. According to the information, a better health brings additional $ 310 billion profit. "We know that therapies for depression and anxiety help - the new study shows that it makes economic sense," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. Now, ways had to be found to enable all people - irrespective of their place of residence - access to mental health services.

Public health care topic at the IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will also be addressing the issue of mental health during the Spring Summit in Washington. In the opinion of the World Bank, the subject concerns not only public health but also economic development. "We have to act now because the global economy can not afford lost productivity," said World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. Although hundreds of millions of people around the world are living with mental illness, the issue continues to be a shadowy affair. As reported by the Times, according to the WHO World's 2014 Mental Health Atlas, governments spend on average only three percent of their mental health budget. (Ad)