Another reason to have the blues: According to a major study by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), women are the most likely to have depression. “Women between 40 and 59 years old had the highest rates of depression,” TIME reports. “While the survey did not delve into the possible reasons for depression, other studies suggest that for many women in this age group, the pressures of balancing work and family responsibilities, including children as well as aging parents, may lead to added mental health burdens.”
The study also notes that, “Persons living below the poverty level were nearly 2½ times more likely to have depression than those at or above the poverty level.” TIME adds that “this trend applied regardless of race or ethnicity.”
What’s worse is that most of those who do have depression aren’t seeking help. The study found that nearly 8 percent of Americans over the age of 12 had depression, but only around a third of those with severe symptoms had talked to a mental health professional in the past year.
For more on depression and treatment, visit the National Institute of Mental Health.
