Lead: Depression, this invisible killer lurking in the hearts of countless people, has been unleashed in our country in recent years like a released demon, showing an astonishing trend of increasing incidence. This psychological illness silently erodes the hearts of individuals, bringing enormous pressure and challenges to both individuals and society.
According to authoritative statistics, in the past 30 years, the incidence of depression in our country has increased by 10 to 20 times, a number that is truly alarming.
Today, depression has quietly risen to become the fourth most menacing disease threatening national health, following only cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and cerebrovascular diseases. However, compared to the widespread awareness and attention given to these physical illnesses, depression is often overlooked and misunderstood.
Behind this lies a severe lack of national awareness of depression. Due to the long-term neglect and biases towards mental illnesses, many people lack sufficient understanding and knowledge of depression. Statistics show that the current recognition rate of depression is less than 20%, meaning that most patients fail to receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
What is more worrying is that many people hold biases and misunderstandings towards individuals with depression. They often simplistically view depression as melodramatic or emotional issues, ignoring the serious harm it brings.
This attitude not only exacerbates the psychological burden of patients but also may lead to more misunderstanding and rejection when seeking help.
Is depression a problem in the brain?
Depression, a complex mental illness, often leads people to mistakenly believe that it is caused by brain dysfunction. However, this understanding is one-sided and incorrect.
In reality, depression is not caused by the brain “having a problem” but rather by the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, abnormal hormone levels, and a combination of various factors such as an individual’s living environment, psychological stress, among others.
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