without adequate care, people with depression will continue to struggle with their symptoms, which could affect their ability to function in society. this could lead to job loss and an even more significant financial burden to carry on their shoulders.
it’s a catch-22. many people cannot afford to pay to treat their depression, but if they forgo therapy, it will worsen. when that happens, their ability to continue their daily obligations wavers, leading to worsened symptoms and an even more immense strain on them and society.
social impact of depression on relationships, crime rates, substance abuse
destroying the stigma surrounding depression continues to be an uphill battle. roughly 75 per cent of people with a mental illness are still reluctant to discuss their mental health status with their employer, fearing it will affect their job status. when compared to physical conditions, people are three times less likely to disclose depression because of the stigma that surrounds the disease. fear of being judged, treated differently, or seen as less than others is why people are wary about sharing their mental health status.
while that unfortunate statistic affects people with depression negatively, it is offset by the fact that 76 per cent of people from the same questionnaire would respond positively to someone who spoke about their mental health status openly. while this is a good sign that people are becoming more educated about depression, it still shows there’s a long way to go before people feel safe discussing it with specific communities.
according to
public safety canada
, one in five people in contact with police in 2011-2012 had a mental health disorder. while people with depression aren’t simply more likely to be criminals, statistics show that people with mental illnesses are more likely to get arrested at a rate of 12.5 per cent compared to 2.8 per cent without a disorder.
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