Leading mental health charity Mind comments on new research findings by the World Health Organisation which show that depression causes more damage to health compared to chronic diseases such as angina, asthma, diabetes and arthritis.
Marcus Roberts, Head of Policy at Mind said:
“The impact of depression on a person’s life can be devastating. It can have negative effects on their relationships, their finances, and their future prospects. On top of this, as today’s report confirms, it can be tremendously detrimental to a person’s health and wellbeing.”
“The treatment of depression must be given equal footing to the treatment of other conditions. While treatments for most physical health problems are readily accessible, mental health treatments such as talking therapies are limited, with some patients waiting months or even years for their first appointment with a therapist.”
“Worryingly, this report also highlights the double blow that people who experience depression and also have chronic physical health problems face. Attention is focussed on their physical symptoms at the expense of their mental health and their depression is overlooked and untreated. This is particularly concerning as people with mental health problems are more likely to develop serious health conditions and to die of them sooner than other people.”