Depression is so common that it is referred to many people as the ‘common cold’ of mental illness. However, is this really true?

According to healthline.com, ‘It’s estimated that 16.2 million adults in the United States, or 6.7 percent of American adults, have had at least one major depressive episode in a given year.’ So how does Singapore compare?

Well, not so good either. The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) did a study on the general mental health state of Singapore in 2016. In it, they found that Major Depressive Disorder was one of the most common disorders in Singapore. The other two were Alcohol Abuse and a disorder we talked to you about earlier, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. So exactly how many people are beset by depression? Why is it so serious?

In 2016, the IMH found out that 57,000 men and 102,000 women were affected by this disease. This number may not seem much, but Singapore’s population is much, much smaller than most, a measly 5.8 million. In total, the number of people beset by depression is 3% of Singapore’s population, and every year, that number seems to be growing. 

And in fact, according to the World Health Organisation, Singapore had the highest rates of depression across Asia in 2015. That’s compared to bigger countries like Thailand or Indonesia, or fellow metropolises like Tokyo in Japan, or Beijing in China.

So, yeah! Depression is a really serious problem in Singapore.

In spite of this, most people in Singapore still aren’t very educated about depression in Singapore. Let’s move on and examine 10 common stigmas and misconceptions people with depression in Singapore face.

Sources:

1: https://www.imh.com.sg/uploadedFiles/Newsroom/News_Releases/SMHS%20news%20release.pdf

2. https://www.propertysoul.com/2018/03/27/singapore-not-happiest-country/