Bipolar Disorder Facts and Statistics

The following facts and statistics were harvested from many sources. All of them relate to the mental disorders bipolar illness and clinical (major) depression. Sadly, you will find suicide results way too often. Impacts of mood disorders on our society are also included here. Best practices are followed to ensure timeliness, accuracy and relevance. You will find this free info - these facts and statistics - interesting, and many both alarming and chilling. Bipolar disorder increases suicide risk by 15X more than that of the general  population 230 Antidepressants are prescribed second only to analgesics (painkillers)54 Suicide is complex yet preventable 201 Major Depression is the leading cause of disability for ages 15-44 205 Asthma is worse in children suffering major depression188 The brain's control of thoughts and emotions is found in its Frontal Lobe (cerebrum or fore-brain), and its associated nerve endings require a proper balance of neurotransmitters for healthy nerve function and resultant cognition and mood levels.77,78 33% of suicides leave notes: most say hoplessness is the main reason 206 1-in-4 people are affected by mental illnesses at some point in life61 Major depression affects 7% of the American adult population204 Home foreclosures plunge many people into major depression197 The U.S. has only 50,000 psychiatrists, far too few for those who need help; nearly 50% are over 55 years old; many will soon retire155 Even the stress of positive events like graduation, marriage and new employment can cause depression166 Nearly 1 million Americans attempted suicide last year107 30% of substance abusers also suffer from depression181 In 2010, U.S. gun deaths by suicide (19,392) exceeded gun deaths by homicide (11,078)106 30% of women are depressed56 Depressed people are 5X as likely to suffer breathing-related sleep disorders 183  Bipolar Disorder (manic-depression) tends to run in families 173 Depressions in American adults (26%) are the most common mental illnesses129 1.5% of the worldwide population has bipolar disorder115 Depressive disorders affect over 19 million Americans203 41 % of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help for depression55 54% of people falsely believe depression is a personal weakness74 FDA 2009: Suicide risk in those under 25 increases with antdepresssants199 There are an average of 6 survivors per suicide151 The rate of increase of depression among children is 23% annually67 Between 1987-2007 the number of individuals receiving disability for mental illnesses doubled125 Risk factors for depression include family history, conflicts with others, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), drug side-effects, death, los, major or chronic illness158 Writers are 2X as likely to commit suicide than the general population91 Depressives experience cognitive impairment on less-sunny days190 83% of bipolar cases are severe1 Depressed women are more likely to give birth early 179 Friends and family left behind a suicide are 3X more likely to commit suicide themselves150 Depressed pregnant women's depression is helped by eating Omega-3-rich seafood 180 More U.S. troops commit suicide than are killed in action94 Kindergarteners' depressions worsen over time 191 Bipolar disorder is the 3rd highest reason for doctor visits, 2nd highest reason for hospital ER visits64 Over 20 million people in the U.S. suffer depression in a given year159 Nearly 7 million Americans suffer Bipolar I Disorder109 1 in 4 Americans will suffer depression in their lifetimes201 More than 10 million Americans suffer Bipolar II Disorder110 Postpartum depression affects 10% of new mothers 163 A suicide survivor is 3X more likely to later complete the act of suicide156 Depression is the #1 reason for workplace absenteeism59 Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 10 to 24 year old youth116 Depression is the leading cause of mental illness in established market economies184 U.S. military suicides committed with guns 60%, by hanging 20%97 Medical expenses are the #1 reason for personal bankruptcy (62%)65 NIH reports 6% of children suffer from depression; 4% have major depression186 Bipolar disorder is the 4th-highest reason for SSA disability awards62 After mid-life, men's testosterone decrease increases risk of depression167 Suicide eclipses auto accidents as leading cause of injury death in U.S.A.95 Depressed individuals are at risk for low bone mineral density; women are especially at risk for osteoporosis176 From 2000 - 2010 the number of U.S. suicides rose from 29,350 to 38,364 (31%)108 Bipolar mania is usually followed by bipolar major (clinical) depression34 Most U.S. military members who failed to communicate their potential for self-harm resulted in 76% suicides, 74% suicide attempts98 90% of suicides result from clinical depression19 WHO: Depression prevalence will be 2nd to AIDS/HIV by 2030 192 Depression patients can develop agorophobia (fear of public places) 164 From 2007 to 2012, the U.S. suicide rate has increased from 10 per 100,000 to 12 per 100,00092 58% of caregivers for elderly relatives suffer manifest major depression 200  There were 38,364 reported American suicides in 2010152 Major (clinical) depression affects 14 million adults2 Pre-schoolers are the fastest-growing market for anti-depressants; 4% of them are clinically depressed68 55% of U.S. military suicides had no history of mental illnesses-particularly behavioral health disorder; 24% had a known history of substance abuse99 Stigma against bipolar people is fueled by the mass media, with resulting fear, derision and ignorance35  Depression worldwide ranks 4th as cause for disability 194 Depression onset average between 24-35 years of age; mean avg. 27 193 Long-term marijuana use is implicated in onset of clinical depression 172 15% of those with depression commit suicide185 17% of U.S. military suicide attempts and 15% of suicides had direct combat experience96 Self-mutilation (cutting or burning) indicates major depression168 54% of the population mistakenly believe depression is a personal weakness57 Families with a history of bipolar [disorder]...were more likely to produce creative people90 Long-term use of certain drug classes can cause depression: corticosteriods, anti-inflammatories, stimulants, broncho-dilators, acne meds, blood pressure & heart meds, oral contraceptives, anti-cancer, sleeping & anti-anxiety 178 Depression appears as 4 changes: mood, thought, physical, behavioral 182  Older people are more likely to suffer depression than are young people169 Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.153 Diseases connected with major depression include thyroid, heart, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic pain 195 Serotonin resides in the central nervous system neurons, and it regulates appetite, sleep, memory, learning, temperature, mood, behavior, and muscle contraction86 Antidepressants most-used medication by 22% of U.S. military suicide victims100 45% of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for 2 or more disorders118 92% of depressed African-Americans do not seek treatment76 Depressed people get colds more frequently than others do160 104 Job loss and demotion correlate with 21% of U.S. military suicides and 31% of suicide attempts104 The mentally ill were said to have had devils or evil spirits during the Middle Ages170 Depression is the most troublesome result of having Parkinson's disease 196 Depression sufferers are more likely than others to have heart attacks187 57.6 million (26.2%) American adults suffer from diagnosable mental illnesses in a given year117 Home foreclosures force many homeowners into depression-are a health crisis197 Depressed folks are 20% more likely to have traffic accidents3 First U.S. mental asylum opened in 1773 in Williamsburg, Virginia161 Depression often accompanies anorexia nervosa, bullimia and binge eating 165 There were 12.2 suicides per 100,000 people in the U.S. - the highest rate of suicide in 15 years154 Psychiatrist Sigmund Freud correctly postulated that depression was "anger turned against oneself"171 Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) form of depression relates to season/light levels, is 4X more common in women than men 174  80% of those who visit doctors are depressed60 80% of depressed people are not receiving treatment162 Antidepressants most-used medication in U.S. military suicide attempts105 Violence is not a symptom of bipolar disorder; it can only become so if one is using drugs or alcohol4 Asthmatic children with depression suffer more than other asthmatics188 200,000 people with bipolar disorder are homeless5 18.9 million adults (18+) have mood disorders6 Depression aggravates rheumatoid arthritis inflammmation189 Average video gamers are depressed 35-year-old males, overweight and introverted198 20.9 Americans (9.5%) have a mood disorder119 U.S. military service members: suicide rate 55% higher for those who are divorced103 Average age of American bipolar disorder onset is 25 years old41 Depression occurs in 1-in-33 children & 1-in-8 in teenagers 175 Suicides are most prevalent in the Management and the Sales-related job occupations 200 Anxiety disorders (75%) and ADHD often accompany bipolar disorder42 10% of the U.S. population are taking antidepressants7 17% of U.S. military suicides received behavioral health services within a month before committing the act101 Major depressive disorder affects 14.8 million (6.7%) American adults120 Many studies show a strong correlation between bipolar disorder and creative individuals in the Arts84 80% of depressed people receive no treatment75    33% of those with bipolar disorder will either attempt or complete the act of suicide61 Bipolar relapse rate 80% within 2 years without meds; 40% with meds44 Bipolar suicide rate is 50% higher than the general population45 Following U.S. Military outpatient behavioral health treatments, suicide attempts were 61% and completed suicides were 40%102 For individuals ages 15-44, clinical depression is the #1 cause of disability8 Except for side effects, 90% of bipolar patients are satisfied with their meds9 Mood disorder patients are more likely to be obese, smoke and have heart disease128 Men have an increased likelihood of suicide if someone at their workplace commits suicide135 SSRI antidepressants (e.g., Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) pose serious risks of suicide, violence, psychosis, internal bleeding and brain tumors70 Mental illnesses are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada121 Adults who earned high or top school grades are 4X more likely to develop bipolar disorder than their peers113 Students who studied music or literature were at highest risk for bipolar disorder114 Post-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has an 80% long-term relapse rate71 3.4 million children and adolescents suffer bipolar disorder10 Major depressive disorder is the leading cause for disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44122 90% of those who attempt suicide and get good treatment never make another attempt134 Only 49% of bipolar individuals receive treatment11 37% of bipolar people either don't know of or ignore their disorder12 80% of those with bipolar disorder have at least one bipolar family member13 Bipolar disorder affects all equally: gender, race, nationality, religion14 Men exposed to suicide in their families are 8X as likely to commit suicide133 Mania may improve intellectual and academic performance111 Over 25% of Americans suffer mental illnesses in any given year123 Bipolar Disorder is not the result of flawed character or personality15 It requires an average of 10 years and 4 doctors to obtain an accurate bipolar diagnosis16 The bipolar suicide rate is 60X higher than that of the general public93 Bipolar disorder affects males and females equally17 20% of American adults take psychiatric drugs - a 22% increase since 2001127 50% of bipolar folks abuse drugs and/or alcohol18 Following the first bipolar episode is a 90% chance of reccurrence20 Bipolar patients are 2X more likely to commit suicide than depression patients21 Between 1987 and 2007 Americans receiving disability for mental illneses doubled126 90% of marriages with one bipolar spouse end up in divorce22 Divorce is the #4 reason for personal bankruptcy66 Bipolar I mania can demonstrate psychosis-a break with reality where thinking is affected along with mood82 66% of bipolar manic episodes exhibit irritability, anger and sometimes depression23 In 2011, 1 in 5 Americans had a mental health issue207 One in 20 Americans lives with serious mental illness 209 In 2011, 1 of 10 young people experienced a major depressive episode 208 A typical bipolar individual will experience as many as 10 bipolar episodes over a lifetime63 Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., more than double the number of homicides 210 50% of mental disorders' symptoms emerge before a person turns 14 years of age 212 Untreated major depression lasts from 2 weeks to over 6 months81 75% of mental disorders manifest themselves before a person tirns 24 years old 213 450 million people worldwide had mental illnesses or behavioral disorders in 2002124 90 million of the worldwide census of people with mental illnesses were also drug or alcohol-dependent  126 Very young children exhibiting signs of mental illness are usually diagnosable; the causes are combined biological, social and psychological factors 211 Bipolar disorder is more common in high achievers [than the general population]112 < 20% of diagnosable children-adolescents with mood disorders receive needed treatment 214 10% of bipolar disorder patients have onset of symptoms in their 40s-50s24 A mentally ill person is no more violent than anyone else 215 Bipolar individuals' average bipolar episodes last 3 - 6 months87 The mentally ill are 10X more likely to become victims of violence than are the general population 216 Bipolar disorder mania and depression result from neurotransmitter excess and paucity, respectively25 More than 66% of bipolar folks have one or more relatives with bipolar disorder or clinical depression26 Mentally ill persons can usually withstand workplace stress 217 A child's risk of having bipolar disorder is 30% if one parent has bipolar disorder, 75% if two parents suffer the disorder27 One in five bipolar persons commits suicide28 Properly-treated mentally ill employees have lower medical costs, increased productivity, lower absenteeism and decreased disability costs than others 218 Bipolar disorder has a high rate of under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis88 Worldwide, 25 million people suffer schizophrenia, 150 million major depression127 People with bipolar disorder live 9.2 years less than the average 78 years29 Mental patients do not lack chacter, nor are thy weak or lazy 219 Bipolar patients often have difficulty maintaining relationships85 Treatment services and community support resources are growing in number and they work 221 Bipolar disorder is the 6th leading reason for disability worldwide30 Treatment for the mentally ill include medication, therapy, or both 222 Bipolar disorder in young and early adult persons usually begins as clinical depression and is therefore misdiagnosed as clinical depression79 The mentally ill can get better and sometimes recover completely 220 Depression is increasingly being linked to the manifestation of osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, eye diseases, back pain and some cancers73 Causes of bipolar disorder are genetic, biological or environmental, or a combination of them31 Only 38% of mentally ill adults receive treatment 223 50% of bipolar individuals abuse drugs and alcohol50 Two-thirds of nursing home residents have mental illnesses130 Diagnosed patients with bipolar suffer widespread social stigma, stereotyping and prejudice89 Between 1987-2007 Americans receiving mental health disability doubled123 Bipolar disorder controls thoughts, moods, emotions32 Physical health problems are inextricably linked to mental illnesses132 Unemployment is 50% greater for bipolar persons than the national average64 Antidepressants work for only 35% of depressed people72 Hypomania feels good and can last from a few days to several years83 69% of bipolar patients are mis-diagnosed at leased 3.5 times43 Rates of reported lifetime diagnosis of depression was 16.1% in 2008131 50% of bipolar adults take meds improperly or not at all because mania feels so good, "why take my meds?"49 Untreated persons with bipolar disorder will suffer some loss of brain tissue and lowered IQs33 Clinical Depression will become the largest killer (behind heart disease) by the year 202069 Most bipolar disorder sufferers experience an unbridled search for pleasure via drugs, alcohol and sex36 14.8 million Americans suffer major depression157 Bipolar disorder skews observation, thinking, emotions and behaviors beyond the normal range of human cognition and experience37 Manic-depression destroys volition38 Manic behavior is illogical and uninhibited39 Manic behavior is reckless and fearless of danger40 35% of bipolar people are obese46 Bipolar people are 3 times more likely to have diabetes than the general population47 Bipolar folks are 2X as likely to die of heart disease, diabetes, stroke48 American lifetime risk of having bipolar disorder 3% - 10%51 10 million Americans will have bipolar disorder during their lifetimes52 5.7 million (2.6% of) Americans have bipolar disorder53 2.4% of the world population has bipolar disorder140 Less than 50% of the planet's bipolar population receives any treatment142 450 million people around the world had mental illnesses or behavioral disorders in 2002 More than 33% of world's Bipolar Disorder people have substance abuse disorders150 30 million people around the world have bipolar disorder136 One million people commit suicide each year worldwide226 2% of Europeans will have Bipolar Disorder in their lifetimes - 50% of them will suffer Bipolar I Disorder137 60% of U.S. gun deaths are suicides157 Mental illnesses are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada141 Worldwide, suicide account for more deaths than wars and murders combined227 75% of the earth's Bipolar population will also manifest co-morbidity - with one or more anxiety disorders144 American baby boomers'(1946-1964) mid-life suicides up 30% between Y2k - 2010202 Bipolar disorder affects all of the world equally: gender, race, nationality, religion146  90 million people in the the world census of people with mental illnesses were also drug or alcohol-dependent145  Worldwide, 25 million people suffer schizophrenia, 150 million major depression147 Bipolar disorder is the 6th leading reason for disability across the world148 Only 25.2% of the planet's impoverished mood-disorder sufferers contact mental health system142 Worldwide mood disorder severity and impairment is greater during a depressive episode (74%) than during a manic episode (51%) Bipolar Disorder and Major Depression sufferers worldwide exhibit a greater loss of disability years than either all cancers -or- neurological conditions like epilepsy and Alzheimer's disorder140  Despite mood disorder prevalence differences among countries, the severity, impact and patterns of co-morbidity are remarkably similar149 5% of the world's population attempts suicide at least once during their lifetimes228                     *                              *                           * 1,6,7,26,27,41,42,44,56,157NIMH.NIH   2Bristol-Myers Squibb   3jaredstory.com   4,45,64Pendulum.org   5DHHS   8,9,28,29,30DBSA,1999   10American Academy of Child & Adolescents, 2005   11,12,15,22,23,25,31,32bipolarcentral.com   13,14bipolarsymptoms.org   16,17dbsalliance.com   18candidaabrahamson.wordpress.com   19,20,21iamindepression.com   24bipolaradviceguide.com   33recent study   37,38,39,40DSM-IV   35,36Bipolar Stigma   43Bipolar-lives.com   46,47,48Psychiatric Services Journal, 2009   49David Oliver   50Candida Abrahamson   51,52,53Bipolar Disorder - 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