Speaking on National Depression Screening Day, health officials warned yesterday that depression ranks among the world's top three illnesses but lacks sufficient public awareness.
Health experts say the stress of a hectic society has taken its toll worldwide. According to Chiu Shu-shih (邱淑媞), director of the Department of Health for the Taipei City Government, depression disorders rank among the top three illnesses facing modern society, along with cancer and AIDS.
"Depression is an illness that can affect anyone at any age," Darcy Hu (
Hu, who has recovered from a depression disorder, provided public testimony to help raise awareness and to support the campaign for the "common threat of mental illness."
Sponsors of National Depression Screening Day held a press conference yesterday to promote an understanding of depression-related illnesses.
Into its second year, the annual National Depression Screening Day was designed by the Department of Health under the Taipei City Government, the Department of Health under the Kaohsiung City Government, the John Tung Foundation (董氏基金會) and 7-Eleven to call attention to the illness and educate the public about its symptoms and effective treatments.
National Depression Screening Day is scheduled on the second Saturday of every October.
"Depression is an illness with a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms," Chiu said. Often, she said, depression is widely misunderstood by the public because it is difficult to recognize and understand. She said misconceptions about depression have led many people to incorrectly conclude that, "someone is just having a bad day."
According to Hu, the common symptoms of depression include difficulty getting sleep, agitation and restlessness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, the withdrawal from social gatherings and an inability to concentrate. In severe depression, which Hu experienced, the symptoms may also include ideas of suicide, abnormal eating patterns and delusions or hallucinations.
"Occasional feelings of sadness are a normal part of life," said Vivian Yeh (葉雅馨), section chief of mental health at the John Tung Foundation. "But if such feelings and other symptoms stay on for more than two weeks, it is possible that these individuals are suffering from a depression disorder."
Based on nationwide hospital statistics released last year, she added, there were approximately 50,000 people in Taiwan, or 3 percent of Taiwan's total population, diagnosed as having a depression disorder.
However, even when people are diagnosed as having a depression disorder, they are often reluctant to receive treatment, Hu said. People often deny their illness and refuse treatment because they regard mental illness as a personal failure.
"Depression disorder is not a personal failure," emphasized Yeh Ching-chuan (
Chiu also stressed that depression disorder is a clinical illness. Besides regular psychological therapy, one must receive medical treatment from a psychiatrist to overcome depression successfully, Chiu said.
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