Self-help program
1. WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Watch the video about depression and recovery (4:17) "I had a black dog, its name was depression" (WHO, translation Finnish Mental Health Association).
Depression is classified according to the duration and severity of symptoms into:
- mild depression
- moderate depression
- severe depression
It’s important to recognize the condition early so treatment can be started in time. If depression becomes prolonged, your ability to function and quality of life decline. Recovery also becomes more difficult.
Depression affects people of all ages, from children to adults. Below you can see statistics on the prevalence of depression.
Depression affects
- among preschool-aged children: 0.5–1%, and among primary school-aged children: about 2%
- among adolescents: about 15–20%
- among adults: about 5% at any given time, and 20% at some point in their lifetime
- among older adults: 12%
- seasonal depression occurring during the dark winter period affects 1% of the population
- postpartum depression is experienced by 10–15%
In the video (1:43), people who have experienced depression talk about what kinds of thoughts have given them hope for recovery and have helped them treat their feelings with more compassion.