18.4 million Europeans suffer from depression

On the basis of meta-analytic techniques as well as on reanalyses of selected data sets from 17 studies including subjects from 12 European countries, it is estimated that 18.4 million Europeans aged 18 to 65 have suffered from depression in the last twelve months. The corresponding prevalence rates range between 3.1% and 10.1% (Wittchen & Jacobi, 2005). It has to be noted though that the studies assessed in these analyses applied quite different designs and methods, which hampers the comparability of their outcomes.

Depression prevalence rates vary across surveys and countries

The most recent coordinated survey of European countries, the European Survey of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD), investigated representative national samples in six European countries. The study revealed notable cross-national differences regarding affective disorders. The percentage of population with mood disorder one time in their life and in the previous 12 month shows that the lowest 12-month prevalence rate was found in Germany (3.3%) and the highest in France (6.5%) (EPREMeD). The reasons for these differences are not fully understood.

Psychological distress is a different dimension of mental health to psychiatric disorders

Depression is not a simple consequence of psychological distress but depression always has psychological distress as a symptom and consequence. It is possible to separate depressed mood as a normal human reaction to difficult life circumstances from a severe depressive disorder. The latter is characterised by deep anhedonia, the inability to perceive normal feelings, complete hopelessness and even hypochondriacal delusions or delusions of poverty and guilt.