Depression

The World Health Organization (WHO), on the occasion of World Health Day 2017 dedicated to the topic of depression, defined it as:

“a disorder characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest in usually enjoyable activities, accompanied by difficulty in performing daily activities, lasting for at least two weeks. People with depression generally also exhibit many of the following symptoms: loss of energy, changes in appetite, increased or decreased sleep, anxietyAnxiety is an emotional response characterized by feelings o... More, decreased concentration, indecision, restlessness, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, despair, self-harm or suicidal thoughts.”

More precisely, the psychiatric condition or mood disorder, to be distinguished from shorter-lasting moods, is called major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, or major depression.

In Italy, depression affects 12% of the population. It is estimated that 4% of young people aged 15 to 19 suffer from it. These are numbers of an emergency that can no longer wait. Adolescents need help. #BeforeItsTooLate
Call or send an SMS to 45581. pic.twitter.com/a5PpnL9Fg8

— Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti (@Paoletti_FND) October 9, 2024

What are the symptoms of depression?

Symptoms of depressive disorder include episodes of depressed mood, usually accompanied by low self-esteemThe term self-esteem literally refers to the evaluation of o... More and loss of interest or pleasure in activities previously considered enjoyable. These symptoms negatively affect family and work life, studies, eating habits, and sleep, as well as physical health, negatively impacting quality of life. Depressive disorder is diagnosed based on reports from the patient, relatives, or friends, and a mental status examination. Recent research has hypothesized that depressive disorder may be partly or entirely due to dysregulation of interoceptive faculties, i.e., a failure of the brain to properly assess internal signals received from the body.

Depression in Italy

According to Istat data referring to the years 2015-2017, depression is the most common mental disorder in our country. It is estimated that in Italy more than 2.8 million people (5.4% of those aged 15 and over) suffered from it during 2015, and 1.3 million (2.5%) presented symptoms of major depression in the two weeks prior to the interview.

Depressive disorder is often accompanied by severe chronic anxiety, and it is estimated that 7% of the population over 14 years old (3.7 million people) suffered from anxiety-depressive disorders during the year.

• The number of adolescents who experienced at least one episode of depression has doubled, rising from 13% to 25%
• 83% of suicide attempts among adolescents are caused by depression

Anxiety-depressive disorders are associated with social and economic disadvantage: compared with better-educated peers, they double in adults with low education levels and triple (16.6% vs. 6.3%) among the elderly.

In Italy, during the 2016/2017 school year, two-thirds of students with disabilities in schools of all levels present intellectual disabilities (over 170,000 individuals).