Depression Survey: You’re Not Alone

I was compensated by Med-IQ through a grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. and Lundbeck to write about depression awareness. All my opinions are my own. 

Touched By Depression

Just before Thanksgiving, I shared about my struggle with depression, and what I did to find help. If you missed that, you can read about it here.

I also encouraged readers to take a survey by Med-IQ, an accredited company that provides continuing education courses for healthcare professionals. The questionnaire served as a tool to determine whether someone might be suffering from depression and what treatment options are available.

Thank you to all who took the survey! The number of responses far surpassed our goals, and I wanted to share the results gleaned from the almost 4,000 completed.

What Was Learned?

•  87% of respondents were between the ages of 25 and 45
•  71% reported having a bachelor’s degree or higher
•  Nearly 67% completed the survey because they think they might have depression

The most common symptoms reported:

   +  81% reported a loss of energy
   +  80% reported irritability
   +  74% reported difficulty thinking or making decisions
   +  73% reported feelings of hopelessness

The least common symptoms reported:

   +  24.6% reported suicidal thoughts
   +  42.3% reported physical aches and pains
   +  45.6% reported changes in appetite

In terms of understanding contributing factors for depression:

98% agreed with the statement that depression is caused by a combination of factors including genetics and life circumstances

74% agreed they are likely to have depression if at least one parent has been depressed

Another interesting insight was that almost 95% of the respondents viewed exercise as treatment for depression, and 87% viewed cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment.

Why Take the Survey (Again)?

•  The process takes less than 10 minutes.
•  Find out how you compare to the data gleaned from the first survey.
•  As before, Med-IQ is giving away 10 $100 VISA gift cards!

As I mentioned last time, I was eager to work with Med-IQ not only because of their qualifications, but also due to their desire to help inform the public about depression, and how to recognize, treat, and prevent something that plagues so many in society.

If you missed the first survey, I encourage you to take this one by clicking the button below. If you took the first version, please consider taking this second survey as this version is slightly different.

To be entered to win one of 10 $100 VISA gift cards, once you’ve completed the survey, send an email indicating this to surveydepression@gmail.com. This is in order to distribute the gift cards — your email will not be given to Med-IQ or sold to third parties.

Again, many thanks to those that took the survey — either this time or last. Depression is something so many suffer from, but so few ever do anything about. You owe it to yourself and your family to find out whether you could benefit from treatment and get back to living the life you want.

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Resources

General Information on Depression
CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
DBSA (Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance)

Depression in Men
Men’s Mental Health Treatments CDC
Men and Depression NIMH
Male Depression: Understanding the Issues Mayo Clinic

Depression in the LGBTQ Community
LGBTQ Community NAMI
Gay and Bisexual Men CDC
LGBTQ Youth CDC

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they are not intended and should not be construed as legal or medical advice nor are they endorsements of any healthcare provider or practice. Med-IQ bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.