Depression is on the rise in the United States, and it’s affecting these groups most: women, young adults, and Black people.
Gallup, a global analytics firm based in America, discovered this finding in a national survey of 5,167 adults. The results showed that 29% of men and women have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives — up 10% since 2015. And 17% of adults currently have or are being treated for depression, a 7% increase since 2015.
“Both rates are the highest recorded by Gallup since it began measuring depression using the current form of data collection in 2015,” Dan Witters, research director of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, wrote in a statement.
Loneliness Plagues Young Adults
Despite being the most active on social media, young adults between 18 and 29 are the loneliest age group. While online audiences can forge a sense of community, viral posts, flattering comments, likes, and shares don’t always make up for poor social connections in real life.
Dr. George James, a relationship therapist and author, says scrolling through feeds can be counterproductive for young adults who are defining their lives.
“It feels like, ‘man, everybody else is living the life, and I’m not’,” he told Word In Black.
Seeing followers with new jobs and homes, fancy cars, and growing families can add pressure to an already challenging transition for young adults who, as James says, are told to go after those things post-graduation, though obtaining them is not guaranteed.