What are the most common dangers associated with depression?

What are the most common dangers associated with depression?

The most important danger in major depression is suicide. Approximately 15% of patients with depression will commit suicide. This amounts to over 3, deaths in the United States each year. Other dangers of depression are the consequences of impairment in social and occupational functioning. Untreated depression can lead to loss of family, divorce, estrangement from friends; and in the workplace, it can lead to loss of job. When these things all happen, a person's life can go into a spiral, and result in significant impairment. Another danger of depression is the development of substance abuse. Sometimes patients who have symptoms of depression will turn to alcohol or other drugs, which will only complicate the situation. A final danger is that depressed patients often don't take care of other important health needs. For example, if a patient has a chronic illness like hypertension or diabetes, we find that, when they're depressed, they don't look after those illnesses. So, depression can really complicate a person's overall health.