Increased levels of stress, depression and anxiety can create a sense of isolation and disconnection. The impact of this is shown in recent alarming surveys that reveal the prevalence of depression and related disorders, and drug/ alcohol abuse:

 Depression

• Depression is responsible for 70% of recorded suicides
[The Times 2007]

• 45% of people have felt depressed as a result of stress
– nearly half the population
[The Samaritans]

• 31 million prescriptions for antidepressant drugs were written in 2006
[The Times 2007]

• Two-thirds of those who are depressed never seek treatment and suffer needlessly
[allaboutdepression.com]

Depressive disorders

• Worldwide, almost 500 million people are suffering from mental disorders today, which means that one in four families have at least one member with a mental disorder at any point in time.
[WHO]

• Mental disorders account for 30 per cent of all years lived with disability; and depressive disorders are the fourth leading cause of disease and disability, such disorders are projected to rise to the second leading cause by 2020
[WHO]

• Mental disorders are on the increase; they account for 12 per cent of all disease and are projected to rise to 15 per cent by 2020.
[WHO]

Drug and alcohol abuse

• The government estimates the annual cost of drug-related crime is £16 billion, more than the entire Home Office budget.
[Transform www.tdpf.org.uk]

• Up to 22,000 deaths each year are associated with alcohol misuse, up to 17 million working days are lost annually due to alcohol related absence, and overall, it is estimated that the costs of alcohol misuse are around £20 billion a year.
Mike Kelly, HDA director [NICE]