The facts

**World Health Organisation has predicted that by 2020, depression will
be the second biggest health problem worldwide, behind heart disease.

**Half a million working days are lost every month to depression in
Australia.

**One in four women and one in six men will suffer from depression at
some stage in their lives.

**Each year, almost 800,000 Australian adults will experience a
depressive illness.

**Depression is the third most common cause of illness among women
and the tenth most common cause among men.

**In 2001, Australian GPs reported depression as the fourth most
common illness that they dealt with in their practices.

**Depression is the leading cause of disability in Australia.

**Depression alone counts for more days lost to the workplace than
those lost to industrial action.

**In 2006 over 6% of Australia's population contemplated the thought
of suicide, resulting in over 2450 reported suicides.

**An average of 6 Australians commits suicide each day. Many suicides
remain unreported.

**Queensland has a significantly higher suicide and attempted suicide rate than the national rate.

**The highest rates are evident in young people, particularly young men; Indigenous populations; older people, particularly older males and older people from culturally and linguistically diverse populations; people with a mental illness; people in custody, including those in the youth justice system and same sex attracted people.

**In Queensland, it is recognised that there are specific issues in relation to an individual’s ease of access to the service system that affect outcomes.

Sources: Beyond Blue, Sane Australia, DepressioNet, The Courier-Mail, The Queensland Government: Suicide Prevention Strategy 2003 – 2008: Reducing Suicide

*Lifeline Brisbane: Raising awareness of the illness of depression in the community*