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Charted: How Many People Get Depression in Their Lives?

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charting how many people get depression in the U.S.

How Many People Get Depression in Their Lives?

Depression is one of the most common mental health ailments, affecting millions of people across the world.

According to Our World in Data, one in three women and one in five men in the U.S. suffer through at least one episode of depression in their lifetime.

These charts from Our World in Data use data presented in a 2020 medical study that examine the share of people in the U.S. that have had an episode of major depression.

Measuring Depression

While most illnesses can be measured using blood tests, brain scans, and biomarkers, diagnosing depression is a bit more complex.

This study looked specifically at episodes of major depression—feeling sadness or a pronounced loss of interest for at least two weeks, along with at least five of these symptoms: fatigue, trouble concentrating, feeling excessive guilt, thoughts of death or suicide, and changes in appetite, sleep or movement.

It used data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, conducted between 2005 and 2017, and focused on three aspects:

  • Major episodes of depression recalled in the past year.
  • Recalled past major episodes of depression.
  • Previously reported, but now forgotten, major episodes of depression (recall error).

How Many People Get Depression in the U.S.?

The study found that women were more likely to have major depressive episodes than men at almost every stage of their lives.

Incidence of Depression by AgeMenWomen
18‒2515.0%24.5%
26‒3415.1%26.6%
35‒4918.7%31.1%
50‒6419.4%33.2%
65+16.9%31.2%

Over 24% of women and 15% of men in the U.S. under the age of 25 reported facing major episodes of depression. Some researchers have attributed this gap to hormonal changes and societal pressures.

Generally speaking, these shares build up over time, with an estimated one-third of women between the ages of 50 and 64 having recalled a major episode of depression at some point in their lives, alongside 19.4% of men.

That said, for those 65 years and older, the incidence rate actually declines. That’s because people who have depression are less likely to survive to an old age.

Towards a Future Without Depression

One problem with measuring depression is that, the older people get, the more they fail to recall incidents of depression they’ve reported in the past.

charting how many people remember having depression

But perhaps the biggest problem is still societal. For much of history, mental illnesses including depression have been stigmatized. As a result, getting treatment or seeking therapy was often kept under wraps.

However, a growing movement to recognize depression and the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have shined a light on the importance of mental health.

The number of adults getting treatment for depression is on the rise. However, that does not necessarily mean that more people are suffering from depression, as it could instead reflect that more people are recognizing symptoms and seeking help.

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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Misc

Charted: Cigarette Smoking’s Decline in U.S. Young Adults

Despite an uptick in 2023, cigarette smoking in young Americans has declined by more than half since its peak in 1998.

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Line chart showing the decline in cigarette smoking in U.S. young adults.

Charted: The Decline of Cigarette Smoking in U.S. Young Adults

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Today, fewer than one in five young American adults reported smoking cigarettes in the past year—with smoking having declined more than 50% from its peak.

While occasional and social smoking among young adults persists, the overall trend from 1988 to 2023 across casual and heavy smoking reveals a remarkable and sustained decline.

This graphic shows the percentage of U.S. young adults aged 19-30 who have smoked cigarettes over 12 months since 1988, based on data from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research.

Trends in Cigarette Smoking in Young Americans (1988-2023)

More than one-third (37.5%) of young adults in the U.S. smoked cigarettes in 1988, when the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research first started measuring data.

This figure has declined by almost half in 2023, with less than one-fifth (18.8%) of young adults smoking cigarettes in the last 12 months.

YearShare of U.S. young adults (age 19-30)
who have smoked cigarettes in the past 12 months
202318.8%
202217.8%
202120.3%
202021.7%
201923.1%
201823.6%
201723.4%
201624.3%
201526.2%
201427.4%
201329.9%
201230.0%
201132.1%
201033.3%
200934.3%
200834.8%
200735.3%
200636.7%
200537.4%
200437.9%
200336.7%
200238.1%
200138.5%
200039.2%
199938.6%
199839.7%
199739.3%
199638.0%
199537.3%
199437.2%
199336.7%
199236.3%
199137.1%
199036.5%
198938.0%
198837.5%

Cigarette smoking among 19 to 30 year-olds peaked in 1998 at 39.7%, and has declined steadily since then. For the 14 year period from 2004 to 2017, cigarette smoking rates declined every single year, only bumping up slightly in 2018 and now most recently in 2023 to 18.8%.

Despite the one percentage point uptick in past 12-month smoking in 2023, every measure—whether past 12-month, past 30-day, daily, or heavy use—has experienced significant decreases over both the past five and 10 years.

Daily cigarette smoking in young adults has continued to fall in 2023 to 3.6%, and only 2% of young adults reported smoking half a pack or more a day.

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While cigarette smoking has declined, vaping has surged among young adults in the United States. This graphic shows the surge in cannabis and nicotine vaping since 2017.

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