Many say depressed can 'snap out' of it

Published: Oct. 6, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Order reprints
CANBERRA , Australia, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Many believe that people who are depressed can "snap out" of depression, Australian researchers say.

Kathy Griffiths of the Center for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University said the stigma attached to mental health disorders means the issue is often brushed under the carpet.

"Some 21 percent of Australian adults say they would be unwilling to work with an individual with depression, 30 percent would not vote for a politician with depression and 25 percent believe one can just 'snap out' of depression," Griffiths said.

"These public misconceptions may contribute to the decision by two-thirds of people with a mental illness not to seek professional help."

Mental health research has received little of the research dollar relative to the burden of disease it contributes, the researchers said.

"One in five Australians experience mental illness in their lifetime but the best figures to date suggest only 3 percent of total research and development funding in health is directed to mental health disorders," Helen Christensen, director of Center for Mental Health Research, said.


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Logano holds on for Nationwide win
MLB: Texas 6, Seattle 4
MLB: Atlanta 4, Colorado 1
MLB: LA Angels 10, N.Y. Yankees 6
Man charged with blasting porn soundtrack
NOAA: El Nino developing in Pacific
Weather could delay shuttle launch
fark
A kid had to be rescued from a mall escalator. You know the rescue wasn't that dramatic. When an...
Not news: Police spokesman sends out mugshot to a TV station. News: It was the wrong photo. Fark:...
Emergency evacuation of 747, pants before or after noxious odor spilled into cabin
Iran condemns Italy for "violent suppression of justice-seeking protesters by the Italian police"...
Only the Royals would consider Yuniesky Betancourt a 'major trade'. Second paragraph- 'Betancourt,...
Probably the most spectacularly disturbing suicide you'll read about today