Webster’s definition of an epidemic:
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1 : affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time <typhoid was epidemic>
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2 a : excessively prevalent b : contagious 4 <epidemic laughter>
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3 : characterized by very widespread growth or extent : of, relating to, or constituting an epidemic <the practice had reached epidemic proportions>
Webster’s definition of a pandemic:
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: occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population <pandemic malaria>
The statistics around depression, and particularly suicide are, in my opinion, at a catastrophic level. It is mind blowing to me that this is not a topic of conversation on a regular basis throughout our society.
Here are just a few of those statistics that I’m referring to:
- In 2014, the number of deaths by suicide in the US was 42,773. (CDC)
- There is one death by suicide in the US every 12.3 minutes. (CDC)
- There is one death by suicide in the world every 40 seconds. (WHO)
- For every suicide (12.3 minutes) in the US, there are 25 attempts. (CDC)
- Suicide costs the US $44 billion annually. (AFSP)
Is this not clearly an epidemic? A pandemic? And this isn’t a public topic of conversation on a regular basis????
Al Levin's Mental Health Website 