Depression and anxiety - who seeks help ?

Depression and anxiety are common mental-health problems and can have a substantial impact on people's functioning and quality of life. There are effective psychological and drug treatments for both these conditions but about half of the people suffering from severe depression and anxiety do not seek treatment and more than half of the people suffering from less-severe depression and anxiety do not look for help. A Finnish study of 6,005 people screened them for depression and anxiety and asked them about their use of mental-health services in the last 12 months. The researchers found 298 people with depression and 242 with anxiety disorders. Of participants with depression, anxiety or both 34%, 36 % and 59% respectively used health services. Greater severity and perceived disability, other mental-health problems and living alone predicted healthcare use for depressed people while greater perceived disability, other mental-health problems, younger age and parents' mental-health problems predicted healthcare use for people with anxiety.

Hamalainen, J. ... [et al] - Use of health services for major depressive and anxiety disorders in Finland Depression and Anxiety 25(1), 27-37