According to a Gallup poll, depression rates have increased

 In 2023, the percentage of Americans who reported having received a diagnosis of depression at some time in their lives hit an all-time high.

According to a recent Gallup survey released on Wednesday, slightly more Americans—29%—than in 2022—said they had received a diagnosis of depression at least once in their lifetime. At 17.8%, the percentage of Americans who said they are presently experiencing depression or receiving treatment for it reached a record high.

According to the survey, Black and Hispanic Americans' lifetime depression rates are also rising. In contrast to white respondents, who previously reported greater rates of depression, more Black and Hispanic Americans reported having received a diagnosis of depression.

According to the latest survey, since 2017, more women than men have reported getting a diagnosis of depression at least once. In 2023, 20.4 percent of males and more than one-third of women said they had received a diagnosis of depression at some time in their lives.

The two demographics with the greatest reported prevalence of depression either being present or receiving therapy are women and all individuals between the ages of 18 and 29. Nearly 24% of women and 24.6 % of individuals between the ages of 18 and 29 reported having or receiving treatment for depression, respectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic was identified in the research as a factor in the rise in depression rates among women and young people since 2017 and discovered that women were more likely to lose their employment while the pandemic was ongoing and more likely to work in the medical industry. According to the survey, young individuals were more likely to feel lonely during the epidemic, which may have an impact on their mental health.

The poll's consequences include that young individuals are more likely to be single and to experience loneliness, especially during the epidemic. They also require more social interaction to improve their mood than older individuals do, which is a direct result of COVID-19. The prevalence of daily feelings of melancholy, anxiety, and anger—all of which are closely associated with depression—is highest in those under 30 and in people with a lower income.

As part of the Gallup Panel, which is a panel of nearly 100,000 individuals from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., the poll surveyed 5,167 American adults between February 21 and February 28.