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Public attitudes to depression: a national survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Patrick McKeon  and
Siobhan Carrick
Patrick McKeon
Affiliation:
Depression Research Unit, St. Patrick's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8
Siobhan Carrick
Affiliation:
Depression Research Unit, St. Patrick's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8
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Abstract

In a national representative survey, 1,403 people were interviewed on their attitudes to depression and its sufferers and their understanding of the causes, treatability and treatment of depression. Some two-thirds of the interviewees regarded depressives as being neither mentally ill, weak willed, nor as feeling sorry for themselves. Stress, bereavement and hereditary were considered to be the most frequent causes of depression. Seventy-three per cent said that depression could be successfully treated. While 81 per cent recommended getting professional help, only 17 per cent mentioned their GP as a source of treatment for depression. People who had depression, or who had a friend or relative who had depression and those who had visited a patient in a psychiatric hospital expressed more positive attitudes to depression and its management.

Keywords

Depressionmanic-depressionpublic attitudes
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , September 1991 , pp. 116 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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