Depression is worse than physical illness, study finds

DEPRESSION does greater damage to a person’s overall health than long-term physical diseases, scientific research revealed yesterday.

The mental illness has more impact on sufferers general well-being than angina, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes, a paper published in medical journal The Lancet concluded.

The authors of the first global study comparing the health impact of depression with chronic physical illnesses said their findings highlighted the urgent need to improve treatment of the disease worldwide.