Bipolar Disorder Facts:

• Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania and depression that can last from days to months, and usually begins in late adolescence, but can begin in early childhood or as late as a person's 40s or 50s.
• People diagnosed with this illness have mood swings, involving both lows (bipolar depression) and highs (called mania, if severe or hypomania if mild).
• It is estimated that 2-5 percent of American adults will suffer some form of bipolar disorder.
• Over 10 million Americans live with bipolar disorder.
• Approximately 25-50 percent of people living with the disorder will attempt suicide at least once.
• Seven out of ten people with bipolar disoder receive at least one misdiagnosis.
• Approximately 40 percent of people with untreated bipolar disorder abuse alcohol or drugs.
• An equal number of men and women develop bipolar disorder, and it occurs among all ages, races, ethnic groups, and social classes.

References

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (2007). Bipolar Fact Sheet. Retrieved May 21st, 2009, from http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Campaign_for_the_Mind_of_America/Mental_Illness_Awareness_Week/MIAW2007_FactSheet_BipolarDisorder.pdf.
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). (2008). Mood Disorders and Different Kinds of Depression. Retrieved May 21st, 2009 from http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/DocServer/DBSA_Uni_Bipolar.v3.pdf?docID=2901

• Major depression is also known as clinical depression, major depressive illness, major affective disorder, and unipolar mood disorder.
• An estimated 18 million or more Americans experience a major depressive episode each year.
• Depression is the leading cause of disability for people ages 15-44 in the United States.
• An estimated 10 percent of American adults age 65 and older have a diagnosable depressive disorder, including major depression dysthymia (a mild form of depression), and adjustment disorder with depressed mood.
• Only about one-fifth of all women who suffer from depression seek treatment.
• One in four women will experience severe depression at some point in life.

References

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). (2008). Mood Disorders and Different Kinds of Depression. Retrieved May 21st, 2009 from http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/DocServer/DBSA_Uni_Bipolar.v3.pdf?docID=2901
SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center. (2000). Women and Depression Fast Facts. Retrieved May 21st, 2009 from http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/FastFact6/default.asp
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (2008). Understanding Major Depression and Recovery. Retrieved May 21st, 2009 from http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=67727

• It is estimated that 2.1 million Americans have schizophrenia.
• Approximately 1 percent of the world population has schizophrenia, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic background.
• Three-quarters of people with schizophrenia develop the illness between the ages 16 and 25.
• Fifty percent of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have recieved no treatment.
• To be diagnosed as having schizophrenia a person must experience symptoms for at lease six months.
• Suicide is the number cause of premature death among people with schizophrenia, with an estimated 10-13 killing themselves, and approximately 40 percent attempting suicide at least once (and as much as 60 percent of males attempting suicide).
• The overall United States 2002 cost of schizophrenia was estimated to be $62.7 billion, with $22.7 billion excess direct health care cost ($7.0 billion outpatient outpatient, $5.0 billion drugs, $2.8 billion inpatient, $8.0 billion long-term care).

References
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA). (2008). About Schizophrenia. Retrieved May 21st, 2009 from http://www.sardaa.org/about_schiz.html
Schizophrenia.com. Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics. Retrieved May 21st, 2009 from http://www.schizophrenia.com/szfacts.htm