One in THREE people have had clinical depression at some point, with one in five still suffering now

A record one in three people has experienced clinical depression at some point in their lives, according to a Gallup poll.

The percentage of adults reporting having been diagnosed with depression has risen to 29 percent, which is almost 10 percentage points higher than in 2015.

And 18 percent of adults are currently depressed, another record high.

It comes after the US surgeon general said loneliness is the next major public health crisis, increasing the likelihood of depression.

Between February 21 and 28, approximately 5,167 US adults were surveyed online.

They were asked, ‘Has a doctor or nurse ever told you that you have depression?’ and ‘Do you currently have depression or are you currently being treated for depression?’

More than a third of women have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime, compared to a fifth of men.

Women are diagnosed nearly twice as often as men as of 2017, and women ages 18 to 29 have the highest rates of current depression.

This can be attributed to Covid-related issues, such as women being more likely to lose their jobs or stop working altogether due to the pandemic and children being home more.

And those over age 44 seem to be happier — 34 percent of Americans ages 18-29 and 35 percent of Americans ages 30-44 have been told they have depression, compared to 26 percent of those ages 45-64 and 21 percent of those age 65 and older.

Mental health took an undeniable blow during the Covid pandemic. Depression rates have risen since 2015, but have seen a sharper upward trend in recent years.

The pandemic hit many young adults at a critical point in their development, putting them at greater risk for depression due to social isolation, loneliness and fear of infection.

Increased substance abuse and less access to mental health services have also played a role.

Nearly a quarter of adults under 30 said they are currently depressed.

Experts also say awareness around mental health has grown and become less stigmatized, leading to more diagnoses and a positive change.

For the first time, more black and Hispanic adults have been depressed in their lifetimes than white adults.

Historically, white adults have had slightly higher longevity and current depression rates than black adults.

It comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested that America is in the midst of a teen mental health crisis, with data showing that a staggering number of children are suicidal.

A report from the CDC found that by 2021, 10.2 percent of American high school students said they had attempted suicide in the past 12 months, up from about eight percent in 2019.

The CDC also found that 30 percent of high school students also said they had poor mental health “most of the time.” For girls, the figure was even higher: 40 percent.

The survey also found that one in three high school students are drug users, with one in six regularly using marijuana, one in four drinking alcohol and one in 16 using opioids.

Lockdowns, school closures and fear of the virus caused psychological crises for many teens and an increase in depression and anxiety.

Researchers also found a striking increase in children reporting mental health problems, especially among lesbian, gay and bisexual college students.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson recently opened up about his struggle with depression following his split from his first wife Dany Garcia.

Mr Johnson said he struggled with his mental health and described how he struggled with depression after his college football career ended and later after his divorce from Ms Garcia.

He said this time he was able to identify his depression and “lean” on friends.

The wrestling legend turned actor previously spoke out about his secret battle with depression that left him “devastated and constantly crying,” a month after revealing he witnessed his mother attempt suicide when he was 15.

And Senator John Fetterman said depression “almost ruined me” and he avoided a potentially “tragic” outcome by staying in the hospital for six weeks.

The Pennsylvania Democrat said his crippling diagnosis of depression had left him bedridden.

Mr. Fetterman, 53, said he was ‘not getting out of bed, not eating, not losing weight, not doing the things I love most in my life’.

He checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Feb. 15 after weeks of what aides described as Fetterman, withdrawn and uninterested in eating, discussing work or participating in chit-chat with staff.

Mr. Fetterman was barely a month into his service after his defeat of Dr. Oz in Washington and recovering from the aftereffects of the stroke he suffered last May when he went to see Walter Reed on the advice of Capitol physician, Dr. Brian P.. Monahan.

Post-stroke depression is common and treatable with medication and talk therapy, doctors say.