The Hidden Cost of Depression: How It Shortens Lifespan and What You Can Do About It

Depression is the most common mental disorder in the modern world. According to the World Health Organization, it ranks as the second leading cause of death globally.

In psychiatry, depression is defined as a loss of emotional regulation and impairment of emotional, cognitive, functional, and physiological activity. The severity and manifestation of symptoms vary from person to person.

A recent Canadian study investigated the link between depression and shorter life expectancy. The study involved participants with an average age of 50. Over three different periods, researchers followed half of the participants for at least 19 years.

According to Dr. Stephen Gilman, lead researcher from the Canadian Institute for Child Health: “For some individuals, depression can be a very serious condition. Based on our findings, it is crucial to be alert to the early signs of depression.”

Depression has been linked to various health issues due to the physical changes it causes in the body and unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, and excessive drinking. However, the current study found a connection between depression and premature death even without these lifestyle risk factors.

The research revealed that in the initial study period, life expectancy among those with depression was reduced by 10 years in women and 12 years in men compared to healthy individuals. In the second study phase, life expectancy among depressed individuals was reduced by 7 years in women and 18 years in men.

Men with depression were three times more likely to die than healthy men at the beginning of the study, though this risk dropped to 52% by the end. This led researchers to conclude that the first years following a depression diagnosis are the most dangerous.

In contrast, women showed a different pattern: their risk of early death increased over time. At the beginning of the study, women with depression had an 8% higher risk of early death. By the end, that number had risen to 51%, similar to men.

These results led researchers to conclude that early and effective treatment for depression may prevent premature death. The findings highlight a clear correlation between shortened life expectancy and the years following the onset of depression.

Psychiatrist Dr. Hadar Shalev from Soroka Medical Center added: “Many studies have shown that people with depression have elevated levels of inflammatory markers. They have increased levels of substances such as interleukins, cortisol, CRP, and others that raise mortality risk- another clear indication of the mind-body connection.”

Dr. Shalev emphasized that, beyond the depression itself, the unhealthy lifestyle often associated with it, including obesity, inactivity, smoking, and alcohol use, significantly increases the risk of early death.

He concluded that the biggest issue with depression is underdiagnosis and undertreatment, noting that patients who received early care enjoyed both a better quality of life and longer life expectancy.