Of the Russians’ many ancient proverbs, they continue to endorse one statement today:
Не всё коту́ ма́сленица, бу́дет и вели́кий пост.
The phrase literally explains how festivities are fleeting, and Lent is right around the corner. In modern English, though, it roughly translates to “life is not a bed of roses”. The dominance of this idea in the world’s largest nation can prompt some questions: Are Russians generally more depressed than Americans? Do they view negative emotions differently? How do Russian attitudes towards depression contrast with those in the U.S.? Do the two countries treat the disorder in dissimilar ways?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is one of the most widespread mental illnesses. While its symptoms might seem universal, the international prevalence of depression and efforts to relieve it depend on cultural beliefs and norms. This site aims to present the differences in symptom recognition, perception, and treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in Russia and the U.S. With this web page, we hope to inform those interested in cross-cultural psychology and its implications. In particular, we want to give mental health professionals and friends of Russians with depression some tools for identifying disordered behavior and forming appropriate responses.
7.1% of adults and 13.3% of adolescents in the U.S. have depression
Prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is higher for American females than males
Depression rates vary by race/ethnicity but are highest for people who report being biracial or multiracial
Recent increase in mood disorders and suicide among among the millennial and Gen Z population, possibly tied to the increase in social media use and sleep deprivation (Twenge, 2019)
Data retrieved from the National Institute of Mental Health
Statistics are not as concretely known but estimations put the rate of depression anywhere between 10% and 25% (Sapunov, 2017)
These estimates may include anxiety disorders
The uncertainty may be related
Ranked 2nd overall for suicide rate at 31 per 100,000 people according to the World Population Review while the US is ranked 27th
According to the WHO's diagnostic criteria:
Depressed mood
Loss of interest
Weight and/or appetite changes
Difficulty sleeping
Noticeable restlessness
Loss of energy
Feelings of worthlessness
Difficulty concentrating
Suicidal ideation
Loss of confidence
Self-reproach