High rates of depression in Iran

[rambot]

I don't think the poverty is super helpful either.

 

[Larniavc]

Hi everyone, something interesting- apparently Iran, the islamic republic of Iran, has very high rates of clinical depression, something like 15%-20% of Iranians have symptoms ranging from mild to severe depression. In contrast rates of depression in the USA are around 8.3%, much lower. There is a good reason for this! I think a spiritual force may be responsible for this, Iran is one of the most evil places in the world, also they adhere to a very radical form of Islam and Islam is the official state religion and the country is something like 99.5% muslim, conversion from Islam to Christianity carries the death penalty. Also the Iranian government hates Israel and that also may be a cause for this!

Yeah, that not true. America has the second highest prevalence of depression second to Ukraine (who knew?).

 

[Nithavela]

Hi everyone, something interesting- apparently Iran, the islamic republic of Iran, has very high rates of clinical depression, something like 15%-20% of Iranians have symptoms ranging from mild to severe depression. In contrast rates of depression in the USA are around 8.3%, much lower. There is a good reason for this! I think a spiritual force may be responsible for this, Iran is one of the most evil places in the world, also they adhere to a very radical form of Islam and Islam is the official state religion and the country is something like 99.5% muslim, conversion from Islam to Christianity carries the death penalty. Also the Iranian government hates Israel and that also may be a cause for this!

8.3 % of people being depressed still sounds like a lot to me.

 

[chilehed]

I think a better more consistent explanation is that living in oppressive nations with limitations on speech, dress and beliefs is bad for your physical and mental health.

The fact that opium has a long cultural acceptance in Iran and there's a huge addiction rate there certainly can't help.