Of the $43.7 BILLION dollar cost of depressions, over 50%
is paid directly by American business.
55% of the total costs of depressions are incurred by
employers as a result of absenteeism and reduced productivity. That translates to $11.7
billion in costs associated with missed work days and about $12.1 billion in costs
associated with reduced productivity-workers not performing at full capacity, lack of self
confidence or indecisiveness.
Employers bear an annual cost of $3000 per depressed
worker and $10,000 per drug abusing employee.
Sixty-four percent of all adults report that their
relationship with loved ones are always on their minds. (USA Today, 1/6/97)
Troubled employees are absent from work six to eight
times more frequently than other employees, often resulting in the need for temporary
workers. This can cost a company as much as 25% to 35% of the employee's normal
salary. (Birmingham Business Journal, 9/4/95)
America's divorce rate now tops 60%, forcing Corporate
America to admit and deal with employee personal problems. (USA Today, 1/23/97)
Americans have lost nearly 40% of the leisure time they
had in 1973. In other words, Americans spend a month more each year at work than
they did 20 years ago, forcing the need to help workers balance personal lives with work.
(St. Louis Dispatch, 9/17/95)
Ninety-two percent of workers agree personal problems
cause trouble at work. Companies that offer programs to assist employees with
personal problems see positive results including improved moral, higher productivity, less
absenteeism, lower health-care costs, reduced turnover and less workplace violence. (Sales
& Marketing Management, 5/1/96)
One out of three American adults will have a diagnosable
or addictive disorder during their lifetime (AAMFT).
Up to 60% of visits to primary care physicians are
Individuals whose complaints are related to mental health (AAMFT).
Early intervention on mental health services will save
society two-thirds the cost of crisis intervention (NIMH).
Family life events are highly correlated with visits to
physicians and hospital (Levene, Newsman, Jeffries, 1988).
An estimated 25-40% of general hospital admissions are
due to complications of chronic alcohol abuse (harvard Medical School Mental Health
Newsletter).
Alcoholics use health services four times more than non
alcohol users (Harvard Medical School Mental Health Newsletter).
Medical expenses are twice as high for alcoholic families
(Harvard Medical School Mental Health Newsletter).
Allowing consumers a broad choice of mental health
clinicians did not increase the use of the service (Champus, 1983).
The cost of alcoholism to the U.S. was $85.8 million in
1988 (Rice, Kelman, Miller & Dunmeyer).
Between 10% and 23% of all U.S. workers use dangerous
drugs on the job (NIDA).
Up to 40% of Industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial
accidents are alcohol related (Bureau of National Affairs).
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 18
million people in the united States experience a depressive illness each year. But
there is good news; With appropriate treatment, psychotherapy and medication, about 80% of
depressive illnesses can be successfully treated
