Single women living in Seoul suffer most from depression

Many Seoul residents suffer some mild form of depression, but none more so than single women in the metropolitan area.

A recent survey of Seoul residents shows that more women than men and more spinsters and bachelors than married people suffer from depression.

Mind Spa (www.mindspa.kr), which the Seoul metropolitan government runs, surveyed 18,745 people over one year from September 2012 on a self-test basis.

Announcing the results, Seoul city officials said the average level of depression was 33.07, putting sufferers in the “surveillance” zone, just below the “danger” category for those measuring over 40.

Mild depression is regarded as when sufferers periodically and unexpectedly experience an acute lack of energy for periods of less than two weeks at a time.

Virtually all Seoul residents, regardless of gender or age, were suffering from mild depression, the survey shows.

By age group, those in their 20s were the most depressed with 34.13 (the maximum being 60), followed by those in their teens with 34.02, 30s 32.38, 40s 30.12, 50s 26.78 and 60s 25.50.

Women were more vulnerable than men at 34.16 as against 30.59, while married people were a little more stable at 30.7 over 33.6.

The Korea Health and Medical Institute suggests mild depression can be treated by doing more reading and with self-management programs, exercising, and finding reasons to laugh and fun things to do.