How Simple Physical Activity Could Stave Off Depression

There's been some discussion among mental health professionals in recent years about depression as a “luxury disorder,” far more prevalent in wealthy countries - especially the United States - than in the developing world. The idea is that once basic survival issues are out of the way, the demons of depression are more likely to set in.

But depression is no longer just a problem in the traditionally wealthy nations of the global north. It's on the rise across the world. According to 2012 figures from the World Health Organization, more than 350 million people around the planet suffer from the illness, making it the leading cause of disability in the world. One million people commit suicide every year, and depression is a significant contributing factor to that toll.