About 9 percent of American adults suffer from clinical depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Rates of depression vary from state to state, from 4.8 percent in North Dakota to 14.8 percent in Mississippi.

In general, rates are higher in the Southeast, perhaps due to chronic health problems, such as obesity and heart disease.

"This is concerning from the perspective that depression is a very common and treatable mental disorder," Lela McKnight-Eily, a clinical psychologist and epidemiologist at the CDC and report co-author, told HealthDay.

"When we see a high prevalence of depression there is definitely a concern, particularly when we see it concentrated in certain groups or concentrated in certain areas of the country," she added.

In addition to regional differences in rates of depression, the study also found those most likely to suffer from major depression included women, racial minorities, and the unemployed.

The stigma still attached to getting professional help keeps many from getting treatment, McKnight-Eily said. "People think they're weak or they have a notion that they should be able to handle it.”


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