Depression sufferers three times more likely to commit violent crime study suggests.

People who suffer from depressive illnesses are three times more likely to commit violent or sex crimes, a study suggests.

Criminal records of nearly 50,000 Swedish people were scrutinized by the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University after they were diagnosed with depression.

The study found that 3.7% of men and 0.5% of women who committed violent crimes were diagnosed as clinically depressed. This is in comparison to 1.2% of men and 0.2% of women of the general public.

Researchers say the study has not been given enough attention by doctors.

Lead author Professor Seena Fazel, from the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University, said: "We wanted to determine whether there was an increased risk of violence in individuals with clinical depression, and without other factors which are known to contribute to this risk.

The researchers got their information by looking at previous histories of violence, self-harm, psychosis and substance misuse. From this they found a link between depression and violent crime.

In saying this it does NOT mean just because you are depressed you will engage in this kind of behavior. Professor Fazel continued by saying: "One important finding was that the vast majority of depressed persons were not convicted of violent crimes, and that the rates reported are below those for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and considerably lower than for alcohol or drug abuse.

"There is considerable concern about self-harm and suicide in depression," she added. "We demonstrate that the rates of violent crime are at least as high, but they don't receive the same level of attention in clinical guidelines or mainstream clinical practice."

I would be interested to see this study done here in the UK. Between 2006-2012 there was a 33% fall in offences recorded by the police. But this does not mean that crimes are not being committed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31616242

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25831906

#mentalhealth #depression #crime #violent #study