There is a global epidemic that affects not only our physical bodies, but also our psychological state. Just as the human body can become physically ill, the chances of suffering from mental illness have never been higher. Mental illness is any illness related to the functioning of the mind. This is the psychological condition in which a person has emotional or behavioral problems severe enough to require medical treatment. Clinical depression is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. In global comparison; rates of depression are higher in developed countries than in developing countries. Depression is more prevalent in developed countries due to income inequality, societal wealth, and level of awareness. Structural functionalism explains the proximate determinant of the increased prevalence of depression in developed countries. Clinical depression is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Clinical depression is a mood disorder in which the person may experience extreme feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration that can help block the function of managing daily life. This feeling lasts for a long time. There are many types of depression such as chronic depression, seasonal depression, major depressive disorder, and postpartum depression. This disease does not discriminate. It attacks men, women, young, old, rich, poor and everything in between. However, statistics show that the rate of depression is higher in developed countries than in developing countries. Researchers at Stony Brook State University, in partnership with WHO's Global Mental Health, surveyed 90,000 people in 18 countries in a global mental health questionnaire. The answer...... middle of article ......da, 2007. "Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents Worldwide: A Review." World Psychiatry. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1414760/.Turgeon, Jordan. “Depression in the world: how do countries stack up?” » The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/27/depressed-ccountries_n_910345.html#s316418title=France_21 (accessed May 14, 2014). “Suicide rate up 30% in two years. » BBC News. ^ "Unhappiness by the numbers: Depression statistics from 2012." Computer science. http://www.healthline.com/health/depression/statistics-infographic.World Health Organization. Treatment of children and adolescents suffering from mental disorders. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003ShapeESSAY ON MENTAL ILLNESSShapeRabina JahanHSB 4U1-21: Social challenge and changeShapeMay 15, 2014