CHINA has 26 million people suffering from depression, and 90 percent of them don't admit to their mental problems or go to doctors, Xinhua news agency said today, citing a survey conducted by China Association for Mental Health.

The public's discrimination against mental illness sufferers and the patient's own inferiority complex are the main barriers for those people seeking treatment, the report said, citing a Beijing expert Zhou Fengdong.

There are 120 million people suffering from depression in the world, and nearly one in every four people have experienced mental and behavioral problems during their lifetime, Xinhua said, citing the latest statistics by the World Health Organization.

The WHO predicts depression will become the second biggest illness affecting mankind by 2020 after heart disease.

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by deep unhappiness, apathy, and withdrawal.

Xinhua said that people who lack any interest in anything, those who find it difficult to have fun or find a meaning in life lose confidence and hope are very likely to suffer from depression.

Medication plus psychological treatment is the best therapy to cure depression, the report said, citing another expert Zou Yizhuang.

(Beijing Time)