Depression is an illness created by pressures of modern lifestyles. A recent research has revealed that one in five young Australian women suffer from depression. The research showed that 18 per cent of the young women suffer from depression as compared to compared to 13 per cent in the age group of 53 to 58 and 10 percent in women between 79 to 84 years.

Data analysis revealed that young women's PBS claims for anti-depressants topped even those for contraceptives, but only because many contraceptives were not covered by the PBS.

Julie Byles from the University of Newcastle, co-author of the study said that the data understated the problem, given that 60 per cent of young women with depression were not on antidepressants.

She added that there had been little change in the prevalence of depression between the study's surveys in 2002 and 2005. But she warned that numbers could rise because of the economic downturn.