It seems that many people in society nowadays are depressed, is this because more people mention the fact that they are depressed or is there a greater percentage of people suffering from depression in society?

Depression is caused by many different factors.

I can definitely see that this society that has been created, that we were born into, that we have to deal with on a daily basis, effects some people negatively. It even drives them insane. I think some peoples', but certainly not all, depression can be sourced to the fact that we simply live in this insane society.

Just my opinion.

This place has driven me completely insane. I have had to teach myself to not allow myself to be so effected by it and all these humans. It takes work. It also helps to treat yourself good, via exercise and a proper diet. These two things can make a world of a difference in the way you feel on a day to day basis.

Some thoughts:

1) Internet and social media seems to encourage a lot of people to share their feelings, and as a result you hear more about people's emotions through social network sites than you would before social network sites were prevalent.

2) The extent of job losses around the world is highly likely to increase stress levels, leading to depression.

The following is all strictly personal opinion:

People have always been moody and suffered, . . . . especially if given enough time and "stuff." In the past folks didn't live much past their mid 30's to mid 40's. They didn't have electric light so their days were filled with work when the sun was out, then when it went down, eat/ritual/party around the fire, sleep and rise with the sun to work again. Forget about "retirement," and remember girls get married right after menarche and boys get married in mid to late teens. Literally, there was very little time to brood and be depressed.

In the modern world, not only do we live longer, but we have more free time AND we are better informed (if we choose to be) via electronic and other media and have more "stuff" than any people before us. Free time gives one time to think and brood and be depressed. Being informed makes it okay to talk about depressed feelings and seek help. Having stuff and seeing other/more stuff makes one want more - the more you realize is possible the more you want, in general.

So, we we sit in modernity, around our computers, feeling "depressed." People have time to think and talk about it more. People have ALWAYS suffered but in the past they talked to a priest or just didn't talk or dealt with it or some crisis or emergency came up that was more pressing like How will we survive the Winter? That does NOT mean it did not exist. Today we are encouraged to talk about it, it's not so villified and all the media tells us about the latest meds that can help turn our lives around . . . all we need to do is "talk to your doctor." We constantly hear about or see adds for the newest "stuff" that looks desirable but is unattainable . . . . . . it all adds up to this:

Never before in history have a people consumed so much, yet felt so unfulfilled.

I think a lot of depression today is caused by people being dis-connected from their true selves and nature. Thank the media and stupid social, and work pressures for this.

The DSM 5 (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version 5) is scheduled to be released in May of 2013. Completely revising and expanding upon many of the known psychiatric disorders. What's moar is they are proposing to add at least 7 new categories of disorders that don't currently exist in in the DSM 4. You can be absolutely assured that the pharmaceutical companies have plenty of new medications lined up for these new and revised disorders and the marketing campaigns at the ready to convince the public they suffer from them.

If one was to apply the current standards of the DSM 4 to modern western culture, it would be diagnosed as fully psychotic and locked away where it could not cause any moar harm to itself or others.