I was researching some stats recently to try to make a case for getting a pdoc appointment (but that's a long story for a different place). The figures are hard reading, but to me there is no point in sugar coating the truth about the very unpleasant illness that is depression.

I'll try and remember the stats off the top of my head (these figures relate to UK).

80% of people who have had a major depressive episode will develop at least one further episode in their lifetime and the median number of episodes experienced is four. The average (median) duration of an episode is 16-24 weeks. 12% of people will go on to develop an enduring depression that is unremittingand they will have varying degrees of symptoms for 59% of the time, with 15% of the time being in a mjor depressive episode.

My vital stats are:
number of episodes of major depression 6
length of current episode 30 months
time in current episode where severely depressed 12/30 months (40%)