Do You Suffer From Vacation Deficit Disorder?
Americans suffering from a "vacation deficit" are nearly two times as likely to show signs of moderately severe to severe depression compared to the national average, according to the 10th annual Allianz Global Assistance Vacation Confidence Index. "Vacation deficit" identifies those who think that a vacation is important but are not confident they will take one this year.
"Vacation Deficit Disorder" - or the relationship between a lack of vacation and depression, and vice versa - was identified by international polling experts Ipsos, which administered the PHQ-9 survey, a clinically validated screening questionnaire to test likely levels of depression, to a statistically significant sampling of American travelers.
Almost one-third (30.4 percent) of Americans with a vacation deficit demonstrate symptoms of mild to moderate depression, while 12 percent would be considered to be suffering signs of moderately severe to severe depression. Meanwhile, of the general population, those identified as displaying signs of moderately severe or severe depression are significantly less likely to have taken a vacation in the past two years, and are less likely to take a vacation in 2018.
"While we have long known that Americans under utilize their vacation time, this shows the real consequences this can have for their health and well-being," said Daniel Durazo, director of communications at Allianz Global Assistance USA. "While this research shows a relationship between the lack of vacation and signs of clinical depression, more comprehensive work is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of not taking a vacation on the mental health of Americans."