Mental illnesses like depression are rivaling heart disease and cancer for the toll they are taking on Canadian lives. Even more shocking, say experts, are the number of people who aren't getting treatment.

New figures from 2003, released Wednesday by Statistics Canada, show as many Canadians suffered from major depression as from other leading chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes or a thyroid condition.

And 40 per cent of people suffering from depression are not getting help.

"It's pretty tragic," said Lorna Bailie, who oversaw the landmark national survey.

One in 10 Canadians aged 15 or older, or about 2.6 million people, reported symptoms of mental illness (depression, mania disorder, panic disorder, social phobia and agoraphobia or alcohol or illicit drug dependency) over the previous 12 months. But 1.1 million of those people were not able to get appropriate care.

It is estimated depression and other mental disorders already costing nearly $5 billion in direct health care costs.

Raif Mair, one of Canada's most successful broadcasters, was diagnosed with acute anxiety in 1988. He got medical help quickly, and the right medicine. He says the tragedy of mental illness is that many people aren't getting the treatment they need.

"That's what is so sad because for the majority of people with depression or related mental illness -- the results of treatment can be spectacular," Mair told CTV.

Why aren't people getting help? Experts say there is a lack of medical resources, and then there's the fear of being labeled mentally ill.

"A large group are concerned about stigma and discrimination if they are identified as having a mental illness," says Dr. Blake Woodside, President of the Canadian Psychiatric Association.

The problem appears staggering, and it's not limited to Canada.

The World Health Organization says half of the leading causes of disability are related to mental problems and in less than 20 years, depression will be the second leading cause of disability in the world -- a great strain in the workforce, and for health care systems.

Author Scott Simmie, who wrote about his own battle with bipolar disorder in The Last Taboo, says the estimated cost of mental illness to the 1993 Canadian economy was more than $7 billion.

In 2001, University of Ottawa epidemiologist Tom Stephens estimated economic losses of about $13 billion a year for related sick days and lost productivity.

"So we need to get this out in the open and talk about it because everyone is affected," Simmie told CTV News.

Phil Upshall, of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, accused governments of neglect.

"If you look at heart and stroke or cancer issues, if almost of the half of people were not accessing to treatment, you'd define it as more than a crisis," Upshall said.

The Statistics Canada survey found that:

• Mood and anxiety disorders were more common for women
• Dependence on drugs and alcohol was more common for men.
• On average men and women reported the same number of disability days due to their emotional health.
• The majority of people suffering from selected mental disorders or substance dependence did not seek professional help.
• Almost one million Canadians used some type of health care or community resource for their emotions, mental health or problems with alcohol or drug use.
• Teens and young adults were least likely to use mental health resources. Adults aged 25 to 64 were most likely to draw on those resources.

With files from CTV's Rosemary Thompson and The Canadian Press