A therapist offering treatment to a patient at a mental health center in Qingdao

(Beijing) -- China's second-most commonly diagnosed disease – depression – costs the nation an estimated 52 billion yuan every year in lost work days, medical tabs and, too often, funeral expenses.

Beijing art editor Xu Huaiqian paid the ultimate price in August when, after battling the condition for just six months while working at The People's Daily newspaper, he leaped to his death from the top of a six-story building.