The world right now is in the middle of a mental health crisis. It's estimated almost half the population suffers from depression at some stage throughout their life rather than join the queue.

What does that mean here"rather than join the queue"?

Question

The world right now is in the middle of a mental health crisis. It's estimated almost half the population suffers from depression at some stage throughout their life rather than join the queue.

What does that mean here"rather than join the queue"?

Answer

In this context, “rather than join the queue” is a way of saying “instead of becoming just another person struggling with mental health issues like depression.” It’s encouraging people to take action or do something different to avoid simply being another person affected by the crisis.

So, the sentence suggests that, instead of passively “joining the queue” (or joining the growing number of people affected by depression), we should actively seek ways to protect or improve our mental health.