About Depression
Clinical Depression (NHS)
There's
no
single
cause
of
depression.
It
can
occur
for
a
variety
of
reasons
and
it
has
many
different triggers.
For
some
people,
an
upsetting
or
stressful
life
event,
such
as
bereavement
,
divorce,
illness,
redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause.
Different
causes
can
often
combine
to
trigger
depression.
For
example,
you
may
feel
low
after
being
ill,
or
experience
a
traumatic
event,
such
as
a
bereavement, which brings on depression.
People
often
talk
about
a
"downward
spiral"
of
events
that
leads
to
depression.
For
example,
if
your
relationship
with
your
partner
breaks
down,
you're
likely to feel low, you may stop seeing friends and family and you may start drinking more. All of this can make you feel worse and trigger depression.
Some
studies
have
also
suggested
that
you're
more
likely
to
get
depression
as
you
get
older
and
that
it's
more
common
in
people
who
live
in
difficult
social and economic circumstances.
Some of the potential triggers of depression are discussed below.
Stressful events
Most
people
take
time
to
come
to
terms
with
stressful
events,
such
as
bereavement
or
a
relationship
breakdown.
When
these
stressful
events
occur,
your risk of becoming depressed is increased if you stop seeing your friends and family and try to deal with your problems on your own.
Personality
You
may
be
more
vulnerable
to
depression
if
you
have
certain
personality
traits,
such
as
low
self-esteem
or
being
overly
self-critical.
This
may
be
because of the genes you've inherited from your parents, your early life experiences, or both.
Family history
If someone in your family has had depression in the past, such as a parent or sister or brother, it's more likely that you'll also develop it.
Giving birth
Some
women
are
particularly
vulnerable
to
depression
after
pregnancy.
The
hormonal
and
physical
changes,
as
well
as
the
added
responsibility
of
a
new life, can lead to
postnatal depression.
Loneliness
Becoming cut off from your family and friends can increase your risk of depression.
Alcohol and drugs
When life is getting them down, some people try to cope by
drinking too much alcohol
or
taking drugs
. This can result in a spiral of depression.
Cannabis
can
help
you
relax,
but
there's
evidence
that
it
can
also
bring
on
depression,
particularly
in
teenagers."Drowning
your
sorrows"
with
a
drink
is
also
not
recommended.
Alcohol
is
categorised
as
a
"strong
depressant",
which
makes
depression
worse.
Even
the
use
of
Cannabis
oil
or
extract
(CBD
oil)
could
be
dangerous
too.
A
2019
study
has
raised
concerns
about
CBD’s
potential
for
causing
liver
damage
by
increasing
the
level
of
liver
enzymes.
Therefore, as always, please consult with your doctor before using any CBD products.
Illness
You
may
have
a
higher
risk
of
depression
if
you
have
a
longstanding
or
life-threatening
illness,
such
as
coronary
heart
disease
or
cancer.
Head
injuries
are
also
an
often
under-recognised
cause
of
depression.
A
severe
head
injury
can
trigger
mood
swings
and
emotional
problems.
Some
people
may
have
an
underactive
thyroid
(hypothyroidism)
resulting
from
problems
with
their
immune
system.
In
rarer
cases,
a
minor
head
injury
ca
n
damage
the
pituitary
gland,
which
is
a
pea-sized
gland
at
the
base
of
your
brain
that
produces
thyroid-stimulating
hormones.
This
can
cause
a
number
of
symptoms,
such as extreme tiredness and a lack of interest in sex (
loss of libido
), which can in turn lead to depression.