What Is Depression Caused By?

Clinical depression is a mental health disorder that can cause feelings of sadness, emptiness, anxiety, and hopelessness. It can also make you feel worthless, cause difficulties with memory and thinking, and cause changes in your sleeping and eating patterns. Some people experience sexual dysfunction, and some feel very irritable. If you have depression, you may stop enjoying the parts of life you used to enjoy. In serious cases, people with depression may think about harming themselves or killing themselves.

There is no single reason that will cause a person to develop depression. It is a complex issue that often involves physiological, genetic, psychological, social, and environmental triggers. The good news is depression is a treatable condition, and for many people, therapy, sometimes in combination with antidepressant medication, can greatly improve your life.

To discover how mental and behavioral health care programs can help patients at You Behavioral Health via our online platform, give us a call at (855) 206-2268 to get started.

What Triggers Can Cause Depression?

Because every person is an individual with their own past experiences and brain chemistry, depression triggers can vary from person to person, but there are still many life events and issues that are commonly known to trigger depression in many people. Common depression triggers include:

1. Brain chemistry is one of the main factors in many people’s clinical depression. The brain is a complex organ with a fine balance of chemicals and processes, which can easily be disturbed or unbalanced, leading to depression
2. Genetic factors, especially if there is a family history of depression, can increase the risk of developing depression. There is not a single “depression gene”, it is a combination of the effects of different genes exerting small effects on the psyche
3. Biology may be a factor, with researchers noting that people with depression often have a smaller hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for memory storage) than those who have never had depression. Other parts of the brain that play a role in depression include the amygdala and the thalamus
4. Abuse early in life can lead to depression later on if left untreated
5. Periods of severe stress, like becoming homeless, or even happy events like getting married or graduating can lead to depression
6. Grief after the loss of a loved one, a job, or another significant loss can lead to the development of depression, which is different from the normal response of sadness after a loss
7. Older age can lead to depression risks, especially if you lack the care and companionship that you need
8. Traumatic events can cause the brain’s chemistry to become unbalanced, leading to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which often has depression as a side effect
9. Giving birth can lead to postpartum depression, and hormonal changes during menstruation can lead to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a type of premenstrual disorder (PMS) that causes depression before menstruation every month
10. Medical conditions like chronic pain, diabetes, cancer, or Parkinson’s disease can lead to a person developing depression, especially if their sleep, productivity, social relationships, or ability to exercise are impeded
11. Personality traits, like being easily overwhelmed, having low self-esteem, or having trouble coping with stress can cause a person to be more likely to develop depression
12. Medications can have depression as a side effect of their use
13. Substance abuse can cause depression, especially in those who are already predisposed to developing the condition. Drugs and alcohol affect brain chemistry, which can have ill effects on your mental well-being
14. Seasonal changes can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD) due to the lack of sunlight and vitamin D intake. SAD usually comes on in the fall and goes away in the springtime

How to Manage Depression Triggers

Get to know your own triggers – if you are living with depression and know that certain events, seasons, or days of the year like the holiday season or the anniversary of a loved one’s death bring on symptoms, you can prepare yourself in advance

Practice self-care – Exercising, getting enough sleep, taking care of personal hygiene, getting outdoors every day, spending time with people you care about, and doing hobbies you enjoy are ways to help you cope when you are feeling the symptoms of depression. Even if you don’t feel like doing these things, they will help you in the long run, providing a sense of accomplishment and ensuring your life and your health doesn’t start to fall apart when you aren’t feeling your best

Avoid drugs and alcohol – these substances may make you feel good for a short period of time, but they are only masking the real issues, making it more difficult to access the true roots of your depression while adding on additional health problems, brain chemistry changes, and possible substance use disorder

Talk to a loved one – if you speak to a trusted friend or family member about your depression, you may feel less alone, and they may be able to give you a place to vent or help you out when life seems especially hard

Counseling and therapy – speaking with a mental health professional can make all the difference in the world when you are suffering from the symptoms of depression. Therapists can provide new coping tools and strategies, help you shift your mindset, and work with you to improve your well-being and quality of life. Some people only need therapy for a short period of time, while others may require longer-term treatment

Medication – there are hundreds of antidepressant medications available to try. These work by altering brain chemistry. These medications can take weeks or months to take effect, and some have uncomfortable side effects like nausea or sleepiness that reduce over time, so it may take some time to see their benefits, but for many, they are an excellent treatment option

Brain stimulation therapy – some people resist medications and therapy and may need additional treatment. Brain stimulation therapy like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are some of the treatments available for those with severe depression or depression with psychosis

Create a plan – when you know yourself and what triggers you, you can make a plan that works for you to help you deal with the symptoms of depression. What that looks like will depend on your unique needs

Learn More About Depression Triggers at You Behavioral Health

If you have been experiencing symptoms of depression and want to learn more about steps you can take to manage the depression triggers in your life, please contact You Behavioral Health today. We have a dedicated team of licensed and verified psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors that utilize behavioral therapy, one-on-one personalized, evidence-based talk therapy, and holistic treatments to help each of our patients overcome their underlying mental health issues and gain coping tools to get through difficult or stressful times of life.

Depression can feel impossible to get through, but we promise you it is not. Let us show you a happier and healthier way to live through safe, confidential, individualized online therapy sessions. You will have the support and care you need to be able to overcome emotional and psychological pain as you improve your overall quality of life. Please call us at (855) 206-2268 today to learn more about our treatments, for insurance verification, or if you are ready to start with us. We are here for you.