Family history
Personality
Some people may be more at risk of depression because of their personality. Risk factors include:
tendency to worry a lot
low self-esteem
perfectionism
sensitivity to personal criticism
self-criticism and negativity.
Serious medical illness
Drug and alcohol use
Life events
Research suggests that continuing difficulties are more likely to cause depression than recent life stresses. This can include:
long-term unemployment
living in an abusive or uncaring relationship
long-term isolation or loneliness
prolonged work stress.
Recent events (such as losing your job) or a combination of events can ‘trigger' depression if you’re already at risk because of previous bad experiences or personal factors.
Changes in the brain
A lot of research has been done into this complex area, but there’s still a lot we don’t know.
Depression isn’t simply the result of a ‘chemical imbalance’, like having too much or not enough of a particular brain chemical.
The way your brain regulates your moods can be affected by:
genetic vulnerability
severe life stressors
some medications, drugs and alcohol
medical conditions.
Most modern antidepressants affect your brain’s chemical transmitters (serotonin and noradrenaline), which relay messages between brain cells. This is thought to be how medications work for more severe depression.
Psychological treatment can also help you to regulate your moods.
Effective treatment can stimulate the growth of new nerve cells in circuits that regulate your mood. This may help you recover from severe depression.
Learn more: Treatments for depression.
