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Depression Risk Factors
Here's one sad fact about depression. Not one of us is immune from the risk of getting depression. Depression knows no boundaries, no age, no sex, no race, no culture, and no religion. It can happen to anyone of us. There are however depression risk factors that have been identified by medical experts.
Certain factors are found to increase the risks of getting or triggering depression. These are:
Genes
Some studies revealed that having biological relatives with depression increases your risk of developing depression. Depression is more common in people who has relatives or family members who have the condition. Some kinds of depression seem to run in the family.
Stressful events
Such stressful events like death of a loved one, unemployment, high stress, and financial problems can also increase a person’s risk of developing depression or trigger an episode of depression.
Unhappy childhood
Studies also revealed that people who had a depressed mood during their childhood may also suffer from depression.
There are also some researches that indicate the long term use of certain medications such as those used to control high blood pressure, birth control pills and sleeping pills as one of the possible risk factors of getting depression.
Certain diseases such as cancer, AIDS, or Alzheimer's
Giving birth
Depression acquired by those who have just given birth is referred to as post-partum depression. This is different from clinical depression.
Alcohol abuse
Nicotine and drug abuse
Psychological Tendencies
People who are easily stressed, overly dependent to others, pessimistic and with low self-esteem may also be prone to depression.
While depression can strike anyone regardless of sex, there are studies that disclosed that more women develop the condition than men. In any given year, about 12 percent of women in the United States and only 7 percent of men are diagnosed with depression. However, some experts believe men are not so familiar with some of the symptoms of depression. They are often unaware that physical problems like headaches and digestive disorders could be signs of depression as well as other symptoms like fatigue, loss of interest in hobbies and socialization, difficulty sleeping, and feeling of emptiness.
Remember that depression can be treated. You can get help regardless of how you developed the condition.
