Depression is about 1.5 times more common among women than among men. Worldwide, more than 10% of pregnant women and women who have just given birth experience depression (2). In 2021, an estimated 727 000 people lost their lives to suicide.
It is an illness that can affect anyone—regardless of age, race, income, culture, or education. Research suggests that genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors play a role in depression.
Women consistently report more depressive symptoms than men, while adolescents, young adults, and older adults tend to experience more depressive symptoms than their middle-aged adult counterparts [9–10].
Risk factors
Depression often begins in the teens, 20s or 30s, but it can happen at any age. More women than men are diagnosed with depression, but this may be due in part because women are more likely to seek treatment.
Depression results from a complex interaction of social, psychological, and biological factors. People who have gone through adverse life events (unemployment, bereavement, traumatic events) are more likely to develop depression.
People high in neuroticism (very emotionally sensitive) and introverts are two personality types more likely to experience negative thoughts research finds. In addition, being introverted is linked to spontaneously remembering more negative life events.
Depression prevalence decreased with increasing age. Overall, prevalence was highest in adolescents ages 12–19 (19.2%) and lowest in adults age 60 and older (8.7%). A similar trend was observed in females, where depression decreased from 26.5% among those ages 12–19 to 10.6% among those age 60 and older.
It's thought that your chance of getting severe depression may be partly affected by the genes you inherit from your parents.
The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery. These pages are about depression in adults. Read about depression in children and young people.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age. Some mood changes and depressed feelings occur with normal hormonal changes. But hormonal changes alone don't cause depression.
Depression often occurs in 'episodes,' similar to flare-ups in physical conditions, where symptoms are more intense. The length of these episodes can vary, but for those diagnosed with depression, episodes typically last more than two weeks. The frequency of these episodes also varies from person to person.
The Dispossessed
Doctors and lawyers saw their incomes fall 40 percent. But no groups suffered more from the depression than African Americans and Mexican Americans. A year after the stock market crash, 70 percent of Charleston's black population was unemployed and 75 percent of Memphis's.
“When depression is treated effectively, many people experience a resolution of the cognitive changes, suggesting that these changes may not be permanent,” Kristinsson says.
Psychological symptoms
continuous low mood or sadness. feeling hopeless and helpless. having low self-esteem. feeling tearful.
Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 70% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment.
The predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective factors framework, referred to as the “4Ps,” is used in medicine for organizing contributing factors in a clinical case and to communicate illness and risks with patients (22) (see Table 1).
Considerable evidence links the “Big Five” personality traits (neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) with depression.
Do things that make you feel better. Going to a movie, gardening, or taking part in religious, social, or other activities may help. Doing something nice for someone else can also help you feel better. Get regular exercise.
Stressful life events: Difficult experiences, such as the death of a loved one, trauma, divorce, isolation and lack of support, can trigger depression. Medical conditions: Chronic pain and chronic conditions like diabetes can lead to depression. Medication: Some medications can cause depression as a side effect.
Because many people with winter-pattern SAD have vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplements may help improve symptoms. However, studies testing vitamin D as a treatment for SAD have produced mixed results, with some studies indicating that it is as effective as light therapy and other studies finding no effect.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT focuses on four main areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills can help individuals cope with difficult emotions and situations, which can be beneficial in managing depression.
New evidence shows that people who maintain a range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience depression.
Here, listed in alphabetical order, are five disorders that can be particularly difficult to live with:
How do INFJs act with depression? Persistent low mood. Social isolation. A tendency to feel guilty or shameful.
A PET scan can compare brain activity during periods of depression (left) with normal brain activity (right). An increase of blue and green colors, along with decreased white and yellow areas, shows decreased brain activity due to depression.