People at higher risk for depression include women (especially during hormonal shifts like postpartum or menopause), young adults (18-29), those with family history, past trauma/abuse, chronic illness, other mental health conditions (anxiety, substance abuse), personality traits (pessimism, low self-esteem), and significant life stressors (loss, isolation). A complex mix of genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors contributes to depression risk.
Depression can happen to anyone. People who have lived through abuse, severe losses or other stressful events are more likely to develop depression. Women are more likely to have depression than men.
Women are more likely than men and younger adults are more likely than older adults to experience depression. While depression can occur at any time and at any age, on average it can first appear during one's late teens to mid-20s. Feeling sad, irritable, empty and/or hopeless.
Socially stressful and traumatic life events, limited access to resources such as food, housing, and health care, and a lack of social support all contribute to depression risk.
Risk factors for 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.
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).
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.
Considerable evidence links the “Big Five” personality traits (neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) with depression.
MEDICINE MOST STRESSFUL MAJOR
Students studying in medicine-related fields led the pack. Right behind them were the law, social work, and engineering majors.
Three of the most consistently reported and powerful predictors of depression are a recent major life event, a positive family history for depression, and a personal history of past depressive episodes. Little research, however, has evaluated the inter-relations among these predictors in depressed samples.
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.
At What Age Is Depression Most Common? According to CDC data from 2019, 21% of adults experiencing any depressive symptoms in the most recent two weeks were between 18 and 29 years old. This incidence is the largest among all adult age groups.
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.
Heritability is probably 40-50%, and might be higher for severe depression. This could mean that in most cases of depression, around 50% of the cause is genetic, and around 50% is unrelated to genes (psychological or physical factors).
Research suggests that depression doesn't spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, and stressful life events.
Current evidence suggests that depression is linked to traits such as neuroticism/negative emotionality, extraversion/positive emotionality, and conscientiousness.
Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder.
You may have heard people say, for example, that they experience both anxiety and depression. Conditions – like anxiety disorders, ADHD, heart disease, chronic pain, or diabetes – may affect or be affected by both the physical and emotional effects of depression.
With treatment, you should start to feel better within a few weeks, but it can take longer. Stay connected with your healthcare provider and let them know if you are not starting to feel better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or even years.
5 Ways to Help Yourself Through Depression
In major depression, there is a hyperactivity of the white matter in the territories related to the frontal cortex and basal ganglia. Major depression involves altering the reward–punishment system.
There's no single "hardest" mental illness, but Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Schizophrenia, and severe/treatment-resistant conditions like depression or bipolar disorder are frequently cited due to extreme emotional volatility, distorted reality, profound functional impairment, and significant impact on relationships and daily life, making them incredibly challenging to live with and manage. The difficulty often stems from intense internal pain, difficulty regulating emotions, social isolation, and the pervasive nature of symptoms.
You may need hospitalization if symptoms are persistent or worsening, disrupt daily life, or include thoughts of harming yourself or others. If you feel unsafe, call 911 or 988 right away.
Self-therapy is a valuable tool for emotional self-care, equipping you with practical techniques to foster personal growth, resilience and self-awareness. While it's most effective when combined with professional support, self-therapy offers unique advantages that make it an essential part of mental well-being.