For example, depression is more common among women than men. The median age of onset for depression is 32 years, meaning that half of people who will ever have a depressive episode will have had their first episode by this age.
Causes and Risk Factors
Women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. You're also more likely to develop depression if you are between ages 45 and 64, nonwhite, or divorced, and if you never graduated high school, can't work or are unemployed, and don't have health insurance.
We take a life-course approach to mental health because good mental health begins in infancy. 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year. 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
In 2021, around nine percent of those between 26 to 49 years of age in the United States had a major depressive episode. Differentiating between sexes, 6.2 percent of males experienced a major episode compared to 10.3 percent of females.
Among the big five personality traits, conscientiousness is one of the two strongest predictors of depression, second only to neuroticism. Low conscientiousness leads to a more disorganized and poorly planned life, creating more stressful life circumstances and higher levels of depression.
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including: A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling. Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one's death or a divorce. An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes.
Asian American/Pacific Islanders are least likely to seek mental health services than any other racial/ethnic group.
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and intersex (LGBTI) populations. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations. older adults. people who are divorced, widowed, separated or single.
“Neuroticism was an especially strong predictor of the particularly pernicious state of developing both anxiety and depressive disorders,” said Richard Zinbarg, lead author of the study and professor of psychology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern.
Some personality types that are prone to mental health conditions include isolated introverts, overachievers, dramatists, day dreamers, worry warts, and perfectionists. People with these personalities are at risk of anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and other mental disorders.
While it's true that both types of personality can experience problems with their mental health, it's widely accepted and proven that introverts are more susceptible to depression than many other personality types.
production of serotonin – serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression.
Depression causes the hippocampus to raise its cortisol levels, impeding the development of neurons in your brain. The shrinkage of brain circuits is closely connected to the reduction of the affected part's function. While other cerebral areas shrink due to high levels of cortisol, the amygdala enlarges.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of intense and unstable interpersonal relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong emotional reactions.
Research has indicated that individuals with high emotional reactivity (high neuroticism) and introverted tendencies (low extroversion) are more likely to experience anxiety than other personality types [101].
Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPDs) become overwhelmed and incapacitated by the intensity of their emotions, whether it is joy and elation or depression, anxiety, and rage. They are unable to manage these intense emotions.
People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often experience very intense mood swings.
Neuroticism. Highly neurotic people are more likely to experience negative emotions and are easily upset.