Depression can affect anyone, but it is diagnosed about twice as often in women as in men. It is also most prevalent among younger adults, particularly those aged 18-25.
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.
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.
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].
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.
This page covers some possible causes of depression:
The "3 Cs of Depression" often refers to either the Cognitive Triad (negative views of self, world, and future) or the Cognitive Restructuring technique (Catch, Check, Change negative thoughts) used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to manage depressive thinking, with Catching, Checking, and Changing helping individuals identify, question, and replace unhelpful thought patterns.
Considerable evidence links the “Big Five” personality traits (neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) with depression.
What were the major causes of the Great Depression? Among the suggested causes of the Great Depression are: the stock market crash of 1929; the collapse of world trade due to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff; government policies; bank failures and panics; and the collapse of the money supply.
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.
Elitist big jumps upwards—rapid rises in status or wealth—can lead to feelings of detachment from former selves and a loss of self-worth. This disconnect can cause successful individuals to struggle with their identity, leading to mental health issues such as depression or anxiety.
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.
The beginning ofAmerica's "Great Depression" is often cited as the dramatic crash of the stock market on "Black Thursday," October 24, 1929 when 16 million shares of stock were quickly sold by panicking investors who had lost faith in the American economy.
Here are actionable and practical tips to help you survive—and even thrive—during a downturn.
Even during our country's worst economic downturn, some folks still knew how to make a buck -- many bucks, in fact.
If you're depressed, you may feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy. The symptoms persist for weeks or months and are bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life.
Current evidence suggests that depression is linked to traits such as neuroticism/negative emotionality, extraversion/positive emotionality, and conscientiousness.
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.
Although depression may occur only once during your life, people typically have multiple episodes. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include: Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness. Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters.
Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder.
Research indicates that information is processed more negatively in people with depression than in those without, and depression is often accompanied by decreased energy, fatigue, poor concentration and slowed thinking.
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.
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).
A synthesis of the existing literature leads us to conclude that people with greater depressive symptoms are more likely to create difficult social situations, have worse interactions, and preferentially direct their attention to negative emotional social stimuli.
It's possible in principle, but we'll have to move fast. If there is a slump that spreads to the first world oustside the U.S., then we have got to cut interest rates, start spending that budget surplus ... The Great Depression would have been easy to stop in 1930. It was very hard to get out of by 1935.