Some have suffered bouts of depression, others have not. Some have had more than their share of adverse life events, while others have had an easier time of it.
While the experience of depression is shared by many, the contributing factors will be different for each person with the condition. There are some factors, like genetics, that you don't have control over. However, there are others, such as your diet, that can be modified.
Things like stress, drinking alcohol, using drugs, and hormone changes can affect mood and the brain's chemistry. Some health conditions may also increase the likelihood of anger, irritability, or sadness. For example, low levels of thyroid hormones can cause a depressed mood in some people.
It can result from or lead to problems at school and at work. 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.
About 18% of adults – more than 1 in 6 – say they are depressed or receiving treatment for depression, a jump of more than 7 percentage points since 2015, when Gallup first started polling on the topic.
In their lifetimes, about one in five Australians will experience depression. Around the world, depression affects around 300 million people.
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. More than 19 million American adolescents and adults are affected.
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).
You can have depression regardless of how much money you have or make. Although money makes some aspects of life easier, there are other factors that play into mental health and well-being. The wealthy can get depressed the same way people living in poverty can experience depression.
There's also the perception — and sometimes reality — of constant competition and failure doesn't seem to be an option. Grueling hours, constant criticism from others, including strangers, and a loss of the identity you once possessed can open the door to mental health conditions such as depression.
You may be more vulnerable to depression if you have certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being overly self-critical. This may be because of the genes you've inherited from your parents, your early life experiences, or both.
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.
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.
Research suggests that continuing difficulties are more likely to cause depression than recent life stresses. This can include: long-term unemployment. living in an abusive or uncaring relationship.
Young and Midlife Adults
The average age of onset for major depressive disorder is between 35 and 40 years of age. Onset in early adulthood may be linked with more depressive episodes, a longer duration of illness, and therefore a more difficult clinical course.
In fact, some of the most successful people in history have suffered from relentless, incapacitating depression – some have won their battles, or, at least, continued to battle. Some, sadly, succumb to it. So why does depression affect the super-successful, the ones who seem have it all?
Introverts are creative thinkers
There is a link between introversion and creativity. If you look at some of the world's preeminent inventors, writers, and entrepreneurs, most of them are introverts. That's because introverts enjoy expressing themselves creatively through their work.
According to CNN, children who are from wealthy families are more likely to suffer from drug and alcohol use, depression and anxiety. They are far more likely to suffer these issues than the national average. They also have different stressors like making sure they have access t money and pressures to succeed in life.
Clinical depression is a chronic condition, but it usually occurs in episodes, which can last several weeks or months. You'll likely have more than one episode in your lifetime. This is different from persistent depressive disorder, which is mild or moderate depression that lasts for at least two years.
Genetic factors: GAD may run in families. Just as a child can inherit parent's brown hair, green eyes, and nearsightedness, a child can also inherit that parent's tendency toward excessive anxiety. Current research suggests that one-third of the risk of experienced GAD is genetic.
Women are diagnosed with depression more often than men, but men can also be depressed. Because men may be less likely to recognize, talk about, and seek help for their feelings or emotional problems, they are at greater risk of depression symptoms being undiagnosed or undertreated.