According to a report on depression and anxiety published by the World Health Organization, cases of depression increased by 18.4% between 2005 and 2015 worldwide. This sudden spurt in the instances of depression can be attributed to various factors.
What causes depression?
- Chronic Disease An individual who is diagnosed with a chronic disease is 2-3 times more likely to develop depression. (NICE Clinical Guidelines, 2010)
- Asthma People with asthma are 2.5 times more likely to have depression. (Asthma Research and Practice, 2015)
- Diabetes People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are 3 times as likely to suffer from depression and have an increased risk of developing an anxiety disorder. (SAMSHA, 2013)
- Genetics- If depression runs in the family, the risk of succumbing to depression increases. However, people are not destined to be depressed just because their genes indicate so. Circumstances also play a role here.
- Economic condition- Poverty and unemployment can induce feelings of helplessness and worthlessness which in turn leads to self-loathing and depression. Population growth can reduce the number of opportunities to improve standard of living thereby frustrating people and increasing depressive tendencies.
- Grief and loss- Sudden loss of a loved one or a fractured relationship can be very painful. It can make people vulnerable and lonely. They might feel that there is no purpose of living left and fall into depression.
- Physical illness- Being constantly ill with some or the other health issue can make a person dejected and unhappy. Physical pain coupled with mental trauma can push a person into depression because there does not seem to be a way out of the situation.
- Substance abuse- Let’s face it – alcohol is a depressant. And it works. Dependence on drugs and alcohol and the inability to overcome it can be really debilitating and demotivating. Those who abuse such substances suffer from lack of self-confidence and self-worth which can push them into depression.
- Increase in longevity- Advancement in medical science and technology has led to the discovery of cures for several terminal diseases. This has increased the average life span of human beings significantly. However, the negative side of such an increase in longevity is that people are not being able to fill their time with productive activities. Lack of engaging work in the later years is leading to feelings of disappointment and worthlessness. The general tendency is to feel that there is no solid reason for living. This is a major cause of depression.
Apart from these common factors, marital discord, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety attacks and childbirth can also trigger depression.
It’s important to remember that depression is very treatable, and connecting with a Mental Health Counselor is the best way to find out the root cause of depression.
There is no need to suffer alone from the symptoms of depression!
Make an appointment and together we can work together to win the battle against depression & get your life back on track.