Risk Factors

In addition to biological, psychological, and social aspects, lifestyle choices, relationships, and coping abilities also have a role. According to a Special Report on Depression issued by Harvard Physical School, researchers have discovered a number of risk factors for depression, including incorrect brain control of mood, genetic susceptibility, stress, medical conditions, and drugs. It is believed that multiple of these forces interact, typically but not always within the context of a trigger event, to cause depression.

Adapted from the Harvard Special Report on Depression, below is a list of numerous elements that researchers believe play a role in depression.

faulty mood regulation

Researchers believe that abnormalities in the complex brain systems responsible for mood regulation have a significant effect on depression. Although research suggests that imbalances in some chemical messengers in the brain have a role in depression, this is generally confounded by other factors and is rarely considered a cause in and of itself.

genetic predisposition

Depression is recognized to be influenced by an individual's genetics. If something in your DNA goes awry, it can alter your biology in a way that causes your mood to be unstable.

In a genetically susceptible individual, many stressors (such as relationship conflict or job loss) can throw this system out of balance and lead to depression. While a family history of depression does not guarantee that you will get depression, it is connected with a higher risk. If a close family has suffered from depression, you should understand what depression is, how it can be treated, and how to evaluate your own health.

stress

Stress sensitivity is determined by one's genetic composition. Depression can develop when genetics, biology, and stressful life events interact. But stress also has its own effects. It initiates a sequence of chemical reactions and responses within the body.

Typically, the body will return to normal if the stress is transient. However, when stress is prolonged or the system remains in overdrive, alterations in the body and brain can lead to depression. Certain pressures can have long-term mental and physical effects. Early losses and emotional stress may make a person more susceptible to depression later in life, according to studies.

medical problems

Depression has been connected to particular medical conditions.

Included are:

• Hypothyroidism
• Degenerative neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease.
• Stroke
• Certain dietary deficiencies, including a deficiency of vitamin B12
• Other endocrine illnesses, such as problems with the parathyroid or adrenal glands that lead them to produce insufficient or excessive amounts of specific hormones.
• Particular immune system illnesses, such as lupus
• Viruses and infections, such as HIV, mononucleosis, and hepatitis, are of particular concern.
• Cancer
• Erectile dysfunction
• Lack of testosterone

medications

Occasionally, certain medicines, such as steroids or blood pressure medication, may cause depressive symptoms as a side effect. Some drugs in the following drug classes have been linked to depression-like adverse effects:

• Antimicrobials, antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals
• Cardiovascular medications
• Hormones
• Sedatives, tranquilizers, and sleep aids

It is essential to remember the following:

• If you have a familial or personal history of depression, you may be more sensitive to experiencing depressive symptoms while taking these medications.
• Some of the medicines create symptoms such as malaise (a general sense of being poorly or uncomfortable) or loss of appetite that might be confused with sadness.