The top four risk factors for depression

Genetics

If you are born into a family with a traceable history of depression there is a much greater chance that you are susceptible to experiencing mental illness.

Traumatic experiences such as death or loss

Experiencing the death of a loved one or having an experience of loss, such as a loss of health or a limb, can trigger a depressive episode. Grief is a normal and healthy reaction to tragedies, but if grief extends beyond a normal timeframe and begins to prevent a person from coping from day to day at all, it could indicate a depressive episode.

Conflict or abuse

If a person experiences severe ad regular stress due to a conflict in their close relationships, this can lead to depression. In addition, the experience of any type of abuse, whether it be physical, sexual, emotional and more, can also pose as a risk factor for depression. An experience of abuse can still be considered a risk factor for depression if it happened decades ago in one’s childhood, especially if it was not acknowledged or adequately resolved.

Life changing events

Any event that causes a seismic shift in one’s established, day to day routine can prove traumatic, even if the change is not necessarily all negative. Overcoming a huge milestone, such as graduating, as well as important life events such as retirement, having a baby, moving, marriage or divorce, and loss of a job or getting a new job, can pose as a risk factor for depression in certain people.