Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions. The American Psychiatric Association estimates that one in six people will experience depression at some point in their lives. Depression can negatively affect the way you feel, think, and behave. It can cause feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, or an inability to function at work and at home.
Experts believe that there are many factors that contribute to depression, including changes in genes, brain chemistry, personality and environment. Many times, it is a combination of two or more of these factors that causes or makes depression worse. Depression can also be triggered by experiencing trauma, grief, financial hardship, job loss, and major life changes such as divorce or becoming an empty nester. While these triggers may be better known, there are others that are less obvious. Here are some depression triggers to keep in mind.
Seasonal changes
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression associated with seasonal changes. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that SAD begins and ends around the same time each year and typically lasts four to five months each year.
About 5 percent of people in the United States have SAD, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Although this disease is most commonly associated with winter, some people do experience it during the warmer months.
Warm-weather depression occurs when the body experiences a "delay in adapting to the new season," says Alfred Lewy, MD, professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University. Instead of waking up and enjoying the dawn, the body has a hard time adapting, possibly due to an imbalance in brain chemistry and the hormone melatonin, he said.
Smoking
Researchers recently analyzed 148 studies and found that while nearly half of the studies showed that depression causes smoking, more than a third found evidence that smoking causes depression. Therefore, the exact association remains unclear.
Once you stop smoking, your body has to get used to not having nicotine. This period is called withdrawal and may be accompanied by sadness, irritability, and mood changes. Quitting smoking has also been linked to an increase in depression, but researchers have found that depression may improve when you stick to quitting.
Thyroid Disease
According to the Mayo Clinic, when the thyroid gland (the butterfly-shaped gland in the neck) does not produce enough thyroid hormones, it is called hypothyroidism, and depression is one of its symptoms. Generally speaking, the more severe the thyroid disease, the more severe the mood changes. Depression caused by hypothyroidism may also become more severe over time.
Researchers say that based on the evidence, screening patients with depression for thyroid dysfunction is reasonable. If you're experiencing new symptoms of depression—especially other symptoms of low thyroid function, such as cold sensitivity, constipation, and fatigue—a thyroid test won't hurt. Hypothyroidism can be treated with medication.
The End of a TV Show or Movie
Reaching the final episode of a TV show or the end of a movie can trigger depression in some people. For example, as early as 2009, some Avatar fans reported feeling depressed and even suicidal because the fictional world in the movie didn't feel real. According to Entertainment Weekly, there was a similar reaction to the final installments of the Harry Potter films.
Emily Moyer-Gusé, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication at The Ohio State University "People suffer when their primary focus is on friendship." In Avatar Moyer-Gusé suspects that people "get so caught up in the narrative that they forget real life and [their] own problems”.
The end of a large project, such as a large home renovation, or the end of an experience such as a vacation, can leave an inexplicable feeling of emptiness, which can also lead to depression.
Too many choices
The sheer number of options available—whether it’s how to save, where to live, or what to buy—can be overwhelming. This is not a problem for those who choose the first thing that meets their needs. However, some people cope with choice overload by reviewing their options exhaustively in search of the best option. Research shows this coping style is linked to perfectionism and depression.
This is a topic that first caused a stir in his book The Paradox of Choice more than ten years ago by psychology professor Barry Schwartz . He wrote in the letter that having too many choices "can make you question the decisions you make before they are made, it can make you have unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you nervous about anything and everything." Blame yourself for all your failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision paralysis, anxiety, and permanent stress, in a culture that teaches us there is no reason not to be perfect when your options are limitless, too many choices. Can lead to clinical depression.”
Strained Family Relationships
Family relationships can become complicated and strained as we age, actually leading to midlife depression. According to a 2017 study, the more strained our relationships are with our mothers, siblings, or spouses, the more likely we are to experience depressive symptoms.
Research on strained relationships with spouses is not new, but midlife depression caused by strained relationships with family members is a new area of research. Tensions between siblings in middle age often stem from having to think about, prepare for, and take care of their parents.
Birth control pills
Like any medicine, birth control pills have side effects. Although uncommon, depression is a possible and potentially serious side effect of birth control pills. Hilda Hutcherson, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University , said the reason behind this link remains unknown.
"This doesn't happen to everyone, but if women have a history of depression or are prone to depression, their chances of experiencing depressive symptoms while taking birth control pills are increased," Dr. Hutcherson said.
If you are taking oral contraceptives and have depression, especially if you also have difficulty sleeping, tiredness, low energy, or other mood changes, talk to your doctor who may consider switching you to a different one Pill versions or other types of birth control.
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