Depression Learning

Stress and Clinical Depression

The role that stress plays in creating, triggering or just increasing the severity of depression disorders is not quite clear. It is believed in the medical community that there is some type of complex union that does occur between stressful situations and how our mind scope with it that often leads to clinical depression.

Stressful events such as the deaths of loved ones, serious personal illness, relationship or marital problems, work related pressures or any other of the numerous stressors we face can and can create serious stress problems. The elevation or continuance of this stress can lead to mild and in some cases severe depression. Ironically it is not only the negative events or traumas in our lives that can be major causes of stress. Such supposedly happy events as getting married, job promotions and buying a new home can also be major stressors. So it is determined that both negative and positive stress conditions can lead to clinical depression.

Can a single stressful event or trauma cause clinical depression?

There is no definitive proof that a single stress event or trauma can precipitate the onset of clinical depression. It is believed that in most cases when a person must deal with a painful, upsetting or worrisome event that they deal with them manage the stress and it seldom leads to clinical depression. There are also many incidences of people who although they live a stress free lifestyle still end up developing clinical depression. It is also believed that a single traumatic event in one person’s life may cause enough stress in one person’s life to lead to depression but not in another’s .

In dealing with stress there are often other factors involved in a person’s case history that when combined with a stressful situation or event could noticeably increase the chances of stress advancing to clinical depression. A prime example of this would be a father who loses a child suddenly, who had a previous family history of depression. The resulting depression he incurs would not be from the loss of the child so much as from a genetic disposition to clinical depression. This combination would then make the father more vulnerable or susceptible to becoming clinically depressed.

Chronic Depression and Stress and Chronic Stress and Depression

For a person who suffers from chronic depression the added effects of stress can be devastating. A first episode of such as the death of a loved one may bring on clinical depression but it may be treated and presumed cured. However when future stress episodes arise and the person continues to be affected it then becomes diagnosed as chronic depression and further episodes of depression may occur almost spontaneously.

Chronic Stress and Depression

Depression can also be affected or come into play causing more complications when there is a factor known as chronic stress. A few good examples of chronic stress factors or causes would be: A mother trying to juggle multiple roles such as parenting, employment, wife, volunteer and any many other obligations and responsibilities. This can be the cause of chronic or ongoing stress. Major life or age changes such as adolescence, middle age, or even old age. Retirement. Moving from apartment to house or from house to apartment. Empty nest syndrome

Things like the above samples have a tendency to be ongoing for a long period of time which often will also contribute to possibility of clinical depression.

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