What Increases Your Risk
July 3rd, 2008 | by admin |Several factors increase your risk for depression. Your risk of developing depression is up to three times greater than that of the general population if you have a father, mother, or sibling with depression. If you have had depression before, you are much more likely to have depression again.
Other risk factors for depression include:
- A history of heart problems, such as coronary artery disease.
- A serious, ongoing (chronic) illness, such as diabetes, cancer, or chronic pain.
- Problems in your marriage.
- Use of drugs or alcohol.
- Use of certain medications that might trigger depression, such as steroids or narcotics for pain relief.
- A stressful life event, such as losing a job or the death of a loved one. This is especially true for older people who have many social stressors, such as becoming dependent upon others for care.
- Certain medical conditions, such as anemia and thyroid disease.
- Aging and dementia, a loss of mental skills that affects your daily life.
- Recent serious illness or surgery.
- A childhood history of physical or sexual abuse.
- Constantly worrying or being overly anxious.
- An eating disorder or anxiety disorder.
Additional risk factors for depression in women include:
- Recent childbirth. For more information, see the topic Postpartum Depression.
- Use of birth control pills (oral contraceptives). However, for some women, birth control pills can improve mood.
- A history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (severe premenstrual syndrome, or PMS).
