What Can Trigger Depressive Episodes?

Alcohol abuse puts someone at risk for depression.

Depression, also called major depressive disorder, is characterized by periods of low mood called depressive episodes. A depressive episode lasts for at least 2 weeks and can go for several weeks or months up to a year at a time. It is usually triggered by one or more of the following factors:

• Loss: Loss can be of anything, such as a job, money, a loved one, a relationship, or any cherished possession. This is the most common trigger of depression. Large surveys have found that about 44% of depressive episodes are preceded by some kind of interpersonal loss. This interpersonal loss may include the death of a loved one, divorce, or even the moving of a best friend to a far-away place.
  • Job loss: People vulnerable to depression who have been fired from their jobs often feel embarrassed and worthless.
  • Losing a loved one: Losing a loved one seems to be a devastating experience. While some grieve and come to terms with the fact of their loss and keep going, others may suffer from depressive episodes.
  • Divorce or breakup: A divorce or a breakup (especially in the case of a toxic relationship) may be stressful enough to trigger depressive episodes.
• Targeted rejection: Deliberate rejection of one person from another
• Empty nest: Parents go into depression when their adolescents leave their homes.
• Caregiver stress: Caring for a family member with chronic illness
• Retirement: One's search for identity and marital problems may trigger depression.
• Delivery of baby: Postpartum depression
• Menopause: Estrogen decline may trigger depressive episodes.
• Winter blues: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year.
• Holidays: If people stay alone on holidays, it can trigger depressive episodes.

Some people survive the loss of a loved one by grieving for a few months while not spiraling into depression. While for some, even a minor event, such as a recent breakup, can seem like a catastrophe leading them to depression. Certain risk factors make such people vulnerable to depression. These factors include the following:

• Having a low self-esteem
• Being too dependent on others
• Too much critical of oneself
• Having a pessimistic outlook
• Being a victim of physical abuse
• Suffering sexual abuse
• Having a history of other mental illnesses, such as eating disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Having a family history of depression or other mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder
• Having a family member who suffers from alcoholism
• Having a history of suicide in the family
• Being from the LGBTQ+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc.)
• Alcohol abuse
• Recreational drug abuse
• Serious illness, including cancer
• Chronic pain
• Heart disease
• Medications
  • Some high blood pressure medications (beta-blockers)
  • Sleeping pills

No matter what triggers depression, people can always get help. They can visit a psychiatrist or talk to a mental health therapist. It is also necessary that people follow a healthy diet, stay physically active by exercising, get some sun, and get 7-9 hours of undisturbed sleep every day. Such a healthy lifestyle not only cuts down an individual's risk of falling prey to depression but also helps heal their soul.