Who is at Risk for Depression?

"The only thing more exhausting than being depressed is pretending that you're not." - unknown

Gender, age, and genetics play big roles in the risk of depression.

But, why do these components advise our risk for developing depression? Numbers from the World Health Organization estimate that about 350 million people have depression globally. Depression is a type of mood disorder that some believe is triggered by gender, age, genetics, or when neurotransmitters in the brain are out of balance. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that help the brain communicate with other parts of the body. These chemicals help regulate many physiological functions. The number of people with depression may be rising due to more awareness and acceptance of depression as a disease. Major depression is more than just feeling low. It is a real disease that runs in families and meets accepted diagnostic criteria, said Tina J. Walch, MD, psychiatrist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.. Such symptoms include fatigue, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, feelings of sadness, changes in appetite, sleep problems, feelings of worthlessness, and problems with memory and concentration. Depression can affect everyone differently, but during depressive episodes, the Mayo Clinic notes, "symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day" — not just in passing. Why does depression affect such a large amount of people?

A depression fact that holds true across racial and economic differences is that depression is twice as common in women as it is in men. There are several theories as to why more women than men are diagnosed and treated for depression. This may be due to the fact that more women seek treatment for their symptoms than men. Women are more willing to accept that they have emotional symptoms of depressed mood and feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, causing them to reach out and ask for help. Men may be less willing to acknowledge their emotional symptoms and more apt to suppress their depression through the use of alcohol or other substances. In such cases depression can be "masked," or viewed only as alcohol or drug dependency/abuse rather than as clinical depression.

Some believe depression can be caused by hormonal changes throughout life. Among children, depression appears to occur in equal numbers of girls and boys. However, as girls reach adolescence, they tend to become more depressed than boys do. This gender difference continues into older age. Women may be more prone to depression because of the possible effects of hormones. Women have frequent changes in their hormone levels, from their monthly menstrual cycles. Some women develop a depressive illness around these events. So, women are particularly vulnerable to depression during pregnancy and after childbirth, which is called postpartum depression, as well as during menopause. To contribute, womens risk of depression is raised over mens.

Age is also a major circumstance in the prospect of depression. Major depression is most likely to affect people between the ages of 45 and 65. While clinical depression usually occurs for the first time when a person is between the ages of 20 and 50, people over the age of 65 may be especially vulnerable. The elderly are at a particularly high risk for depression. Furthermore, they are notoriously under treated for depression. People in middle age are at the top of the bell curve for depression, but the people at each end of the curve, the very young and very old, may be at higher risk for severe depression, says Walch. Late-life depression affects about six million people, but 90% of them never seek help. To conclude, depression is a disorder at any age, and deserves serious treatment.

A family history of depression may increase your risk as well. It's thought that depression is sometimes passed genetically across generations. The exact way this happens, however, is not clear. Having an immediate family member with depression or a mood disorder can increase your risk for depression. Also, having a close relative with bipolar disorder may increase a person's chances of developing major depression. If you have a parent with depression, your chance of having depression is about 25 percent. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that if one identical twin is diagnosed with depression, the other twin has a 70 percent chance of developing it. But, just like all the other statistics, they dont tell the whole story. Adoption studies show that a child adopted by a parent with depression also has a higher risk. However, depression can occur in people with no family history, which is why some scientists believe it can be a product of both genes and life experiences. No one specific gene causes depression, but there is still vulnerability due to a number of genes and life experiences.

Despite the success of depression treatment, about two out of three people with depression still dont seek help. Up to 80 percent of people with depression respond to treatment within four to six weeks. "From their experience came pain; and from their pain came purpose; and from their purpose came beauty." (- J. Arcangel). Overall, there are lots of aspects and possible causes of depression, but some of the main reasoning behind depression are genetics, age, and gender. Although, stay strong. You got this. We are survivors, not victims.



Let's have a discussion in this thread, about my article!

1. Were you able to make a connection to this article in any way? If so, how?

2. How do you feel your depression developed? Was this mentioned in my article?

3. Can you think of anyone in your family who has depression? Are you able to connect the way you feel to the way they feel?

4. How did this article make you feel? Why?

Post your answers below, and I will reply all the comments posted!!

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