What Are Some Common Depression Triggers?

Many people across the nation are living with depression. The World Health Organization even quotes depression as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Depression doesn’t discriminate. Sometimes it happens even when someone has an objectively idyllic life. 

Sometimes it’s triggered by a stressful or negative life event. For some, it may become a recurring trigger for future depressive episodes. Identifying triggers for your depression can help you become more aware of the signs of depression and can also be helpful if you’re living with someone who has depression. 

What Are Some Common Depression Triggers? 

Depression triggers are surprisingly common in day-to-day life. If you’re not struggling with depression, some of these might never occur to you as triggers. Some of them include:

Grief or Loss

Grief is a significant trigger for depression. Also called bereavement, the symptoms of being triggered by loss are like what someone might consider normal after a loss. Grief is a tremendously personal experience. It depends on the person’s age, personality, and specific situation. It’s often tricky to identify when the usual sadness from grief crosses into depression. Talking about these issues with a trusted friend, family member, or physician can be helpful in these situations. 

Rejection 

We deal with rejection a lot more than we might think. Sometimes it can come in the form of well-intended criticism. Social exclusion is often extremely painful for someone who has low self-esteem. Since depression attacks our self-esteem, this is often a double-edged sword. People with high rejection sensitivity (RS) are usually more sensitive to small hints of rejection. Their responses to this rejection can be intense. Anything that might be remotely perceived as failure can trigger immediate anxiety and lead to a depressive episode. 

Lack of Sleep

Sleep and depression are intimately intertwined. One of the first symptoms of depression is a disruption in our sleep schedule. Lack of sleep or insomnia can easily trigger a depressive episode. This can become cyclical very quickly. If you’re not sleeping well, this can trigger depression, the depression can trigger a lack of sleep, and so on. 

Rumination

Ruminating is a form of dwelling on grief or anxieties. It can become intrusive and obsessive. It’s usually a result of the person needing to find a healthy way to deal with and process their thoughts and feelings. Rumination can not only trigger depression, but it can prolong a relapse and worsen symptoms. It’s also a serious risk factor for suicidal ideation. 

Financial Issues

Studies have shown that issues with money and finances have a significant effect on mental health. Financial difficulty and stress are often associated with depression. These issues might include lowering income, loss of a job, or a major financial loss. Coping with this stress is essential to avoiding a depressive episode. 

Substance Abuse

Depression and substance abuse can be intricately intertwined. Addiction and depression have similar physical and mental changes in the body. Not to mention the number of overlapping symptoms and risk factors which can trigger one another almost endlessly. This is usually a result of someone trying to self-medicate. They might drink or do drugs in order to numb themselves. 

Getting help

Depression is a heavy mental illness, and you don’t have to carry it alone. It can make finding joy in your life extremely difficult. Talk to a mental health professional about the treatment options available to you. These options can include medication, psychotherapy, or both. If you need help to find a therapist, talk to your general practitioner. They can recommend a therapist to you, just like so many of our clients have been recommended to us. You can also ask around, you will be surprise how many people in your circle are already in therapy and will be willing to share resources and insight if you just ask them. Ultimately, you don’t have to deal with depression alone. Someone out there is willing to listen and lend a helping hand. Read our therapists profile and schedule a free 15 mins consultation with who you feel might be a good fit for you.