Most people Causes of depression vary a lot between different people, and for some people a combination of different factors may cause their depression. Some people find that they become depressed without any obvious reason.

Note; It is not just negative experiences that cause depression, but how we deal with them. If you do not have much support to help you cope with the difficult emotions that come with these events, or if you are already dealing with other difficult situations, you might find that a low mood develops into depression. Some of the common triggers of depression are;

1. Childhood experiences

Going through difficult experiences in your childhood can make you vulnerable to experiencing depression later in life. This could be:

• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Neglect
• Loss of someone close to you
• Traumatic events
• Unstable family situation.

2. Life events

Depression is also commonly triggered by an unwelcome, stressful or traumatic event. This could be:

• Losing your job or unemployment
• The end of a relationship
• Loss of a loved one
• Major life changes such as getting a child, changing jobs, relocating or getting married
• Being physically or sexually assaulted
• Being bullied or abused – at home or at work

Going through lots of smaller challenging experiences can have a bigger impact on your vulnerability to depression than experiencing one major traumatic event.

3. Other health problems

If you experience another mental health problem, it is common to also experience depression. This might be because coping with the symptoms of your mental health problem can trigger depression. You may find you experience depression if you also experience:

• Anxiety
• Eating problems
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Physical health problems – These could be chronic health problems, life threatening illnesses, health problems that significantly change your lifestyle. These health problems can be quite difficult to manage and can have a big impact on your mood.

4. Genetics

Research has shown that if you have a close family member with depression, you are more likely to experience depression yourself. While this might be caused by our biology, this link could also be because we usually learn behavior and ways of coping from the people around us as we grow up.