Why did I get this?

The exact cause of depression is not known although medical researchers have a number of ideas. It will be different for every person. For some people it can be really difficult to even identify a reason why they are feeling so crap. Others can pinpoint a trigger such as a difficult life event, a bad time in their past or some sort of trauma. With bipolar disorder, there is evidence to suggest that some families can have a genetic predisposition.

The boxes on the right list some of the things that can lead to depression.

Life changes

There are certain times in life when everything seems to change. You might be feeling this right now: leaving school and becoming a student, or going through the hard slog of looking for a job. Moving out of home and going to live with friends, or maybe with people you don’t know. Then there is the option for moving to a new city, or going travelling. It can be a very exciting time, but it can also be an unsettling one.

Feeling out of control

Sometimes, feeling out of control with life events can cause you to become depressed. For example It can be difficult to see your friends moving on, completing their studies, getting new jobs, and forming new relationships, when you just don’t seem to have a clear idea of what you want to do. It’s easy to think that you have done something wrong, or that you are somehow to blame. This is a typical way of thinking with depression. There is information on challenging thoughts like this in the Staying Well section.

Discrimination

People who face a lot of bullying and discrimination because they are seen as ‘different’, who feel rejected, or who grow up in an unsupportive environment can be more likely to become depressed.

This can be true of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), for people with disabilities and people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, for example. While not people from these backgrounds will develop depression, the combined effects of prejudice and difficulty in being accepted – or accepting their own identity, can lead to depression and mental health problems.

Download the LGBT factsheet

No apparent reason

Sometimes there may be no reason at all for feeling the way you do. You may not be affected by any of the factors that make you more prone to depression and you can't see any triggers. It's important to remember that depression is an illness and like other illnesses sometimes there is no reason why one person gets it and another doesn't.

So, why me?

While some people might be more at risk of depression than others, it is important to remember that depression can affect anyone. Or, just because you have problems which might make you more at risk of depression, does not mean you will develop it. This is one of the things that many people struggle with when they have depression: Why me? As we have just learned, there isn’t an easy answer for that.

How does it affect me?

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Is it just
me?

Factors that may make you more prone to depression

Having a history of depression in your family
Having lost a parent in childhood
Physical, emotional or sexual abuse in childhood
Having a long term disabling illness
Living in a deprived area

Events which can ‘trigger’ depression

Stressful life events such as the death of someone close to you, ending a relationship, doing badly in exams, money problems, unemployment
Being bullied or criticised a lot
Key life events such as moving away from home, becoming a parent
Having a physical illness
Caring for, or living with, someone who has a long-term illness or mental health problem
Lack of daylight

Brought to you by Depression Alliance Scotland.
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