5 Common Depression Triggers
Some common depression triggers can include a loss of a loved one, personal or work-related stress, hormonal changes, or seasonal changes. While not every trigger may bring about a relapse, it's best to be aware of these five common depression triggers.
If you've had depression in the past, you're more likely to have a depressive episode in the future so it's important to be mindful of certain triggers or things that can lead you down that path.
Stress
Stress can be attributed to your job, to money, to relationships.
I've learned the power of saying no or saying no to certain people or responsibilities that you may not have time for that can be overwhelming as well as looking at things as small things instead of big, large things.
I usually make a list and I have a category of what I must do, what I need to do and what I want to do and so it's easier for me to achieve certain goals or eliminate certain behaviors or patterns if I categorize them as small things in that way.
Trauma
An interpersonal loss has been shown to be a big trigger in depression. Not just the loss of a person but a loss of finances, loss of certain opportunities can be very triggering.
So, finding support is very important in that sense. A support group, support person, a therapist. That's very important when dealing with trauma.
Diet
Your diet is not just important for your physical health. It's also important for your mental health.
Certain carbohydrates in excess can impact your depression. Also, certain foods have vitamins that you need like vitamin D and vitamin B which have been linked, if you're deficient in those, have been linked to depression.
Hormones
Another trigger that's very important are your hormones.
I often talk about premenstrual syndrome. I have pretty bad PMS depression and so I track that and make sure that okay, I know that this is what's going on.
Also, postmenopausal or premenopausal syndrome as well as your thyroid, certain hormones there have been linked to depression as well.
Stopping Treatment
If you sought treatment for depression, I'm so happy that you've made that step and did that but once you stop it, you want to have a game plan once you're stopping your treatment.
So talking to your therapist or if you're taking medication not just stopping it abruptly without consulting with who gave it to you because some side effects is an increase of suicidal thoughts if you stop it abruptly. Making sure that you have some kind of game plan.
It's very important that you assess some of these triggers and I hope that what I shared with you today can be helpful in that sense and doing it before instead of during or after is also important to do as well.
