Why are there more depressed people

Shorter days and longer hours of darkness in fall and winter may lead the body to have more melatonin and less serotonin. This imbalance is what creates the conditions for depression in some people — a condition known as seasonal affective disorder SAD. Exposure to light can help improve mood for people affected by SAD. The death of a family member, friend, or pet sometimes goes beyond normal grief and leads to depression. Other difficult life events — such as when parents divorce, separate, or remarry — can trigger depression.

Whether or not difficult life situations lead to depression can depend a lot on how well a person is able to cope, stay positive, and receive support. For some people, a negative, stressful, or unhappy family atmosphere can lead to depression. Other high-stress living situations — such as poverty, homelessness, or violence — can contribute, too. Dealing with bullying , harassment, or peer pressure leaves some people feeling isolated, victimized, or insecure.

Situations like these don't necessarily lead to depression, but facing them without relief or support can make it easier to become depressed.

Life is full of ups and downs. Stress, hassles, and setbacks happen but hopefully not too often. How we react to life's struggles matters a lot. A person's outlook can contribute to depression — or it can help guard against it. Research shows that a positive outlook acts as a protection against depression, even for people who have the genes, brain chemistry, or life situations that put them at risk for developing it.

The opposite is also true: People who tend to think more negatively may be more at risk for developing depression. Among pharmacological treatments for depression, the most commonly prescribed antidepressants are selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors SSRIs which reduce the absorption of serotonin, increasing overall levels.

Another popular class of drugs is serotonin norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor SNRIs , which work on both serotonin and noradrenaline. The most common talking therapy is cognitive behavioural therapy, which breaks down overwhelming problems into situations, thoughts, emotions, physical feelings and actions to try to break a cycle of negative thoughts.

Other types are interpersonal therapy, behavioural activation, psychodynamic psychotherapy and couples therapy. All talking therapies can be used on their own, or with medication. While there are more and more treatments for depression, the problem is rising, not falling.

From , cases of depressive illness increased by nearly a fifth. People born after are 10 times more likely to have depression. This reflects both population growth and a proportional increase in the rate of depression among the most at-risk ages, the WHO said. Suicide rates, however, have declined globally, by about a quarter. In , the rate was Other reasons given for the continuing rise in depressive illness include an ageing population to year-olds are more likely to suffer than other age groups , and rising stress and isolation.

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Association of childhood lead exposure with adult personality traits and lifelong mental health. Immune response: How your immune system recognizes and defends itself against bacteria, viruses, toxins and other harmful substances. A response can include anything from coughing and sneezing to an increase in white blood cells, which attack foreign substances. Interpersonal therapy IPT : A treatment often used for depression that lifts mood by teaching you how to relate with others in a healthier way.

A therapist will help you identify troubling emotions and their triggers, express emotions in a more productive way and examine past relationships that may have contributed to your current mental health issues. Lean protein: Meats and other protein-rich foods low in saturated fat.

These include boneless skinless chicken and turkey, extra-lean ground beef, beans, fat-free yogurt, seafood, tofu, tempeh and lean cuts of red meat, such as round steaks and roasts, top loin and top sirloin.

Choosing these can help control cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids oh-may-ga three fah-tee a-sids : Healthy polyunsaturated fats that the body uses to build brain-cell membranes. A diet rich in omega-3s—found in fatty fish, like salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as in walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil—and low in saturated fats may help protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

Whole grains: Grains such as whole wheat, brown rice and barley still have their fiber-rich outer shell, called the bran, and inner germ. It provides vitamins, minerals and good fats.