How to Stress And Depression Are Connected

Stress and depression seem to be interlinked, and while many would attest to it, only a few studies have managed to pinpoint how the two interact.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pc
• internet

1. The first connection is that stress contributes to the symptoms of depression, such as sadness. According to researchers, the more exposed a person is to sources of stress, the more intense their symptoms become. Some research into this connection has delved into specific sources of stress, such as armed conflict. As could be expected, the start of armed conflict – even in regions where such things are more common – easily triggered symptoms of depression. However, the intensity and number of the symptoms were noted to decrease as the conflict wore on, theoretically because people were getting used to the conflict.

2. The second link in the chain is that stress not only makes depression symptoms worse, but it also works in the reverse. Depression can make you feel more stressed out. According to a study conducted in 1991, there was evidence that women with clinical depression had symptoms, behaviors, characteristics, and social context that made the usual sources of stress worse. It was also observed that the added stress made their depression worse. Another study found that health-related sources of stress, along with family violence and financial concerns, could cause sudden spikes in the intensity of depressive symptoms.

3. It should be noted that medical science is still not sure why or how stress and depression interact, only that they have pinpointed things which seem to trigger the reactions. Science is still analyzing and understanding how one affects the other, so information might not be as abundant as one would like.

Tips & Warnings

• t is not unusual for people who have been diagnosed with depression to admit to feeling rather stressed out. They can sometimes feel that there's a lot of pressure on them, and they're constantly being “tested.” They don't feel comfortable at most times, and can often perceive others as putting undue pressure on them to perform or adapt in some form. However, there are very few outside of the mental health community who fully understand that stress and depression do have concrete connections, and that they do have an effect on each other.

Resources

• Prozac Fluoxetine

[barbiecrafts]

on 10/15/2009 True stuff here about stress and depression. 5 reccommended you