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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What are some life changes that may trigger depression?

    Related Topics
    Depression Mental Health
    What are the most common life situations and environmental factors that can cause depression? Death of a loved one? Job layoff?
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    Thanks

    beyondblue

    beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related disorders in Australia.beyondblue is a bipartisan initiative of … View Profile

    Certainly all of these things can increase your risk of depression. Adverse/ negative life events such as losing a loved one, a job, your health and or independence are some examples. Having a baby and adjusting is also a time when many women particularly are at risk. If you have a had depression in the past, or depression in your family, this may also place you at greater risk. Beyondblue has a range of information about thus on their website or in their education resources, which are all free and can be accessed via the website www.beyondblue.org.au or the info line 1300 22 4636.
    Great question!

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  • Rhonda Gibson Long

    Psychotherapist

    I work with clients who have depression and anxiety but also I work with relationship issues, stress, addictions, grief, trauma, low self esteem and sexuality … View Profile

    A lot of the clients I see have depression. And it is the conflicts, something caused by a whole range of events and situations that can trigger the depression. It can sometimes happen because of choices people have made in the past. You could feel like you have ended up in a bit of a dead end, or where you really do not want to be.
    I think there are lots of layers within depression and it could be from something that may have happened recently that can be the trigger.
    It could be that you are at a job and someone can upset you or mistreat you. This could come at a time when you are struggling with your relationships, or lack of relationships. You may not be feeling nourished by how you are with yourself. Maybe you are not eating properly, or exercising much. Maybe you are not enjoying life and going out and doing things much at all.
    It can be the loss of a job, or partner, or sibling, or parent, baby , or child. Maybe even your job that you felt confident in and you are doing something different now.
    So it is a change in your role. It can be very difficult to find your feet in the world, and have some sense of yourself.
    I work a lot with moms who were career women, and now have a little baby to look after. These stay at home moms want to be the best possible mom for their baby but a feel a loss of self-esteem and confidence as they have no goals or deadlines from their job is not there. They went from being embedded in a profession to being a mom, and there is not much Kudos in being a mom. Not knowing where you are going once you have raised your child can also leave you feeling lost.
    We also look forward to the time we finally have babies and think ‘when I have my baby I will be happy, and feel fulfilled as a person’. When that does not happen, we feel a huge expectation is unfulfilled. It is very difficult to talk about the struggles of being a parent and can feel ashamed at struggling.
    Not having a good job can cause you to fall into depression. You have work, but it does not give them the satisfaction that the big job used to. So we look for other things that can engage with meaningfully, and hopefully nourishment themselves by.

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