External circumstances

The relationship with parents during childhood is also of great importance in relation to the risk of developing depression later on.

If as a child you lose contact with one or both of your parents (through bereavement or divorce) or if the contact with one or both of your parents worsens, it can increase your risk of developing depression.

Cold upbringing

This applies in particular to "cold" upbringing. Many depressed people have unfortunately been brought up by "cold" parents and have received a hard and controlling upbringing.

Adults who have been depressed talk approximately 10 times more often about a cold upbringing than people who are well. It stands to reason to think that people who are depressed remember their upbringing as cold because their frame of mind is affected negatively. But trials have shown that they describe it in the same way when they have recovered, just like witnesses to the upbringing describe it in the same way.

There is therefore no doubt that an upbringing marked by cold control creates a vulnerability to depression. But also other circumstances during childhood can be a contributory cause of depression such as

• physical and sexual abuse
• conflicts and strife in the home
• parents who used feelings of shame as a means of upbringing
• parents who openly preferred other siblings
• parents who were unreasonably demanding, for instance with regard to school performances

Current external circumstances

It may also be current external circumstances which strain and "damage" you over a long period of time. Current external circumstances cannot create a depression by themselves but they can trigger depression if you are already disposed to it.

Some of the long lasting stress factors, which increase your risk of developing depression are

• an emotionally dissatisfying or conflict-stricken relationship
• a stress-inducing divorce
• a stress-inducing or dissatisfying work environment
• prolonged unemployment
• loneliness

These factors can in some cases be contributory to a depression being triggered. Of these factors, loneliness is one of the most important. You are at the greatest risk of developing depression if you don't have someone close to you that you can talk to about everything. Superficial acquaintances cannot replace the one person who you are close to. You therefore have a greater risk of developing depression if you only have many superficial acquaintances.