External circumstances

The relationship with parents during childhood is also of great importance in relation to the risk of developing depression. If, as a child, you loose contact with one or both of your parents (through death or separation) or if your relationship with one or both of your parents is dysfunctional, it can increase your risk of developing depression.

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. Studies, however, 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 a “cold” upbringing creates a vulnerability to depression. Other circumstances during childhood, however, can contribute to depression. These include:

• 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

Current external circumstances may also 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 predisposed 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 marital separation
• a stress-inducing or dissatisfying work environment
• prolonged unemployment
• loneliness

These factors can in some cases be contributory to a depression. 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 with about everything. Superficial acquaintances cannot replace the one person who you are close with. You therefore have a greater risk of developing depression if you only have many superficial acquaintances.