'ongoing stress causes clinical depression'

[naswm]

Is this really true? or are those people that suffer/encounter stress in their lives more inclined to be depressed anyway?

[zippitippitoes]

I think they are generally linked

I just did this stress test here I don't know how accurate it is

[GreenLumpyTonsils]

f*ck me rigid, does it really?

[CarolinaMoon]

Pope yet to recant his Catholicism too, presumably?

[zippitippitoes]

but some people are stressed without being depressed

[CarolinaMoon]

oh god zippi, I'm extremely severely stressed atm

[GreenLumpyTonsils]

Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?

[misdee]

really? never knew that

[naswm]

appaarently so misdee. Explains a lot in my past and prob others

[nutcracker]

The two go together like cod and typos really don't they ? It's just the way it is.

[naswm]

but doesnt it seem unfair to anyone?

[poppiesinaline]

and some people are depressed without being stressed.

Some people seem to be able to go through a lot of awful things in their lives and dont get depressed.

Depression also runs in families.

[naswm]

sensible post poppies

None of it is fair though is it?

[poppiesinaline]

as DH would say to the kids 'life aint fair chuck, better get used to it'

[misdee]

in my life, the saying is 'sh*t happens, deal with it'

i'd have given up years ago otherwise

[Baconbaps]

Jeez according to that stress test I come under the 'extremely severe' depression, stress and anxiety bracket and I feel much better than I have at other times! Better hide those razor blades then..

[divastrop]

how does that explain the vast number of single,unemployed young men that i used to encounter at the mental health drop-in centre and homeless shelter where i did voluntary work who were suffering from depression?

[naswm]

divastrop - but their lives must have been FULL of stress surely?

[expatinscotland]

'but doesnt it seem unfair to anyone? '

newsflash: LIFE isn't fair.

who gets paid to come up w/all these no-brainers?

i want their job!

[Enid]

I think EVERYONE is under stress a lot of the time

perhaps if you don't recognise it as stress you are more likely to have an optimistic outlook on life

[Medea]

A psych I know wrote a letter to the editor (US paper) in response to an article about there being a lot of suicides in impoverished communities.

The psych wrote to say it wasn't the poverty, it was brain chemistry. Because lots of people live in poverty and don't kill themsevles.

So while anxiety/stress & depression often (but not always) go hand in hand, clinical depression is a matter of brain chemistry and can occur in the absence of "serious" stressors.

Or so I understand.

[naswm]

yes I agree Medea - but while clinical depression is definitely a matter of brain chemistry and almost certainly can occur in 'no stressors' - How come 'big stressors' often end up with clinical depression (even if they dont recognise it at the time)? There must be a link?

I;ve not done any 'research' on this btw - just had it thrown at me, and am keen to get view etc.

[divastrop]

i wouldnt say getting all your bills paid and your food free so you can spend your benefit money on weed and beer alot of stress.most of them were chucked out of home cos they were doing drugs or whatever anyway.
i think stress can be a factor in some cases,cos evrything just piles up and i think your brain just goes into shut-down mode,but there are alot of other things that can cause depression as well.

[Bugsy2]

I thought this had been proven ages ago. Ongoing severe stress means that you release less & less serotonin until eventually you become clinically depressed. Hence they give you SSRIs to cheer you up again!!!!
Surely this is not news or is it?

[naswm]

Very clearly explained Bugs2. thanks. (It was news to me btw....