Why am I Depressed for No Reason?

Do you wake each morning with the thought: why am I depressed for no reason? Being depressed when you have a good reason to be feeling that way is easier for outsiders to understand. If your wife left you for another man, your dog died, and now your house is being repossessed—who wouldn’t be depressed in your shoes?

However, to exhibit the symptoms of depression when the rest of the world else sees your life as perfect is rather more difficult for others to understand, so if this applies to you, you are probably suffering the symptoms of clinical depression as opposed to having a ‘bad day’.

Why am I depressed for no reason?

The answer to the question is that you are suffering from an illness. The main difference between a temporary bad mood and a depressive illness is that depression is characterized by a low mood and feelings of extreme sadness lasting for a long time. Anyone who is feeling justifiably depressed about an unfortunate run of bad luck will normally feel fine again within a day or so, but somebody suffering from clinical depression will not bounce back and in many cases will not be able to understand why they are feeling sad and depressed.

Depression should never be considered a sign of weakness. It can affect people of all ages, even children, and as many as one person in ten will suffer from the symptoms of depression at least once in their lifetime. Statistics show that women are more likely to suffer from depression, but it is possible that women are simply more likely to seek help for the illness. Depression very often has a genetic component and if the illness runs in your family, you are much more likely to suffer from it yourself.

How can I tell if I am suffering from depression?

Depression causes people to lose interest in things they previously enjoyed. Being depressed has a knock-on effect on all areas of life: depressed people become introverted; they are often tearful, irritable and intolerant of others. People suffering from depression are always sad, anxious or worried. They lack motivation and find it difficult to make decisions, which can affect work and family life. Depressed people take no enjoyment in life, they lose their sex drive, and in extreme cases they can self harm or consider suicide.

What causes depression?

There are many things that can trigger depression. In some cases, a particularly upsetting or stressful event can be the catalyst. People often struggle to cope with major events such as bereavement or a relationship breakdown, so they try and deal with problems alone, and end up becoming depressed. Personality can also play a major part in whether or not a person will suffer from depression and being very self critical or suffering from low self esteem can trigger bouts of depression. Giving birth is another common trigger for depression and post natal depression is fairly common in new mothers. Depression can also be caused by alcohol and drug abuse, serious illness, and even head injuries.