For individuals who have unipolar major depression, an episode can be triggered by internal stressors like anger, fear, fatigue, and natural hormonal changes, or external stressors such as sickness and overwork. You do not have to experience any single big event to trigger a depressive episode; several moderate stressors can add up to a big load of stress. And once an episode of depression starts, it increases the stress reaction in the brain. After you have the first episode of unipolar major depression, others come more easily.

• Is unipolar major depression just another term for life stress?
• Does early childhood abuse cause major depression?
• What’s the relationship between brain chemicals and depression?
• What part of the brain is responsible for depression?
• How many people are affected by clinical depression?
• What exactly do you mean when you talk about stress?
• Do you have to have the genes for depression in order to get depressed?
• What role does genetics play in depression?
• How does unipolar major depression start?
• Is major depression primarily physical or mental?
• Can’t anyone have these diagnostic criteria?
• Are there blood tests or brain scans that diagnose unipolar major depression?
• Why are so many physical symptoms in the definition of depression?
• My sadness seems reasonable and bearable how much sadness is normal?
• What is the single most important symptom of unipolar major depression?
• Is depression a fad diagnosis?
• Why can’t everyone diagnose their own depression?
• How is unipolar major depression diagnosed?
• Why are there so many different names for depression?
• All this information seems overwhelming what can I do to fight all these problems?