18 Common Depression Triggers & How to Cope With Them

What Is a Depression Trigger?

A depression trigger is an internal or external circumstance that can set off or intensify depressive symptoms in a person. A trigger can be a sight, sound, or smell, but it could also be the anniversary of a difficult event. Sometimes, a depression trigger is obvious, and other times, a person may not be fully sure what caused their depressive episode.

Triggers affect everyone differently, and something that triggers one person might not trigger their family or friends. The amount of coping skills an individual has, unique vulnerability and resilience factors, and their unique genetic and environmental factors all impact how a person may respond to depression triggers.

Depression triggers can be:

• Internal triggers: Anything within a person’s body that changes their internal emotional or physical state is an internal trigger. Past traumas, negative thought patterns, and chemical or hormonal imbalances are all examples of internal triggers.
• External triggers: An external trigger is anything outside of a person and their control, usually environmental factors that contribute to exacerbating depressive symptoms. Substance abuse, stressful life events, chronic illness, and difficult interpersonal relationships are all possible external depression triggers.

18 Common Triggers for Depression

Often, people who have experienced depression before have more awareness surrounding their depression and are less surprised to see depressive symptoms show up. Those who have never experienced depression might not know about depression triggers and may have a harder time identifying depressive symptoms for what they are.

Here are eighteen common triggers for depression:

1. Stress

Ongoing stress from work, relationships, or other sources can trigger depression over time. Think of a person’s capacity for stress as a cup of water. If they keep pouring stress into it, the cup will eventually overflow. When all of someone’s energy is wrapped up in managing that overflowing cup, there’s nothing left for them. It’s easy to see how this could trigger depression and cause them to stop enjoying things they once did, feel low in energy, and start having feelings of emptiness.

2. Substance Use

Misusing substances like recreational drugs, prescription drugs, or alcohol can trigger depression because they alter your brain chemistry. They interfere with the brain’s reward pathway, making it difficult for “regular life” to feel good enough or even tolerable. This can lead to physical and psychological dependence, furthering the likelihood of depression being triggered.

Substance use can also lead to distorted thoughts and an inability to manage emotional distress. When a person misuses substances, they will likely feel guilt and shame, which can result in social withdrawal and isolation, increasing the probability of a depressive episode.

3. Lack of Sleep

A lack of sleep can trigger depression symptoms, and our overall mental health can suffer.¹ Sleep is imperative for our bodies and brains to process and heal from the events of the day. When we lose sleep, our ability to manage our thoughts and emotions decreases. It can lead to distorted thoughts and social withdrawal, all of which can trigger depression.

4. Grief & Loss

Grief resulting from loss, such as the death of a parent, friend, or pet, can trigger depression for individuals already at risk. It is important to note that not all sadness that results from grief can be classified as depression. Grief crosses over to depression when the feelings of sadness are constant rather than intermittent, when a person has trouble participating in activities of daily living, or when they start viewing themselves as worthless.

5. Rumination

Rumination, or dwelling on negative feelings and distress and their causes and consequences, can trigger depression.² Often, a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all intertwined. If their thoughts are stuck on the negative, it can trigger negative feelings and depressive behaviors such as social withdrawal.

6. Unhealthy Lifestyle

An unhealthy lifestyle, including sleep, exercise, and nutrition, can trigger depression. Poor sleep can cause depression, and depression can cause poor sleep.¹ Research also shows that eating processed foods can contribute to depressive symptoms.³ Finally, a lack of exercise can potentially worsen a person’s depression.⁴

7. Medication Changes

Some medications have depression listed as a possible side effect, so if a person who is prone to depression recently added or changed a medication, they should check with their doctor about whether depression could potentially be triggered by it. A new medication, such as birth control pills, could trigger depressive symptoms.⁵

If an individual is taking an antidepressant, dosage changes or changes to a new type of medication can trigger depression as well. Missing any doses can also impact depressive symptoms. Particularly in youth populations, certain antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidality.

8. Shifts in Season

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression where seasonal shifts, especially those that result in changing the amount of daylight hours, can cause mood changes. The symptoms of SAD mimic those of major depression, including loss of interest in activities a person once enjoyed, low energy, difficulty with sleep, and feeling depressed most of the time on most days.⁶

People who have a history of depression are more susceptible to SAD. While SAD is most commonly seen during the winter months, it can appear during any of the seasons. Winter-pattern SAD includes symptoms of oversleeping, overeating, weight gain, and social withdrawal, while summer-pattern SAD is more related to difficulty sleeping, decreased appetite, restlessness, and anxiety.

9. Trauma Anniversaries

Anniversaries of traumas can trigger depression or exacerbate existing depressive symptoms because they can bring back vivid memories and emotions associated with the traumatic event. This can lead to a resurgence of intense and distressing feelings, including fear, sadness, anger, and helplessness, as well as trigger PTSD flashbacks and intrusive thoughts about the trauma, all of which can contribute to depressive symptoms.

10. Hormone Changes

Changes in hormones can trigger depression. Hormone changes are most prominent during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Hormone changes can also be related to thyroid functioning, so it’s important to have a primary doctor check for any physiological causes of depression.⁷

11. Rejection

Feeling rejected can lead to feelings of low self-confidence and low self-esteem, which can lead to a depressive episode. Having a low, unrealistic self-image is a classic depression symptom that results from feelings of social isolation, withdrawal, abandonment, or rejection. Feelings of rejection can happen in any relationship, including friendships, intimate partnerships, family ties, or employment opportunities.

12. Job Loss

Losing your employment can be a major trigger for depression, as it tends to impact most areas of your life. A job loss means losing income, routine, friendships, and possibly a passion project that was motivating and enjoyable for you. Any one of these could be considered a major loss or trauma, resulting in grief, low self-worth, financial instability, and social withdrawal.

13. Relationship Problems & Divorce

Our chosen intimate relationships play a huge role in our daily lives, and having problems or a major change like separation or divorce can trigger depression. In these situations, we often experience many distressing emotions that can feel hard to identify, accept, or manage. They can also lead to feeling low self-esteem and self-worth, which are common depression triggers.

14. Illness or Injury

Developing an illness or experiencing an injury can lead to major quality of life changes and emotional distress. These two life experiences often result in a grinding halt of most of life’s processes, including work, social life, physical activity, and self-care. Any dramatic and sudden shift in our ability to maintain our normal routine can lead to feelings of low self-efficacy and self-confidence, both of which are common depression triggers.

Chronic illnesses, such as cancer, are often a cause of depression because an individual is faced with the reality that their life may end soon. They may also feel a depressive guilt about how their illness is impacting their loved ones. Finally, some treatments can impact how a person’s brain and body function, triggering depressive episodes.

15. Birth

Birth is a major life event for everyone involved in the process and can be a depression trigger. Hormone changes after birth can result in postpartum depression. This is most common in women, although men can experience postpartum depression as well.

While becoming a parent is often touted as an incredibly rewarding experience, it is also a major life change that will disrupt most of your daily routine. The birth of a child can come with many complex and often conflicting emotions. Shame and guilt can often be the result of having mixed feelings about a birth, especially due to societal and internal expectations of how you “should” feel. Experiencing these distressing emotions, in addition to the major shift in routine, can easily be a trigger for depression.

16. An Empty Nest

Having children leave home will be a major change in your daily life that can come with complex emotions and lead to empty nest syndrome. Any time we experience a shift in our typical daily experience, we can feel grief and loss and potentially develop depressive symptoms. The change in your support system and feeling of loss of connection to your loved ones can be a notable trigger for depression to begin or return.

17. Retirement

While retirement is stereotypically something many people look forward to, it is a major change in routine that can impact your mental health. Some retirement experiences can lead to feelings of low productivity or loss of purpose, aimlessness, and hopelessness. Leaving a job or career can also result in loneliness, social withdrawal, and isolation.  All of these feelings are hallmark symptoms of depression, leading to retirement possibly triggering a depressive episode.

18. Stopping Depression Treatment

If you decide to stop treatment for your depression, it can lead to a resurgence of your depression symptoms. This can be true for any treatment, including medication or therapy services, even if you’re starting to feel better. Some individuals may be able to engage in short-term depression treatment while others can struggle for years; it simply depends on your needs and the type of depression you have.

Can Depression Triggers Be Prevented?

Life is full of unexpected challenges, and not all stressors can be eliminated. It’s important to recognize that some triggers, such as genetic predisposition to depression and certain biological factors, may not be preventable. The impact a depression trigger has on a person depends on their coping skills, social support, and lifestyle.

Even if a person has had depression in the past, future depression triggers can’t always be prevented. Still, they can learn to anticipate the triggers and gain new coping strategies in order to manage the triggers differently. While the body’s response to depression triggers may always feel overwhelming, with proper treatment and coping skills, an individual does not have to remain stuck in the triggered feeling.

How to Cope With Depression Triggers

While depression triggers can feel emotionally insurmountable, there are coping skills for depression that can make depression triggers more manageable. Lifestyle management, staying involved in their social life and support system, practicing mindfulness and self-compassion, and reducing the use of substances are all ways to support someone’s mental health if their depressive symptoms have been triggered.

Here are some tips for how to cope with depression triggers:

• Exercise: Regular exercise has been shown to improve depression. Start with small, manageable activities like walking, swimming, or yoga, and gradually increase the intensity as you feel comfortable.  Even as little as three sessions of exercise per week has shown benefits in depression symptoms.⁴
• Schedule a routine: Depression can disrupt daily routines, making it important to establish and maintain a structured daily schedule. You may want to try a method called time blocking, where you allocate dedicated, uninterrupted periods for tasks, group similar activities, and stick to your schedule as closely as possible. Apps like RescueTime are great tools to utilize when time blocking.
• Write about thoughts and feelings: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can provide a release and help you gain insights into your emotional state. If you do not know where to begin, try utilizing journal prompts targeted for depression. Writing can also be a useful tool to track your mood and identify patterns.
• Practice self-compassion: Be kind and patient with yourself. Try a self-compassion exercise such as Dr. Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion Break, where you acknowledge your suffering, recognize it as a common human experience, and offer yourself kindness.⁸ Another way to practice self-compression is to focus on self-care for depression, which can be a reminder that you are worthy of taking care of yourself.
• Stay involved: Connect with friends and family who can offer emotional support. Sharing your feelings and experiences with trusted individuals can provide comfort and understanding.
• Sleep well: Set regular sleep and wake times, as sleep patterns can significantly impact mood. Additionally, focus on improving your sleep hygiene by buying blackout shades and charging your phone outside of your bedroom.
• Reduce substance use: Substance use such as alcohol can exacerbate depression symptoms. Try to limit or avoid alcohol and drug use, and seek professional help if you have substance abuse issues.
• Eat well: Eat a balanced diet with a focus on depression-friendly foods, as nutrition plays a role in mental health. Avoid excessive consumption of processed and sugary foods and known foods that cause depression.
• Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness, meditations for depression, yogic breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation can help you manage stress and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

When to Seek Professional Support

Seeking professional help for depression is essential when someone is experiencing symptoms that interfere with daily life, well-being, and overall functioning. Depression is a treatable condition, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes.

Online therapy services such as Talkiatry are a convenient and affordable way to find a therapist who specializes in depression management. There are also many online psychiatry services that make exploring medication options for depression easier than ever.

Treatment for Depression Triggers

Treating depression is not hopeless. There are many depression treatment options, and a good therapist will tailor their treatment to a person’s specific personality and symptoms.

Treatment options for depression include:

• Psychodynamic therapy: Psychodynamic therapy explores unconscious thoughts and feelings that may contribute to depression. It delves into a person’s past experiences, relationships, and unresolved conflicts to gain insight into the root causes of depressive symptoms so that they can work through them and achieve emotional healing.
• Medications: There are several medications for depression that can help alleviate symptoms. Typically, medication and psychotherapy combined are the most effective treatment for depression.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT for depression focuses on identifying and changing cognitive distortions and behaviors that contribute to depression. It helps an individual learn to recognize automatic negative thoughts and develop strategies to challenge and reframe them.
• Interpersonal therapy (IPT): IPT focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and addressing social conflicts that may contribute to depression. It helps an individual to identify problematic patterns in their relationships, communicate more effectively, and make changes to improve their social support system.
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT): MBCT combines elements of mindfulness meditation with principles from CBT to teach individuals to become more aware of their thoughts and emotions, develop a non-judgmental attitude, and learn to respond to negative thoughts and feelings in a healthier way.
• Behavioral activation (BA): Behavioral activation is a component of CBT that specifically focuses on increasing engagement in positive and pleasurable activities, which, over time, can improve mood and increase motivation. It acknowledges the relationship between depression and reduced activity levels and helps a person to identify and schedule enjoyable activities, even when they don’t feel motivated, to counteract depressive symptoms.