Stress is the body’s reaction to any physical or emotional demand. Emotional stress is a cause of depression as well as a symptom of it. Stressful circumstances can lead to feelings of depression and these feelings can further exacerbate the effects of stress.

Stressful experiences, such as the loss of one’s job or the breakup of a long-term relationship, can result in depression. Not everyone who experiences such circumstances becomes depressed. Biological factors might explain why one person experiencing stress experiences depression while another one does not.

What is Depression?

Depression differs from fluctuations in mood and short-lived emotional responses to stress triggers in one’s day-to-day life. Depression can be a serious condition when it lasts for a long time and has a moderate or severe intensity. A person suffering from depression can suffer a great deal and perform poorly at work, at school, and in the family. Depression may result in suicide at its worst. Every year there are more than 800,000 suicides. The second leading cause of mortality among 15 to 29-year-olds is suicide.

Although there are recognized, effective treatments for mental disorders, seventy-six to eighty-five percent of individuals in low- and middle-income countries never receive treatment for such disorders.

Ill-equipped healthcare providers, inadequate resources, and the social stigma commonly associated with mental disorders are obstacles to providing effective care. An additional barrier to effective care is the lack of adequate diagnosis and assessment of patients. Such diagnosis typically requires a combination of specialized tools such as Screening tools, Diagnostic tools, and good inter-rater reliability to attain a complete review of a patient. The ideal test for busy doctors would be quick, easy, and reliable for screening, diagnosis, and outcome assessment.

In most countries of all income levels, people who have depression are not correctly diagnosed, and those who do not have depression are sometimes misdiagnosed and prescribed antidepressants.

Depressive episodes can be either mild, moderate, or severe depending on the number and severity of symptoms.

What’s The Relationship Between Stress and Depression?

Depression can be caused by many factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, and your life situation. Chronic stress increases your risk of depression if you are not able to cope well with it. There is also a growing body of research that shows a correlation between stress and physical illness.

Stress is the physical and psychological reactions to positive and negative circumstances in your life, such as a new job or the loss of a loved one. Stress in and of itself is neither abnormal nor a bad thing. What matters is how you handle stress.

When you are experiencing chronic stress, you may get worn down and overwhelmed. You may experience frequent bad moods, a decrease in productivity, diminished relationships, develop sleep issues, and even have trouble completing your daily routine. All these are symptoms associated with depression.

How Then Can You Manage Stress To Avoid Depression?

The first step in managing stress is identifying the source of your stress. This isn’t as simple as it seems. Although major sources of stress can be readily identified, such as moving, changing jobs, or experiencing a divorce, pinpointing chronic sources of stress is more complicated. It is very easy to overlook the impact of your thoughts, feelings, and actions on your daily stress levels.

Yes, you may be concerned about work deadlines, but perhaps it is your procrastination rather than your job requirements that stress you out.

Stress management techniques can be employed to cope with depression. Stress management can also prevent the development of depressive symptoms when people have a review of their mental health and lifestyle. Some techniques for managing stress include:

– Try to get enough sleep
– Eat a balanced and healthy diet
– Regular physical exercises
– Going on occasional vacations and taking regular breaks from work
– Start a relaxing hobby like yoga or meditation
– Be far from caffeine and alcohol as much as you can
– Participate in breathing exercises that help lower your heart’s rate

If you are experiencing stress due to lifestyle choices, you may wish to change the way you approach your personal and professional life. Some steps you can take to reduce this type of stress include the following:

– Avoiding situations that put you under intense pressure to perform at work or school, such as by raising your standards to a level you struggle to attain.
– Taking on fewer responsibilities at work, at home, or at school, or any organization where you find yourself stressing.
– Learning to share or delegate responsibilities to people around you.
– Surrounding yourself with positive and supportive family members and friends.
– Removing yourself from environments and situations that induce unnecessary and excessive stress.

Activities such as attending religious services, yoga, and meditation can also assist you in dealing with stress. Combining these strategies may prove to be even more effective. However, it is important to discover what works for you. Regardless of what you decide, it is imperative that you have family members close friends willing to support you.

Stress can stem from a variety of personal, environmental, and professional causes. The best way to deal with stress is to manage the stress factors that are under your control. For example, you may decide to leave toxic relationships or quit a demanding job. It is also possible to accept or cope with stressors that you have no control over by meditating or reducing your alcohol or caffeine intake.

Finally, depression makes it difficult to cope with and manage stressors, but counseling, therapy, and taking medication can allow you to cope with stressors in a way that is positive and constructive.