be negatively affected. This process can result in depression. Getting married, losing a job, and studying for a final exam are all different types of major life events that can create stress. Just like bad events, good events can also result in stress. Pain and illness are associated to depression in similar way hormones can in regards to biochemical changes. An illness itself can create biochemical changes that can lead to depression symptoms. Additionally, people suffering from an illness can become depressed about their health as they endure pain, loss of bodily functions and even if they face the chance of dying due to their illness. Cancer, heart diseases, and strokes are illustrations of chronic illnesses. There are loads of stress and worry associated with coping with an illness, especially if there is long-term management or chronic pain that come with the illness. In regards to sexuality, individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual mean they have a diversity of genital organs that are not distinctly male or female. It is common for people who struggle with their sexual identity to have unsupportive friends and family, which ultimately leads to depression. Early trauma and abuse is unfortunately another common risk for depression. People that endured any past physical, emotional, or sexual abuse during their youth are more susceptible to depression later in life. Grief and sadness are normal feelings of being human. However, feeling worthless or even suicidal thoughts due to big stresses can make a person develop serious symptoms of depression. The death of a family member or a friend can be enough to trigger depression in someone who already attains other risk factors of depression, most common being from genetics. The final risk factor for developing depression is drug abuse. There are prescription medications and specific illegal drugs that can cause depression symptoms to arise. It is very common for people to treat depression by self-medicating but that can easily lead to substance abuse and making depression worse. Research shows that many people that suffer from depression is due to their abuse of drugs and alcohol. In summary, there are several different risk factors associated with developing depression. The nature of depression is that the people affected fail to realize they are depressed therefore meaning they are unlikely to seek help. Depression is not only a burden of disease to the people suffering from it but also for their family, friends, and society as a whole.

Depression is a very common mental illness characterized by many signs and symptoms. This illness typically occurs in result of detrimental life events, but can also occur due to no apparent cause. A person who is depressed has a persistent anxious, sad, or “empty” mood with feelings of guilt or hopelessness that lasts almost every day for weeks. Depression affects a person’s behavior, feelings, thoughts, and can physically affect their body. Examples of the effect depression has on behavior include failing to go to school or work, withdrawing from close friends and family, relying on drugs and alcohol, refusing to