Are the relationships in your life feeling strained and stressed because of your sadness and depression? Do you feel stressed because you wish you felt happy and could snap out your sad moods? If you are having difficulties handling stress and/or depression, it is important to understand the impact on each other. Understanding the relationship between stress and depression can help you to cope better when stressors and/or feelings of depression arise.

First of all, you should be aware that experiencing depression symptoms is not necessarily the same as experiencing clinical depression. Clinical depression is long lasting and so severe that it greatly interferes with your ability to function in at least one important area of your life. For example, you might stay in bed so much of the time that you lose your job and/or neglect your health. Although a particular stressor may trigger it, the depression continues long after the end of the stressful situation. It is an illness that should be evaluated and under medical/psychiatric care.

Depression symptoms, such as sadness, are often triggered by stress. Any stressor can contribute to depression but there are many common life stressors that may increase depression symptoms.

• Marital dissatisfaction
• Feeling trapped (in a marriage, a job, your life)
• Terrorist attacks
• Losing a spouse, parent, child or other family member
• Having a family member diagnosed with a serious illness
• Having to take care of a sick family member
• Family conflict
• Family violence
• Marital conflict
• Divorce
• Household changes
• Substance abuse stress
• Financial stress
• Health stress
• Job loss
• Job stress
• Exams
• Receiving unacceptable grades

The above is only a sampling of stressors that can contribute to depression symptoms. Sometimes knowing that what you are feeling is a normal response to certain life events can be reassuring and helpful.

It's a Two-Way Street

Not only does stress contribute to depression symptoms, but depression contributes to stress. Both biological and psychological reasons are involved in how stress contributes to depression symptoms such as sadness, and to the illness of clinical depression .The role that complex biological factors, such as brain chemistry, have on the interaction of stress and depression are just beginning to be understood by researchers. A number of psychological factors also come into play and these can be used to help the stressed-out person avoid becoming depressed.

• Make full use of personal resources such as social support, i.e. friends & family.
• Avoid negative thinking, especially self-criticism and replace with positive thoughts.
• Actively think positive thoughts and maintain a sense of humor, gratitude, interest, and love.
• Actively cope by journaling, exercising, healthy eating and problem solving.
• Talk to a professional counselor or therapist who can help guide you and give you tools to cope with triggers.

The above are useful tools to deal with stress and depression symptoms, but sometimes self-help strategies, support and talk therapy are not sufficient for more severe forms of stress and depression. If symptoms escalate, are not responding to efforts to feel better and/or are becoming chronic, then it is important to seek further evaluation and treatment. A licensed therapist can provide referrals to an appropriate professional.