Perhaps more
importantly, it seems that experiencing depression actually changes how the
brain responds to stress. It seems that once a person has had one episode of
depression, their brain shows an exaggerated stress response to relatively
minor stressors. In other words, while the initial episode of depression may be
triggered by a major
negative life event, later
episodes of depression may be triggered by a minor negative life
event. Perhaps this is why depression can often become a chronic problem.
Role transitions (major changes in your life) often trigger later episodes of
depression. All of our lives involve stress and transitions that present us
with both challenges and opportunities. One of the best ways to combat future
episodes of depression is to anticipate situations in which you are likely to
become depressed in the future (transitions) and do some planning for how you
are going to cope.