Good question: Can you prevent depression?

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in Canada. Data from 2022 showed that nearly 8 per cent of Canadians experienced a major depressive episode in the previous year—an increase of over 3 per cent from a decade ago.¹ Depression tends to affect women more than men, but no gender or age group is immune.²

Depression is a complex mood disorder, with many possible causes and many potential courses of treatment, from medication to therapy. Untreated, it can negatively impact quality of life, relationships, and work. Mental health conditions, including depression, are also a leading cause of workplace absence in Canada, comprising more than one-third of long-term disability claims.³

Is it possible to prevent a mood disorder like depression? Dr. Gustavo Turecki, a Montreal-based clinician-scientist who serves as Scientific Director and Psychiatrist-in-Chief of the Douglas Institute, sheds some light on the question.

Dr. Turecki: We know preventing a mental illness like depression is different than preventing other types of disorders. For many physical illnesses, such as heart disease, we understand the relationship between risk factors and outcomes. We don’t yet have that level of understanding for mental illnesses. It’s difficult to say ‘By avoiding doing A, B, or C, you are reducing your chances of having a depressive episode by X, Y, or Z.’

Dr. Turecki: Depression is a very broad illness, with different manifestations. For example, someone might have a single episode of depression that some people would call burnout; They’re not able to cope with the day-to-day stresses of life, whether it’s caused by work or something else in their lives. That might require some time off work, and perhaps some treatment. That situation is not the same as someone who has had recurrent episodes of depression, possibly even requiring hospitalization, over longer periods of time.

Both instances of depression have the same diagnosis, clinically, but they have very different presentations - all of which vary by individual. Things like that can make it difficult to connect risk factors and outcomes.

Dr. Turecki: Genetics are one part of it. Your own personal trajectory is another, including your upbringing. Then there are your interactions with other people and the world, because we don’t live in a vacuum. We all have to work with and relate to people, and many of the stressors that can trigger depressive episodes are a function of that.

Dr. Turecki: You cannot control your own hereditary predispositions. But you can modify stressors that trigger depressive episodes, and when you can’t do that, you can take steps to minimize their impact, including seeking help from a medical professional.

Dr. Turecki: In cases where a person has recurrent episodes of depression, there may be a few things that can help prevent onset. It’s important to maintain consistency: keeping good sleep hygiene, remaining physically active, and managing levels of stress are solid general preventive actions that patients can apply to avoid having new episodes. And it’s important for this individual to stay consistent with any medication they’re taking to manage their depression.

For someone who has experienced a single episode, prevention often comes down to managing stressors. That can mean working to strike a good balance between life and work and establishing boundaries between the two. But, at the same time, stress is part of life: there are people who cope well with stressors, whereas others are more vulnerable to depressive episodes. The risk factors are very individual.

Dr. Turecki: We consider education about the symptoms of depression – things such as consistent changes in sleep pattern, experiencing less pleasure from activities you normally enjoy, having trouble making straightforward decisions, or withdrawing from your social circle – to be a form of prevention, because recognizing and addressing some of these symptoms early on can help prevent the more severe outcomes.

It’s not always obvious for people to notice the signs of a disease like depression. As humans, we tend to rationalize things. We’ll say ‘Oh, I’m feeling like this because I had a hard time at work, or because what I wanted to happen didn’t happen, or because I fought with this person.’ And, as a result, people tend to procrastinate or avoid looking for help.

Also, some people are more reserved about mental health, for a range of cultural and social reasons. Some don’t want to seek help because they equate it with looking weak.

When people understand what to look for, they are better equipped to seek help.

Dr. Turecki: Looking for help is suggested whenever the person feels that they present negative emotions and other depressive symptoms in a sustained fashion, and those symptoms are impacting the person’s capacity to function normally.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation or are seeking medical advice, contact your medical doctor or your healthcare provider.

The Douglas Foundation
The Douglas Foundation's mission is to unite great minds and build resources to improve the mental health of all, today and tomorrow. Founded in 1972, its mission is to fund the development of the Douglas Institute: patient care and their environment, research in neuroscience and mental health, as well as education and training. Manulife supports the Douglas Foundation in alignment with our Impact Agenda and our commitment to empowering sustained health and well-being to support the journey towards a better life.