Breakups Can Cause Situational Depression
The stress of even a temporary breakup can trigger a particular kind of painful depression.
By Dr T J Jordan
We are familiar with clinical depression – a mood disorder that dwells somehow relentlessly within our psychological interior. In contrast, situational depression is always a reaction to a specific event. It is triggered by something outside ourselves.
Even if we have no history of clinical depression, we still might react to a breakup with situational depression. Situational depression is also called an adjustment disorder because it results from a trigger that represents a major life change.
The loss of a significant relationship is a known cause of situational depression even when a separation gets followed by reconciliation. When we experience something that impacts our interpersonal connections, we often find ourselves responding to the trauma by grieving.
We might feel sadness and tearfulness, and we might experience disruptions in sleeping and eating patterns. We might experience fatigue and loss of energy. We might lose interest in pleasurable activities.
