Divorce increases the risk of depression for Effexor users

A new study has shown that those who are going through a divorce may be more likely to suffer from depression and require Effexor treatment. Researchers at the University of Arizona have found that divorcees who have dealt with severe feelings of sadness in the past have a greater risk for experiencing a depressive episode in the future.

"Stressful events like divorce are associated with significant risk for prolonged emotional distress, including clinically-significant depression," lead researcher David Sbarra explained in a statement. "At the same time, we know from considerable research that the experience of divorce is non-random. Some people are [at a] much greater risk for experiencing a divorce than other people."

Instances of sadness
During their research, investigators found that almost 60 percent of the adults represented in the study who had a history of depression experienced extreme feelings of sadness during the follow-up assessment. All of the participants dealt with separation from their spouses permanently during the course of the findings.

As for the individuals with no history of depression and those who remained married during the study, only 10 percent suffered from an episode of depression during this same timeframe. Researchers were extremely surprised by their findings.

What this means
In fact, they believed that this information provided evidence that proved how resilient human beings can be in the face of divorce - an emotionally trying time for most. So, although it may be a difficult time in one's life, that doesn't mean that the emotions will become so intense as to build toward clinical depression. However, there are a number of reasons for which a person who has a history of feeling blue may have recurring episodes following this life change.

Researchers ventured that potential causes of depression in these individuals may be related to:

• Involvement in an extremely difficult divorce
• Blaming oneself for the separation
• Dwelling on the end of their relationships

In order to learn more, those who led the study would like to further investigate what triggers extreme sadness in these cases. Otherwise, someone who has a past with depression and goes through a divorce may want to talk to health care professionals about how to proactively prevent a future episode. This may be in the form of counseling or through the use of Effexor, as recommended by a doctor.