Risk Factors

Coexistence with Illnesses & Other Conditions

Unfortunately, depression can be misdiagnosed, under treated, misunderstood and overshadowed by medical complexities. Illnesses, especially in women, often co-exist with depression. They may precede or follow depression, or even be identified as the cause or consequence.⁸⁴ Depression often coexists with medical conditions such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis; often worsening symptoms of the illness.⁸⁷ Studies have indicated those suffering from depression in addition to serious medical conditions exhibit increased symptoms from each illness.⁸⁸ Adapting to medical conditions becomes a greater challenge for those suffering from depression; proper treatment for depression and coexisting medical condition(s) can alleviate burdens associated from each.⁸⁸

Especially among women, depression has been diagnosed in those with eating disorders, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) and anxiety disorders often coexist with depression.⁸⁹ Women are more prone to depression after encountering a PTSD, and Kessler and colleagues⁸⁹ report more women than men experience these coexisting disorders.