Cognitive Vulnerability Predicts Risk Of Depression

Depression is one of the most disabling mental health problems associated with the greatest personal suffering. In addition, it is an increasingly prevalent condition, since it is estimated that around 7% of the population has a depressive disorder. Therefore, understanding the role that cognitive vulnerability plays in this condition can be of great help, both for prevention and treatment.

Numerous studies have shown that certain types of thought patterns affect an increased risk of developing depression, as well as experiencing relapses. Cognitive-behavioral therapy actively works to detect and modify these beliefs in order to improve the reality of the person.

What is cognitive vulnerability?

Looking around us, it is easy to realize that situations do not affect all of us equally. Faced with the same life event, some people get ahead without much difficulty. While others find serious problems, and may even trigger a depressive episode.

This is because the latter have a greater cognitive vulnerability. That is, they have a series of dysfunctional beliefs about themselves, the world around them and the future that is coming.

These thought patterns that lead them to interpret what happens in a negative way, can remain latent. However, when a stressful event occurs, the patterns are activated, making a difference in how you cope with reality.

Thus, for the disorder to occur, certain thinking biases and a stressful life event must be combined. Furthermore, this cognitive vulnerability not only influences the origin of a depressive episode, but also its maintenance and the risk of relapse. For these same thought patterns perpetuate the situation.

Main cognitive biases

In short, the way information is processed is what determines the greater or lesser risk of developing depression. But what specifically are the biases that make a person more vulnerable?

• Memory biases. People with depression tend to remember more negative information than positive information. In addition, they have an overgeneralized autobiographical memory. That is to say, they tend to recover in a vague and generalized way negative experiences of their own life. In conclusion, they maintain beliefs such as: “I have always been very unhappy”, “I have only had disappointments”, “nothing has ever gone well for me”.
• Causal attributions. When trying to determine why a negative event has occurred, people at higher risk of depression often resort to stable and global causes. That is, they do not limit adversity to a specific moment and to a specific area. On the contrary, they believe that this has gone wrong because everything always goes wrong for them and in any circumstance. 

• Attentional biases. Depressed people have been shown to be more likely to notice, seek, and find negative stimuli in an environment. They process negative faces and words as a priority, ignoring positive information. This trend appears to be an important marker of psychological vulnerability to depression.
• Ruminant style. This defines people prone to plunge into loops of thought about their discomfort, their symptoms and the consequences of them. It has been found that those who adopt these behaviors are more likely to maintain suffering and depressed mood than those who manage to distract themselves from them. Mental rumination favors the maintenance of depression.
• Thought suppression. Finally, those who go the extra mile to suppress their negative thoughts seem, paradoxically, to experience them more often. In addition, often after a long period of suppression attempts, a ruminant reaction occurs.

Cognitive vulnerability and risk of depression

All of these thought patterns have been found in depressed people. But they also seem to be key when it comes to predicting a healthy individual’s risk of developing depression in the future. They also play a key role in maintaining depression and possible relapses.

Therefore, it is essential to become aware of whether we maintain this type of cognitive bias. And, if so, work to replace them with more functional beliefs. The way you perceive and interpret events, the way you think about yourself and what you expect from the future are highly relevant. Your cognitive vulnerability determines your risk for depression.