Can Domestic Abuse Cause Depression?

This follow up to "How Does Domestic Violence Affect the Brain?" brings DASAS therapist Elizabeth Alderson back to explore whether domestic violence, and all abuse, can be a cause of depression.

Research shows that victims of domestic violence or abuse are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing a range of mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and thoughts of suicide.

The likelihood of developing depression was 2.7 times greater, anxiety four times greater, and drug and alcohol misuse six times greater.

The likelihood of having suicidal thoughts was 3.5 times greater for women who had experienced domestic violence than those who hadn’t.

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