The relationship between stressful life events and social support has been a matter of some debate; the lack of social support may increase the likelihood that life stress will lead to depression, or the absence of social support may constitute a form of strain that leads to depression directly.
Za starejše odrasle so dejavniki pogosto zdravstvene težave, spremembe v odnosih z zakoncem ali odraslimi otroci zaradi spremenjene vloge iz dajatelja v prejemnika nege in skrbi, smrt pomembne druge osebe ali pa spremembe v razpoložljivosti in kakovosti socialnih odnosov s starejšimi prijatelji zaradi svojih z dravjem povezanih sprememb v lastnem življenju.