Yes. People with chronic conditions generally face a higher risk of depression than others, and their depressive symptoms tend to be more severe. In some cases, medications used to treat a chronic illness may increase one’s risk of depression. Neither those with chronic illness, nor their loved ones, should accept depression as unavoidable but should instead actively seek treatment.
Some research suggests that not only does a chronic illness raise one's chances of experiencing depression but that having depression increases one's chances of experiencing chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, or Alzheimer's disease. One factor may be that individuals with depression are less likely to devote time to maintaining or monitoring their health, but signs of increased inflammation in those with depression, as well as metabolic changes and abnormalities in their heart rate and stress hormone levels may be factors as well.