[colemickens]

>I believe past trauma is the root cause and I doubt people have depression if they haven't had some type of experience they would classify as trauma.

Hm, what do you mean by trauma? I strongly disagreed with this statement, but feel less strongly after writing and considering it more. Maybe the influences that I think vageuly underlie or trigger my existential depression is others would call trauma?

[enibundo]

Trauma is everything that you have lived as traumatic. Period.

It can be parents emotional neglect, physical abuse, verbal abuse, judgement, absent as well as siblings, friends etc.

You are the sum of your past experiences.

[intralizee]

> Maybe the influences that I think vageuly underlie or trigger my existential depression is others would call trauma?

I think that may possibly be the case of the trauma. Subconsciously something is there and it's deeply personal per individual with how one's life played out.