What causes depression
You may have heard somewhere that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. Or perhaps you have read that negative thoughts can lead to depression. You may also have heard that it's caused by the foods you eat, or by your genetic makeup. In fact, there have been dozens of attempts to explain why we get depressed. Because we define depression by its symptoms(including sad mood, loss of interest, and poor sleep and appetite), rather than its underlying causes, there is no reason to think that each person's depression always has the same cause.
Rather, it is likely that the same symptoms can be caused by many different factors. Just as abdominal pains can be caused by cramps, gas, exceed acid, anxiety, too much exercise, constipation, ulcers, food poisoning, cancer, and many other conditions, the same is probably true of depression. Some doctors feel that a person's environment and emotions play a large part in developing depression.
There is now strong evidence that many different factors interact to cause this disorder, including biological factors, life events, patterns of negative thinking, lifestyle habits, and other variables. All of these things are called risk factors. By looking at a person's risk factors, a health professional can better understand why the person is depression. They can then determine what kind of treatment will help.
For every individual, any combination of these factors may play a role. Let's review some of the variables that are thought to contribute to the development and maintenance of depression.
Changes in brain chemicals.
Depression may relate to changes in brain chemicals. Research shows that there may be a biochemical basis for depression. Its cause may be related to chemical reactions and processes in a person's body. Medical researchers have found that the brain of many depressed people has a shortage of some chemicals. Two of these are serotonin and norepinephrine, chemicals that affect a person's mood. Certain medications are known to restore the brain's chemical balance. It is not known, however, what causes the chemical imbalance. That may be due to heredity, stress, or something else.
Inherited Tendencies.
Depression often occurs among member of the same family. A grandparent, parent, brother, aunt, and cousing all may have the disorder. This suggests that some people may inherit a tendency toward depression. However, depression also occurs in individuals with no family history of the illness.
Emotional Shock.
An upsetting shock, such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, or an accident, is a trauma. It is normal to feel intense sadness in these situations. After a while, however, the grief usually subsides. If it does not, the grief may have turned into depression. ps: Grief and depression are not the same thing.
Stress.
Too much daily stress can lead to depression. Stress can come from many sources. Pressures related to earning a living or cating for a family create stress for many adults. Some people can handle a great deal of stress. Others cannot. Stress may trigger depression more easily in people who have an ingerited tendency toward depression.
Illness.
The stress of coping with a serious physical illness such as diabetes, or epilepsy can trigger depression. Sometimes depression develops people with a chronic, or long-term condition because of the way other people treat them. For example, other people may not understand the illness and may be afraid of it. They may avoid the ill person or treat him or her badly.
Substance Use.
Alcohol and other drugs can depress a person's mood. Prolonged use can lead to serious depression. Depression also can be a side effect of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. For example, depression can be a side effect of some type of blood pressure medicine. Some people with depression use drugs or alcohol as a way to feel better. However, when the effects of the substance wear off, the depression remains.
Other risk factors that may cause depression are:
Abuse. Past physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can cause depression later.
Conflict. Depression may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members/friends. Major events. Even good events such as starting a new job, graduating, or getting married can lead to depression. So can moving, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring.
Other personal problems. Problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can lead to depression.
