Causes of Depression

Causes of Depression

Life, as they say, is a series of ups and downs. But when you feel like you’re always at rock bottom most of the time, it’s time to look into a possibility of depression. It’s perfectly fine to go through some blues at some point but there has to be a healthy amount of it. Remember, it’s not normal to feel like you’re living in a black hole for an extended period. Manifestations of depression include sleeplessness and weariness. Lack of ability to concentrate in normal, daily tasks is a major symptom of depression. The appetite can take on extreme states during depression resulting in overeating or total loss of appetite. Relationships with people get affected too, as a depressed people tend to be more irritable, short-tempered, and gloomy. The mind of a depressed person is always filled with negative thoughts, despite efforts to control them. If these symptoms are very clear, it’s time to look into the causes of depression and swiftly address the issues.

There are biological causes of depression, believe it or not. Depression is believed to be a result of an imbalance in neurotransmitters. Scientists say that a significant decrease in serotonin and norepinephrine contributes to depression. Lack of serotonin causes anxiety, irritability, and irregular sleeping patterns. Meanwhile, lack of norepinephrine can lead to fatigue. This occurs because norepinephrine controls the alertness of the person. Another common factor in depressed people is the increase in cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone that responds to anger, fear, or stress. Some medications can also spark depression. People who take stimulants, hypertensives, sedatives, and other drugs can alter the balance of chemicals in the body.

Genetic causes of depression can also play a big role in some people. This is especially true with twins. A person with an identical twin has a 70% chance of suffering from depression if the other twin is suffering the same condition.

Causes of Depression

Of course, you cannot ignore the many psychological causes of depression. These psychological causes usually top the list for many people. This branch of cause, however, is very varied. There are stressful changes in life that inflict a lost sense of self, confidence, determination. For example, the depression an adult is currently suffering can trace its roots to a childhood trauma. This is typical among people who were sexually harassed as children. Stressful changes like loss of a job, an incapacitating disease, a death of a loved one, or an accident can lead to severe depression. Events in society can also trigger depression like economic crisis, war, changing roles in family, and work. Many soldiers undergo depression treatment after deployment because of the life and death traumatic situations they’ve encountered.

Numerous causes of depression can be listed here but in the end, the occurrence of depression still depends on each individual genetic makeup, support system, values, beliefs, spirituality, physical health, and environmental aspects. For example, a person who has lost a spouse doesn’t have to fall into depression provided he or she has the right support system and spiritual guidance. On the other hand, an isolated person may have a difficult time dealing with simple criticism. That’s why depression has to be kept on close watch by a specialist because causes vary.