Since ancient Mesopotamia, physicists, philosophers and doctors have tried to come up with a factual explanation of where depression comes from for instance, Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician, believed depression came from an imbalance in the four bodily fluids, specifically, he thought an excess of black bile led to the disorder. There have been many explanations since then, and all these have contributed to the growth in knowledge of the disorder. The mind-boggling question for many people is why people say they are going through depression, what is or are the root causes?This will be discussed in this blog post.
What is Depression?
Depression is a common mood disorder, according to the World Health Organisation. Symptoms include changes in sleep patterns, long episodes of sadness, fatigue, feelings of guilt and suicidal thoughts.
Causes of Depression
A. Biological Factors
Genetics
Genetics play a big role in ensuring we inherit characteristics of our family members, both strengths and weaknesses are inherited. Predisposition does not necessarily mean you will have the disorder, however, having a parent or sibling with depression does increase your chances of having the disorder.
Brain Chemistry
Studies suggest neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are involved and depletion of these neurotransmitters in the central nervous system can cause an individual to experience episodes of depression.
Medical Conditions
A study by the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that individuals with Chronic diseases are at a higher risk of developing depression.
What are Chronic Diseases?
According to the institute, a chronic disease is a long-term condition that persists for at least a year, necessitates ongoing medical care, restricts daily activities, or both. Examples include cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS.
What’s more, hormonal imbalances such as drops in estrogen and progesterone or an increase in the latter can trigger depressive episodes. On the other hand, whenever, Cortisol, the stress hormone is at elevated levels, you may experience depressive symptoms.
B. Psychological Factors
Trauma.
Early life experiences and abuse that may include but are not limited to physical, emotional or physical abuse may have a long-lasting effect on the brain and if not treated effectively can contribute to depression in the future for the individual.
Negative Thinking
One recurring symptom of depression is Persistent feelings of worthlessness, guilt and hopelessness. These types of feelings and thoughts often reinforce depression and can prove life-threatening if not treated on time and effectively.
Chronic Stress
According to Yale Medicine, Chronic stress refers to a prolonged state of feeling consistently pressured and overwhelmed. In today’s world, the causes of such stress are countless, from political, and economic hardships to family conflicts, all becoming a heavy burden to the individual causing them to develop depressive symptoms.
C. Environmental Factors
In the words of Earl Nightingale, the environment, in which we live and work mirrors our attitudes and expectations. Your environment and the activities in that space affect how you feel and your potential to succeed in the purpose that particular environment is made for. What occurrences may reinforce or force you to experience depressive symptoms?
Life Events
Life-changing experiences such as the loss of a child, a parent, divorce and other negative life changes can be overwhelming to process and can lead to depression especially if coping abilities and resources are limited or not available to you. You might find it hard to process the loss and move forward, giving you a feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness which is a common symptom of depression.
Isolation
Humans are inherently social beings who thrive both on connection and interaction with other beings. Having a community or individual in which you can confide and have the mental, psychological and emotional support needed during hard events in life is of much importance, being alone during such episodes would lead your mental health to deteriorate amplifying feelings of sadness and worthlessness.
Socioeconomic Challenges
Financial hardships have proved time and again to be a major contributor to the fast deterioration of the mental health of individuals in certain countries if not all. Unemployment, poverty and economic burdens force individuals to experience depressive symptoms such as feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness increasing the rate of depression.
D. Cultural and Societal Influences
In many communities, the idea of mental health is still often overlooked, taken to be more of some type of propaganda instead of an actual disorder. Here are some of the influences that people go through in society that may increase the rate of depression;
Stigma
In some cultures, mental health is stigmatized as weak and unimportant, preventing people from seeking help because of the fear of judgment and resentment from people in society. The lack of help and treatment can strengthen and or accrue depression from mere small symptoms to a huge mental disorder.
Social Media
There are several ways in which social media can force someone to develop depressive symptoms these include; Unrealistic portrayals of life can cause feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem and confidence in people. Cyberbullying is also another way that causes an individual to have low self-esteem, and develop intense feelings of fear and anxiety due to the pain they might have been put through.
E. Lifestyle Choices
There are habits and ways of living that affect the mental health of an individual and can cause them to experience depressive symptoms, they include;
Poor Diet
Different types of food have varied effects on an individual’s mood and energy levels, foods that are rich in sugar and highly processed ones can cause energy clashes, mood swings and inflammation which in turn make the individual experience depressive symptoms such as sadness and fatigue.
Lack of Exercise
Regular exercise activity boosts the production of endorphins(natural mood elevators) and reduces the levels of cortisol which is a stress hormone, which helps in managing anxiety and depression.
Conclusion
Understanding the sources of depression is important in creating awareness about mental health and well-being, whether the sources are psychological, environmental, lifestyle choices or cultural, depression is a dangerous disorder that requires empathy, support, timely and informed action for everyone going through it. Please seek professional medical help if you experience depressive symptoms.
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