The Cause of Depression
I was at home planning to build this website a few years ago when I got a phone call. It was one of my best friends and she was barely able to talk through all her tears. She told me that she had found her brother dead. He had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. She had just found his body and she was frantic. I spent two days counseling her, consoling her, loving her, and just 'being there' for her and her family. I have been through so many personal tragedies in my life that most of my friends know that not only am I experienced in this area but that I am also a safe place to fall back on in times of hardship and loss. In any event, the next day I went back to work but couldn't seem to concentrate that well or get my girlfriend off my mind. I guess I had been so busy handling my girlfriend's grief that I wasn't thinking about the date. When I looked, I realized that my own mother’s death date was the next day and that may be why I was having such a hard time. My mother's death was a major cause of depression for me, but I did bounce back! Depression has many faces. We all handle it differently. Many people choose to block out life, avoid friends and family, and sleep a lot when they become depressed. However, those are exactly the wrong things to do! Drinking alcohol or doing drugs is also not a good idea. Sometimes though, being numb is better than feeling all that pain. The problem is that you will never get over pain if you don’t work through it! Pity parties should only be short lived! Staying healthy and confronting your anguish will help you more than anything else! Suicide is an extremely serious side effect of depression. I have a prevalence for suicide in my own family and know that you must take a depressed person very seriously. Depression is normal to some extent but when anyone talks of suicide, it is time to take action! The saddest part of suicide, is that most people who commit suicide don’t let you know that’s what they are planning. Then you lose them without ever knowing if you could have helped them. Presently, just the number of teenagers taking prescription drugs for depression is STAGGERING! Bad news and extreme violence are a major cause of depression for that group. We are living in a totally news driven world now and are not guarded from the violence and tragedies that happen daily around us in our world. Death surrounds us! Its one part of life you just can't avoid! Before my early teens, I had never heard of antidepressants before. I knew my older brother had been taking them but he never seemed to be in a good mood. At that time, I figured whatever they were, they must not work very well! He still seemed very depressed to me. At 19 years old, my brother James committed suicide. He was just never able to 'get right with the world'. Depression has no single cause. Often it's cause is cumulative. Many times, the person who is depressed may not even be aware of underlying reasons that are the cause of depression for them. Whatever its cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of neurotransmitter chemicals that carry signals between your brain and nerves. Here are a few of the things that can be the cause of depression for many people. The Cause of Depression
Your family history plays an important part in depression. It tends to run in families. If one parent suffers from depression, you have a 50/50 chance of becoming depressed. If both have depressive symptoms, you are far more likely to suffer from it yourself! Things like financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or excessive daily stress can bring on depressive symptoms. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, graduating from school, or having a baby. People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook on life are at much higher risk of becoming depressed. A pessimist forgets to laugh. An optimist laughs to forget! Any medical condition like heart disease, Cancer, HIV, allergies, and others, can contribute to depression. When you don't feel good physically, you become weak and worried, and that can exacerbate depression. Depression can make any medical condition worse, since it weakens immunity and can make pain harder to tolerate. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions. (Thanks FDA!) Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and any substance abuse often are the cause of depression. Also people with other addictions like gambling, pornography, and risky behaviors that become addictive, can cause depression. Whatever the cause of depression for you might be, there is one thing for sure! It is vitally important to get the help you need! Related Pages on This Site The Symptoms of Depression – What You Need to Know! Techniques to Relieve Depression Naturally Help for Depression - Common Herbs and Tonics Depression Help - Where There is Good News! Psychological Depression During the Holidays National Directory of Psychologists Find the Best Prices Subscribe to my free newsletter. Get interesting facts and money saving tips to help conserve and improve your beauty and your health. Didn't find what you were looking for? Use your keywords and this handy tool to find it fast! To go to the next Healthy Money Saving Tips page, here's the link:
The Symptoms of Depression – What You Need to Know!
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