Investigating the Causes of Depression

While the causes of depression frequently remain the same for those suffering with depression, most of those who suffer with depression experience a range of emotions from deep sadness, to apathy to hopelessness to even true despair.

Instances of depression have risen significantly over the past few decades and this issue which once was seldom discussed is now seen as people addressing a health issue that has effective treatment options available.

The increase in those with clinical depression may be due to the added stresses of everyday lives with the added pressures of working life, significant health issues, lose of health and independence and financial worries from growing debt.

More common than most would believe, depression is thought to affect almost 12% of men and almost 25% of women.

Even though there continues to be a negative stigma attached to the diagnosis of depression, the increase in the numbers may be a result of more people having courage and seeking diagnosis and treatment for the condition.

The causes of depression include a variety of issues, many of which are controllable. However one of the most common causes of depression is not at all controllable… it is your family.

Hereditary is thought to be largely responsible for the occurrence of depression. Some estimates place approximately forty to seventy percent of all cases of major clinical depression as being cause by inherited genes. In combination with your family, many of those who suffer from depression experience low self-esteem and low self-image. But it is a bit like the chicken and the egg…even the best psychologist today have difficulty determining whether the depression came first or the low self-esteem.

Other uncontrollable factors include being female, since women experience episodes of depression almost twice as often as men. Age is another uncontrollable cause of depression. While depression can affect any age, the majority of depressive episodes occur during the middle adult years.

Now let’s talk about the controllable causes of depression. How about your diet? It is thought that a diet lacking in Omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are compounds that are found in several different foods, but are found in concentrated doses in fish.

Another controllable cause of depression is to remove yourself from situations that are depressive and lends themselves to a negative environment. Dealing with traumatic experiences is also quite important. When not fully resolved, abusive, rejection and neglect can lead to depression in later life.

While the causes of depression are many, the good news is that there is hope. Identifying the cause of depression is one of the very best ways to begin healing from this manageable disease.