Causes of depression

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include: • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed • Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much • Loss of energy or increased fatigue • Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others) • Feeling worthless or guilty • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions • Thoughts of death or suicide Symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression. Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes. Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%)...

Overview Depressive disorder (also known asdepression) is a common mental disorder. It involves a depressed mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time. Depression is different from regular mood changes and feelings about everyday life. It can affect all aspects of life, including relationships with family, friends and community. It can result from or lead to problems at school and at work. Depression can happen to anyone. People who have lived through abuse, severe losses or other stressful events are more likely to develop depression. Women are more likely to have depression than men. An estimated 3.8% of the population experience depression, including 5% of adults (4% among men and 6% among women), and 5.7% of adults older than 60 years. Approximately 280million people in the world have depression (1). Depression is about 50% more common among women than among men. Worldwide, more than 10% of pregnant women and women who have just given birth experience depression (2). More than 700000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15–29-year-olds. Although there are known, effective treatments for mental disorders, more than 75% of people in low- and middle-income countries receive no treatment (3).Barriers to effective care include a lack of investment in mental health care, lack of trained health-care providers and social stigma associated with mental disorders. Symptoms and patterns During a depr...

Depression is a chronic feeling of emptiness, sadness, or inability to feel pleasure that may appear to happen for no clear reason. It is distinct from grief and other emotions. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the It can undermine a person’s relationships, make working and maintaining good health very difficult, and in severe cases, may lead to suicide. In fact, depression contributes to nearly 40,000 suicides in the United States each year. It can affect adults, adolescents, and children. This article examines what depression is and what causes it, as well as types of depression, treatment, and more. Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and loss of joy. It is different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life. Major life events, such as bereavement or the loss of a job, Depression often persists in spite of a change of circumstances and causes feelings that are intense, chronic, and not proportional to a person’s circumstances. It is an ongoing problem, not a passing one. While there are different types of depression, the most common one is major depressive disorder. It consists of episodes during which the symptoms last for at least Depression can last for several weeks, months, or years. For many people, it is a chronic illness that gets better and then relapses. While there is no cure for depression, there are effective treatments that help with re...

What Are the Main Causes of Depression? Lots of things can increase the chance of • Abuse. Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can make you more vulnerable to depression later in life. • Age. People who are elderly are at higher risk of depression. That can be made worse by other factors, such as living alone and having a lack of social support. • Certain medications . Some drugs, such as • Conflict. Depression in someone who has the biological vulnerability to it may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends. • Death or a loss. Sadness or • Gender. Women are about twice as likely as men to become depressed. No one's sure why. The hormonal changes that women go through at different times of their lives may play a role. • Genes. A family history of depression may increase the risk. It's thought that depression is a complex trait, meaning there are probably many different genes that each exert small effects, rather than a single gene that contributes to disease risk. The genetics of depression, like most psychiatric disorders, are not as simple or straightforward as in purely genetic diseases such as • 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. However, the syndrome of clinical depression is never just a "normal" response to stressful life events. • Other personal problems. Problems such as social isolat...

The causes of depression vary from person to person but may include genetics, significant losses, traumatic experiences, and some personality traits. Decades of research suggest there’s no one cause of depression, but instead, a complex blend of factors seems to increase your chance of experiencing the condition. Experts have identified many of these factors, as well as other elements, that seem to explain some of the For some time, experts believed differences in brain structure were the main cause of depression. In fact, However, it’s still unclear whether depression is the result of these brain differences or if it’s actually causing them. Besides structure, the way your brain processes emotion may contribute to symptoms of depression. Depression Depression’s connection to reward processing may impact the way you feel when you participate in an activity you enjoy. This could be why anhedonia, or Researchers are still working toward a more complete understanding how of depression impacts the brain. Future research will continue to fill in these gaps. The causes of depression aren’t fully established yet. A combination of factors is suspected to increase your chances of having depression in your lifetime. Factors that may interact to cause depression include: • certain gene sets • personality traits • significant life events • stress and trauma • seasonal changes • underlying medical issues • substance use or medications Taking steps to address early signs of depression m...