Three main points of view constitute the current thinking on the causes of Depression. The most popular opinion is that it's part of, or a combination, of all three.
1. A hormonal and/or neurochemical imbalance causes Depression and it's therefore a disease.
2. The different types of thinking cause Depression.
3. Unfortunate circumstances or experiences cause Depression.
Each of these carries a strong argument as to cause, but a lot of important questions are left unanswered. Most certainly, Depression causes physical symptoms and occasionally has physical causes, but it is emphatically not a disease.
While it's a fact that thinking styles play a major part in Depression, we have to ask whether being a pessimist is a cause?
Naturally enough, sadness, trauma and some of life's upheavals can seem to trigger Depression. An interesting question, however, is why do some people experience relatively minor setbacks and contract Depression, while others suffer the most frightful episodes in their lives, yet don't experience any form of Depression whatsoever?
How can the way you think cause the awful physical symptoms of Depression? Let's have a look at these 'causes,' try to piece together some sort of understanding and explode a few myths along the way.
1. Depression As A Disease The physical symptoms are exactly what they say they are. Symptoms. They're not causes. The feeling of Depression can morph itself into physicality because of the exhaustion and pain you feel so often, together with your appetite and sleep changes. One key we seek is the link between the emotionally arousing thoughts, dreams and exhaustion, and then at how the physical effects are caused by these entities.
2. Depression And Thinking Styles Just because things go wrong for us sometimes does not mean that Depression's the obvious outcome. Were that the case, then we'd all be wandering around in that awful fog. Different people have different ways of re-acting.
One thought that is common is guilt. Not over what they've done, but for having the illness in the first place. Some people may face enormous disadvantages and setbacks, yet are never struck down by Depression.
It's most important to remember that there are many different ways of dealing with problems and setbacks. Yet again, I can remember a man suffering from Depression when I was in hospital, and he admitted to me that he had no idea why. He had a good job, a loving wife and family, so why the sudden onset of Depression?
3. Depression And Events In Our Lives Depression is often linked to bad experiences, but as I've just illustrated, it works both ways. If something frightful has happened to you, then naturally you'll feel angry, sad, hurt or in a state of shock. Traumatic events, too, may be linked to Depression. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that they cause it.
(A particularly unpleasant condition, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is obviously a depressive situation. To have your life interrupted during your waking hours by horrific memories is a horrible experience in itself, but it's the emotional arousal this form of condition can create that can bring on Depression).
We'll go ever deeper into this in a forthcoming article
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