The word depression is being used more often than ever with the changing lifestyle and increasing awareness about this condition. However, this condition is more than just about feeling sad. It is actually a medical term, which is used more often by the people who actually don’t suffer from it. Many of those suffering from this condition hardly acknowledge the issue and hence end up making it worse. On the contrary, those having just a bad day may think it to be the effect of depression. So, here are few important facts about this condition that every person should know. This will help those suffering from depression to open up about the issue well in time.
What is Depression?
Clinical depression is the medical condition that is usually associated with sadness. A person may feel miserable due to various reasons like loss of job, death of loved one, break-up with loved one, financial losses, and many more. These are all the triggers of sadness but the feelings change when the situation changes. However, this is not the case with clinical depression. The feeling of being miserable and sad may not go away even when the trigger for the same has gone. This is more of a permanent state and a person feels miserable to the extent that it becomes difficult for him or her to leave the bed, mingle with people, talk, establish an eye contact, and much more. This is a medical issue and needs to be addressed with proper medication and therapy to overcome the root cause of the problem while treating the symptoms.
There is No Specific Reason for Depression
You will find many reasons to be sad; however there are no specific reasons to get depressed. Clinical Depression is actually a medical condition where there is a chemical imbalance caused in the brain, which may make a person feel sad even when the things are very much on the right track. So, no need to look for the probable triggers for depression. All one needs to know is that the person suffering from depression needs medical help and support from friends and family.
What are the Causes of Depression?
Causes of depression are not exactly explained but there are many triggers for the same. The cause can be genetic in some cases and may have started due to some trigger that may later be interpreted as the cause of depression. Some of the common triggers for depression are hormonal changes, seasonal changes, trauma, stress, and imbalance of brain chemicals.
Brain chemistry changes due to the neurotransmitter imbalance. These neurotransmitters help in mood regulation. Norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin play an important role in mood regulation. When a person has imbalance of these chemicals and neurotransmitters, the depression would trigger.
Hormonal changes are also considered to be responsible for certain kinds of depression. The hormonal imbalance occurs at different stages of life. The common instances when the hormones go for a major change are menopause, pregnancy, thyroid problem, and menstruation. When depression is caused by hormonal changes, things usually get back to normal when the hormones change again.
Trauma and Stress are caused due to various reasons. Financial issues, loss of job, death of loved one, break-up and other such emotional problems would result into trauma and stress. Such condition would make your body produce more amount of Cortisol hormone, which further affects the function of neurotransmitter serotonin that is vital to treat depression.
Changes in Season may also cause depression in certain cases. The reason is that seasonal changes would disturb your sleeping pattern and lifestyle. Harsh winters would also keep your body deprived of vitamin D. Having plenty of water and adapting your biological cycle to new season would help you overcome the symptoms of depression effectively.
Depression is the condition that is more than sadness. There are other symptoms like loss of appetite, irritability, anxiety, loss of sleep, reduced sex drive, fatigue, loss of energy, concentration problems, headaches, muscle aches, and general sense of helplessness that are also present along with the general feeling of sadness. If you or your loved one experiences any of these symptoms then talk it out. Seek medical help in time to treat this condition before it creates other psychological complications.
About Author:
From past few years, Karishma has been writing for various health websites. Her recent freelancing project was from Nutra Pure hCG, an online shop for purest homeopathic HCG drops, that helps to lose weight up to 1 to 2 pounds per day!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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