HealthyPlace.com explains that the world of medicine has contributed a lot of its time to understanding depression. While no single cause has been found as of 2010, researchers have developed a number of theories which offer a better understanding for this disorder.
Chemical Messengers
Brain cells rely on chemical messengers to transmit and receive signals. Clinical depression is the results when some of these chemicals are out of balance, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The three major chemical messengers responsible for depression are serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Antidepressant medications either help restore balance to these chemicals, or increase the amount of chemicals available in the brain to transmit messages between cells.
Genetics
Those with a family history of depression have a greater risk of developing the disorder, according to both NAMI and Psychology Information Online. The two types of depression genetics appear to play the largest role in are bipolar disorder and severe major depression.
HealthyPlace.com states that in the case of identical twins, if one twin develops depression, the other twin has a 70 percent chance of developing the illness as well. The website adds that adopted children whose parents suffer from depression have a low risk of developing the illness; however, if their biological family members are diagnosed, they are three times as likely to experience the disorder.
Environmental
Environmental and psychological factors also play a role in the development of depression, according to University Health Services Tang Center at U.C. Berkeley. Environmental factors that can lead to stress resulting in depression include the death of a close friend or loved one, the ending of a relationship, heavy academic demands on students and adapting to a new environment.
Low Self-Esteem
People with low self-esteem are more prone to depression, as they seem to see themselves in a negative light. It is not just how they see themselves, it is also how they see the world around them. Seeing everything negatively or pessimistically makes one more prone to feeling overwhelmed when stressful situations arise. This inability to cope with stress can easily lead to depression.
