In today's day-to-day lifestyle, depression is a very familiar disorder. It affects every eighth man and every fourth woman (scary I know). Many of us are actually unaware of the symptoms of depression which include feelings of desperation, compulsive negative thinking, increased or decreased appetite, insomnia or an increased need for sleep, being apart from the social scene, frequently irritated, loss of memory and lowered concentration levels, interest in suicide and death. Never take the causes of depression too lightly, It may get worse if not cured on time and It should be under periodic surveillance.
It's assumed that the cause of depression is 40 - 70% hereditary, and it is also noticed that in some cases the person under depression has a child who is showing signs of depression as well (as was the case in my relationship with my father). This means that the potential for depression lies in the persons genetic organs.
Hereditary or not it's proven that depression is nothing but an angry or hopeless mood and can be overcome in time. It is known that being deprived of light and warmth in the winter season can increase the chances of depression. This type of seasonal disorder can further lead to a major depressive condition. Hormones also plays a major role in causing depression, especially among those women who suffers from Pre menstrual syndrome or postpartum depression. In fact, while one out of every four women suffer from depression compared to one in every eight men, this discrepancy disappears among women who have undergone menopause, when there are lower levels of estrogen. More and more research is needed to rectify whether these hormonal disorders can really cause depression or are merely just triggers.
Getting thrown out of a job, getting divorced, or a sudden death in the family may not be the true cause of depression, but they can tamper the problem in those who have predispositions for the problem. Most probably these events can cause feelings of worthlessness, but if these are not persistent, they are the normal aspects of the grieving process and are not the real cause of the depression.
Depression is sadness that lasts too long. Everyone is sad at some point in their lives but depression is more than that. It is a feeling that you cannot bring yourself up from the bottom. In the end you give up trying. People start to avoid you. You feel worse. You feel you need to find external help to treat the problem in the same way as you would if you had a long-lasting cold. Once you have acknowledged that you have depression, remember that it is a medical condition and can be cured. Nobody actually thinks of you the way you think they do. Talk to someone. Seek and accept help and you will find that there is a different way of seeing life.
Dennis Simsek (also known as The Anxious Athlete) is the founder of the popular End The Anxiety audio program that has helped many overcome their anxiety disorder related issues naturally. Visit http://www.endtheanxietyprogram.com for your daily dose of inspiration as well as the best anxiety support you'll find online.