There are many factors for depression. These things can
either act alone or in combination with each other in order to cause you to feel
depressed. Here are the 3 main factors for depression:
Environmental
Environmental factors for depression occur whenever you react to an event that
has happened. Usually this has to do with a great loss (i.e. A death in the
family) or change in your environment (this is especially true for children who
have to move from one province to another). These things are quite obvious but
there are also things that are a lot less obvious such as being greatly
disappointed by the way that you see your career going. It is also possible that
you may be depressed because you feel as though you are stuck in a monotonous
lifestyle and thus you do not have anything that you can look forward to. At
times like this you may feel as though you do not have any control over your
life. This is enough to make you feel depressed. Other things that commonly lead
a person to become depressed include: financial difficulties, domestic disputes,
and being unable to express your feelings.
Psychological
Studies have shown that internal things can lead you to have psychological
factors for depression. If you have a pessimistic outlook on life, or if you do
not have good self-esteem, then it is possible that you could become depressed.
An illness, or a change in an illness, can also cause you to become depressed.
It has also been shown by various studies that depression is a "natural" part of
a cardiovascular disorder.
Physiological
There are also physiological factors that lead to such forms of depression as
clinical depression. Here it has been shown that certain personality types are
affected by the things that happen in your life and that this will in turn
influence your mood. This is something that doctors are still studying. It is
difficult to study this though because the casual relationship with biological
variables is unknown. For this reason it is difficult to pinpoint the
condition's roots. However, there are definitely some physiological factors that
do cause depression, including:
There may be a genetic disposition toward depression.
If you have a low level of dopamine when you undergo a
lot of stress you will most likely become depressed.
Sleep patterns that are very radical can cause your
body to feel out of whack and thus it is possible for depression to occur.
Many women suffer from depression due to a hormone
imbalance that occurs either during PMS or menopause.
Males can also undergo a testosterone imbalance that
causes them to become depressed.
Certain medications, such as corticosteroids can lead
to depression.
A chronic illness causes many people to become
depressed.
The changes in season, thus causing a lack of
sunlight, will lead to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Any of these aforementioned factors for depression may
be at work within a depressed person. These factors can either work alone or
in combination with one another to contribute to depression. If any of these
factors are present in your life then you can now understand why you are
depressed.
Types of
Depression
There are various subtypes of
depression that a person should know about. These subtypes of depression are
based upon the symptoms that a patient exhibits. Although depression is a
blanket statement for many mood disorders, there are also many variations
between the types of depression.
Mono-Polar
The first subtype of depression is called mono-polar depression. This is also
known as dysthymic disorder and it only consists of depressive symptoms. When a
person has this form of depression, it will not interfere with their ability to
work or participate in social activities. There are some more severe cases of
this form of depression where these things can be affected though.
Bipolar
Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic-depressive disease or cyclothymic
disorder, is the second subtype of depression. With this form of depression a
person alternates between mood levels that are either depressive or manic. While
in the manic phase a person may show symptoms of increased mental and physical
activity. This person will also have a difficult time sleeping and thus they
will not be able to concentrate properly whenever they are awake. It is possible
for a person to only have a mild form of bipolar disorder. This is what is
called "cyclothymiacs disorder."
Manic Depression
Another subtype of depression is known as manic disorder. While this type of
depression acts in the same way as bipolar disorder, the depressive state has
not yet taken place. This form of depression is characterized by an abnormally
elevated mood, which is accompanied by unrealistic optimism, a lack of sleep,
and hyperactivity.
Physical
Physical disease is also able to cause another subtype of depression. The
diseases that most commonly cause depressive symptoms include hypertension,
hypothyroidism, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, stroke, and Cushing's
syndrome. It is also possible for a lengthy illness, such as the flu, to trigger
this subtype of depression.
Postpartum
Postpartum depression is a subtype of depression that sometimes occurs after a
woman gives birth. The cause of this is the physical and mental fatigue that a
woman experiences after this process, which can drain the body of important
nutrients and thus cause depression.
Seasonal Affective
The final subtype of depression is Seasonal Affective Disorder. This subtype of
depression occurs throughout the cold, dark wintertime. Once it warms up and the
sun comes back out in the springtime, usually this subtype of depression will go
away since sunlight stimulates the brain in a positive manner which does not
happen whenever there is a lack of light.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Know What to Look For
There are certain signs and symptoms that characterize clinical depression.
These signs and symptoms include:
the
inability to concentrate
a loss of appetite
feelings of extreme
sadness
helplessness
guilt
hopelessness
insomnia
thoughts of death
difficulty making
decisions
an "empty" mood
fatigue
irregular sleeping hours
a loss of interest in
things that the person use to enjoy
irritability
Of course these signs and
symptoms may actually vary from person to person.
Overcoming
Depression by Faith
Let’s face it, we all get
depressed at times, it is only being human. However, as with all things, when it
becomes excessive, depression, characterized by erratic mood swings, loss of
interest in hobbies and a generally sad demeanor is very detrimental to our
overall health.
As damaging as it is to our
general well being, it is quite alarming that most of us do suffer from this
ailment and it is even more frightening that many people have been diagnosed as
being clinically depressed. Is there hope? Most of us might ask. Yes, there is.
It is summed up in one
word; Faith. And what is Faith?
Well, According to Heb 11.
1; "It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet
seen", in lay man's terms, it is believing in what you can't necessarily see,
feel or touch but knowing that it is there and will be beneficial for you.
Take for example; remember
when you may have fallen of your bike as a kid and after your mom nursed the
bruise she tells you "let me kiss it so the pain goes away..."? Well as adults,
we know that didn't necessarily make the hurting stop...per se, but in being
told that, as kids we automatically believed "Well, if mommy says it'll go away
by kissing it, then I believe it will...” The trick is the second part of that
thought is what made it happen! Believing that what mom said she'd bring about
will happen!
Evidently, kids in their
innocence and supposed naïveté really are the group of humans who possess the
most natural ability to abide by faith. We all had this gift at some point but,
well, as we age and experience trying times in our lives, sadly the magic
dissipates, leaving room for such negative forces as depression, doubt,
self-hatred, you name it.
It's no wonder Jesus said
"To enter the Kingdom of heaven, ye must be like little children..." The same
Man went on to say in Luke 17:20-21: "The kingdom of Heaven is within you."
Wow...what a statement!
The author of “The Power of
Positive Thinking” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale analyzed this verse and states that
it means "We as humans, the images of God, have everything within us to make our
worlds and lives better and all we want it to be!” Hey, it's no error that Psalm
82:6 says: "For ye are gods..."
Now as powerful as faith is
and as necessary as it is to overcoming depression, it needs to be exercised
wisely to be strengthened.
Here are some tips:
1. Always act like it is
impossible to fail, believe that it always works.
2. Pre-condition your mind
to success in all things.
You are what you are and
will be where you want to be based on your thoughts. Admittedly, it may not
always be easy, but that is what life is all about and one comforting fact is
God has promised in His word, 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation (problem) has
overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not
allow you to be tempted (tested) beyond what you are able, but with the
temptation (problem) will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to
bear it.”
Think on that, strengthen
your faith with the tips above and you too will soon be overcoming depression.
How to Defeat
Depression
It’s easier than most people think to defeat depression.
Every single day of the year more and more people put themselves further and
further into deep depression that will haunt them for the rest of their life.
The very select few that decide to put an end to depression are the ones that
are able to really make a change in their life and psychological well being for
the better. If you feel there is no way for you to solve your depression, you
are wrong. In this article I will go over various at home remedies you can use
to improve and even eliminate signs and causes of depression in your life. As
always, be sure the speak with your psychologists or doctor before making any
changes in your health and diet
Depression is a common mental disorder that affects
millions of people all over the world. Sufferers of depression find it to be a
very hard disease to deal with, much worse the any other mental disorder. A
stress and anxiety filled life is known to progressively lead to depression.
Let’s go over some home remedies for depression:
The consumption of apples is known to be very
effective in treating mental depression. The chemical substances present in
apples such as phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B help the synthesis of glutamic
acid, which controls the wear and tear of the nerve cells. Take the fruit with
milk and honey. The remedy is very effective to recharge the cells with new
life.
The consumption of asparagus has been found to be
effective in treating nervous weakness and depression. It’s used as an herbal
medicine for treating mental disorders. One to two grams of the powder of the
dry root of the plant should be taken once daily.
Treating depression by using lemon balm has been shown
to be very successful in treating mental depression. It works very well to
relieve brain fatigue, raise a person’s spirits, and help the heart cope with
depression. Thirty grams of the herb should be mixed with half a liter of cold
water and should then stand for about twelve hours.
Treating depression by using rose has shown to be
effective in treating depression. Mix 15 grams of rose petals in 250 ml of
boiling water. Drink occasionally instead of coffee and tea.
Treating depression by taking Vitamin B has shown to
have great effects in treating depression. By having a constant stream of
nutrition going into your body, you are able to successfully build up brain
chemicals, such as norepinephrine and serotonin.
Depression is a serious disease that can make life
itself miserable to live. Follow the above home remedies as well as the steps
below to rid yourself of this horrible mental illness:
Exclude coffee, tea, sodas, sugar, food colorings,
white flour products, and strong condiments from your diet.
