Understanding the Causes of Depression

Major depression is the interaction between physiological factors and psychological factors. The criterion for major depressive episodes as prescribed by the DSM-IV-TR includes depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure in most daily activities, weight loss or gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, agitation, fatigue, feeling of worthlessness, inability to think or concentrate and recurrent thoughts of death.

In my opinion all human beings at one time or another suffer from depression. This is because depression is caused by both pyhsiological and psychological factors. Depression if not allowed to take a person captive can be viewed as a sign that we need a change or growth needs to take place in us. There are many causes of depression and if we listened to our mind and body we may fair better in a bout of depression.

Physiological Causes of Depression:

One's sleep pattern can have negative effect on how a person views the world and themselves. Three nights in a row without dreaming, even with plenty of sleep will cause most people to get depressed and somewhat paranoid. The brain manufactures neurotransmitters and replenishes them while you are sleeping. Thus a good, continuous night’s sleep is very important both in curing depression and preventing a relapse. Recent studies have proven that norepinephrine and serotonin initiate and maintain dreaming.

Eating patterns can also affect the physiology of a client. If one’s diet is lacking in certain nutrients and essential vitamins the body may express this deficiency through depression. It is suggested that sugar intensifies the cyclical highs and lows of our emotions with its artificial highs and subsequent lows. Research has also shown that most depressed people tend to have low levels of folic acid, a vitamin found most abundantly in leafy green vegetables. Alcohol often times is used as an escape from depression, but in actuality, alcohol can lead to vitamin deficiencies which can contribute to depression.

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/335307_understanding-the-causes-of-depression#ixzz0xeGYzw1N