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Depression Symptoms and Important Causes

Depression is a "whole-body" illness, involving your body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

There are many different causes and factors that contribute to depression and each will be unique to the individual who experiences it. Sometimes the cause is not very clear, and it may in fact involve a number of different factors that all contribute to the resulting depression.

Most people assume that depression is caused by recent social or personal difficulties, but depression is caused by a range of internal and external factors. Research has shown that chronic problems, such as long-term unemployment or living with an abusive relationship, are more likely to cause depression than recent stressful situations.

Some types of depression, such as major depression, run in families, suggesting that some element of depression may be inherited. What exactly is inherited is not known but may include changes in brain structures or brain function, including changes to the physiological ability to respond to stress, and/or the influence of hormones.

Trauma and stress. Things like financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or the death of a loved one can bring on depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, graduating from school, or getting married.

Pessimistic personality. People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by low-level depression (called dysthymia).

The symptoms of depression include:

* lowered mood, feelings of sadness or emptiness

* changes in sleep

Depressed people may have difficulty falling asleep and typically wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty resuming sleep. Depressed people may also find they wake early in the morning and can't resume sleep. Other depressed people find that they are sleeper longer than is usual for them at night or that they are having increased sleep during the daytime.

* marked increase or decrease in appetite and associated weight loss or weight gain

* Motor Problems - you may feel physically agitated and restless or slowed down in motion

* Fatigue - a general loss of energy or feeling like you are drained

* Worthlessness/Guilt - you may feel worthless or guilty about things that are outside of your control

* Foggy Headed - your ability to think seems decreased or your thinking seems clouded and you are unable to make any decisions

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