Hard work and the lack of a weekend, frequent experiences or lack of sleep, divorce or separation - violate the normal psycho-emotional state of a person and cause depression. Mood worsens, there is a breakdown and lack of desire to do anything. Knowing the causes of depression means minimizing their impact on life and protecting yourself from the dangerous destructive process. Our site has prepared for you the most comprehensive collection of causes of depression.
What Causes Depression: An Overview
Causes of depression - conditions, circumstances, changes that affect and determine the mental state of a person. Under their influence, both bad mood (it will pass on its own) and depression (a disease requiring treatment) can develop.
Exposure to stress determines the psychological characteristics of a person: his reaction to stress, the level of conflict. Also affects the state of the psyche socio-cultural environment. These are socially accepted behavioral stereotypes, living standards and even infrastructure development. Psychologists identify 3 types of personality that are most susceptible to the destructive effects of stress:
- Static. Such people are characterized by exaggerated conscientiousness, excessive accuracy, excessive diligence
- Hyperthyme. Low self-esteem, emptiness and complete self-doubt
- Melancholic. Requirements for themselves are exaggerated, the constant desire for order and constancy, pedantry
Specialists also identify several groups of causes that may affect the onset and development of depression:
- Psychogenic - mental response to stressful life situations
- Genetic or genetic predisposition
- Physiological causes (endocrine disruption, hormonal surges)
- Disorders of the central nervous system
- Dependence on psychoactive substances (alcohol, drugs)
- Side effect after taking certain medications
Let us dwell on each group in more detail.
Hereditary
This predisposition is only 1% of all possible factors. Determine the development of depression genes. Relatives of the first degree (children) have an increased susceptibility to external circumstances:
- cyclic phases (for example, the change of seasons)
- interpersonal stress
- physical, mental shock
In such children, the likelihood of developing depression increases by 10-15%, compared with the children of healthy parents.
IMPORTANT! One of the factors in the development of personality disorder is the cause from childhood. Lack of love and care, lack of help and support, negative events from life can affect a person's condition all his life, launch mechanisms that destroy his psyche.
Psychogenic causes
This is a consequence of various stressful situations. Psychologists additionally divide them into 2 types: acute and chronic. The first group includes the following states:
- Diseases and health problems (disability)
- The tragedy that occurred in family life: divorce, childlessness, illness or death of a loved one, loneliness
- Stress at work: conflicts in a team, a crisis of ideas, an unexpected reduction, the retirement age
- Echoes of experienced mental or physical abuse
- Money problems: bankruptcy, constant shortage, lower income
- Change of habitual place and lifestyle: moving to another apartment, city or country
The cause of psychogenic depression can even be a joyous event. This phenomenon is called "achieved goal syndrome". Characterized by a sense of emotional emptiness after a particular achievement obtained (admission to the institute, marriage, promotion along the career ladder).
A long period of life problems and frustrations leads to chronic stress. This is the cause of neurasthenic depression.
Physiological
The second name is endocrine causes. Associated with hormonal surges. Lack (hypothyroidism) or oversupply (hyperteriosis) of hormones is the main cause of psycho-emotional disorders.
Among the conditions that trigger depression:
- growing up
- pregnancy and childbirth
- emotional trauma of various origins (resentment, jealousy, envy)
- menopause and other age-related changes in the female body
- endocrine disruption: diabetes mellitus, rare Addison and Itsenko-Cushing diseases
Symptomatic
SymptomaticDepressive states can also be a consequence or a specific symptom of some ailments. Most often, depression and stress accompany such pathologies:
- Oncology of organs: sarcoma, myoma, cancer
- Cardiovascular dysfunction: chronic circulatory failure, ischemia and other malfunctions
- Ophthalmic disorders
- AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases
- Lung problems: asthma, chronic pulmonary heart disease
- The defeat of the digestive tract: enterocolitis, cirrhosis, ulcers, hepatitis
- Rheumatoid pathology: scleroderma, arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus
- Pathology and malfunction of the genitourinary system
Violation of the central nervous system
Characteristic of patients with various malfunctions of the brain. Face it in the following states:
- with a complication of stroke or heart attack
- effects of traumatic brain injury (depression may develop several months after the injury)
- multiple sclerosis and parkinsonism
- tumor growth in the frontal or temporal lobe
Substance Abuse
A depressive disorder that arose against the background of alcohol-drug addiction is most often associated with the gradual poisoning of brain cells with toxic neurotoxic elements. The work of all systems and organs is disturbed, and the emotions of a person are suppressed.
Medication side effects
There are a number of drugs that, if used for a long time, can cause a side effect in the form of depression.
- Hormonal (combined oral contraceptives, glucocorticoids, anabolic steroids)
- Antihypertensive drugs. Accepted to reduce pressure. These are Reserpine, Raunatin, Clophelin and their analogues.
- Antifungal agents (Amphotericin B)
- Chemotherapeutic drugs used in oncology: interferons, Methotrexate, Procarbazine. Substances containing narcotic substances
- Antimicrobial: Isoniazid, sulfanilamide derivatives
- Antiarrhythmic: Novocainamide, cardiac glycosides
- Drugs that reduce gastric secretion
Before using any medication, be sure to read the instructions. If there are problems with sleep, there is a breakdown, emotions are suppressed, there is no feeling of joy of life - stop taking the drug and consult your doctor.
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Identification of the true causes of the depressive state will help in time to make a clinical picture of the disease and determine the appropriate course of treatment. Also, finding out the factors leading to emotional stress will help to take the necessary preventive measures and reduce the risk of depression.
