 Hey there, Psych2Goers! Welcome back to our channel where we talk about all things psychology. Do you know anyone who's suffering from depression? According to the American Psychological Association, depression is the number one most rampant psychiatric condition worldwide. Still, most of us are unaware of its nature and causes. Making an effort to better understand it makes you more compassionate and better able to help those suffering from it. Before we begin, we would like to make a quick disclaimer. This video does not serve the purpose of self-diagnosis, rather it aims to help you understand the disorder better. With that said, here are 8 of the most widely researched causes of depression. 1. Stressful Life Events It's an event causing you unusual stress lately. Most people who develop depression report experiencing a stressful life event in the recent past, like being in an accident, losing a job, getting a divorce, having a child or experiencing a death in the family. Stress, however, is highly relative and while not everyone who goes through these things becomes depressed, that doesn't mean that the people who do become depressed are just overreacting. We all react to stress to varying degrees. For example, the end of an important relationship may cause a person a lot more emotional distress than they know how to cope with, leading them to spiral into depression. 2. Learned Helplessness According to The Theory of Depression, pioneered by Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology, people succumb to depression when they feel powerless against the negative events of their lives. This happens when they have what psychologists call a depressive attributional style, which has 3 main characteristics. 1. Internal This bad thing that happened is because of me. Secondly, it's stable and this bad thing will keep happening to me. And lastly, it's global. Everything in my life is bad. This kind of thinking is especially common in those who become depressed at an earlier age and it fosters a strong sense of hopelessness that negatively impacts them for the rest of their lives. 3. Negative Cognitive Styles This is all my fault. This sucks. Everyone doesn't care about me. Do you relate to these expressions? These are what Beck called cognitive distortions or problematic patterns of thinking. Famous for developing cognitive behavioral therapy, Aaron Beck believed that depression was the result of a tendency to perceive events in a pessimistic way. Choosing to see only the negative side of a situation or fixating too much on a minor mistake leads to development of depressive symptoms in people as well. 4. Hormonal Inbalances Do you feel an increase in your irritability and anxiety as of late? Are you struggling with mood irregularities or poor appetite? All of these are related to hormones in the body, mainly serotonin. Like other disorders, depression also has its roots in hormonal imbalance. Studies show that low levels of the hormone serotonin might be responsible for the development of depression. This is because the primary function of serotonin is to regulate our emotions and any imbalance negatively affects our mood. 5. Overactive Endocrine System The endocrine system is the mechanism in the body responsible for releasing hormones. Research shows that an overactive endocrine system can result in an oversupply of stress hormones, which is common in those diagnosed with depression. This is most likely because stress hormones have an adverse effect on our neurons and leads to shrinkage of the hippocampus over time. The hippocampus is the brain region responsible for sleep regulation, short-term memory, concentration, and other cognitive processes. 6. Family History of Depression Do you have a family member who has been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder? If so, this makes you nearly three times more likely to develop depression, and having an identical twin with depression puts you at 80% more risk of developing the disorder yourself. More so than having a depressed fraternal twin. This is because studies suggest that depression is a genetically heritable disorder. This does not however mean you are bound to suffer from it. It just means that you're more susceptible to it. 7. Dysfunctional Home Life Growing up in an abusive family can leave a lot of psychological damage on a child. And sadly, most victims of early childhood abuse, whether it's physical, emotional, or sexual, go on to develop depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other trauma-related disorders when they get older. Coming from a broken family or being abandoned by a parent at a young age also puts the person at greater risk of depression, as well as having a parent or caregiver die when a child is still young. 8. Lack of Social Support Last but certainly not least, the lack of social support is an important contributing factor to a person's depression. Having few or no close, meaningful relationships in your life makes it harder for you to be emotionally vulnerable with someone and cope with your emotions in a healthy, functional way. It leads you to feeling isolated and disconnected from those around you, fostering strong feelings of loneliness and worthlessness that could worsen into depression if left unresolved. Do you relate to any of these points mentioned in the video? A combination of several different factors that may vary from person to person can all lead to developing this disorder. So if you feel that you may be suffering from depression or know someone who is, don't hesitate to reach out to a mental health care professional today and get the help you need. If you found this video helpful, be sure to share it with someone who might also benefit from it. 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