What Is Depression?
We know there are many different causes of depression. The illness has a multitude of triggers than can set it off and there are a number of reasons why it can develop in the first place. If you have read my story then you know mine was brought about by being sexually abused and then bullied as a child.
Some of the main issues that trigger depression are personal facts. People who tend to worry a lot about things, have low self-esteem and are sensitive to personal criticism. People who are body conscious because they are overweight, those that analyze everything and people who always fear and see the worst in a situation (negative mindset) all have a higher risk of developing the terrible condition.
There has long been a debate whether depression is hereditary and while many people believe it is not, depression has been known to run in families so some people will more than likely be at an increased hereditary or genetic risk. Having said that, it does not mean that a person will automatically suffer from depression just because a close relative has experienced the illness in the past. Personal factors and life events will play an important influence on whether a person gets depression or not, this is the main argument over depression not being hereditary at all.
Having a serious medical illness can trigger depression, usually in two scenarios. Serious illness has been known to bring about depression directly but more commonly, it can contribute to depression through the extra stress and worry associated to any serious illness. This is usually magnified if the illness requires long-term management or it involves chronic pain.
Substance abuse such as drugs and alcohol has been know not only to lead to depression, but also come about as a result of depression. Many people who have drug and alcohol problems will go on to experience depression while many people suffering from depression will turn to drugs and alcohol as a result.