Science Behind Depression

History of Depression

Depression is considered as the most difficult topic to discuss because of the taboo associated with it. In early times, people believe that it happens due to witches, and people who are in depression is considered as evil spirited. But this is not true. There is a science behind depression. Depression is a disease just like diabetes, just like a fracture you got by accident. Don’t think much beyond this as depression is a disease.

Types of Depression

Secondly, there is a difference between “feeling depression” and actually having “depression”. When you feel depressed, that is because of the environmental factors. For example, getting fired from the job, score lower grades in the academics, quarantined at home due to COVID-19. But, when these environmental factors will change, your depression also goes away with that. So, that is not depression. That is only a temporary thing that is for your mood.

What is Depression?

Now let’s come to real depression and the science behind depression. Depression usually lasts for longer than 2 weeks. Sometimes, it goes to a lot of years also because people take late assistance. Talking with personal experience, taking help is very important. When I went through depression, I can’t even tell you what had happened to me. First of all, I was lucky that I was aware of this disease because I was reading about this. And there were my friends, who took me to the psychiatrist. I have consulted with the psychiatrist and then I also took the help of a psychologist. Then, my mom who is also a doctor rescued me. Family therapy is very important. So, if you have such kind of issues in your life, tell that to your family and get things sorted.

Known Symptoms of Depression –

1. Low Move – Those people who have depression gets usually become distressed.
2. Loss of Interest – The activities which a person enjoyed earlier but now lost interest in that.
3. Feeling Guilty or Worthless – Person seems that there is no self-worth of him.
4. Changes in appetite – In this, your hunger may increase or decrease completely.
5. Poor Concentration – No concentration in any work.
6. Too much sleep or too little – Either you will sleep all the time or you will wait for that all the time.
7. Loss of Energy – You will feel No energy in the body to do anything.
8. Recurrent Thoughts of Suicide – Again and again you will get the thought and way to suicide.
9. Restlessness or Slowness – You may be hyperactive or completely muffled.

If you are experiencing any 5 symptoms from the above-mentioned points, then you need medical help. You have to go to either psychiatrist or psychologist. And please tell your family members about it so that they can support you.

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Actual Science behind Depression

There are also a lot of causes for depression. And the causes which are mentioned below are backed by Science. Everything mentioned here has properly researched. A few times ago, it was believed that in our brain, due to deficiency of Dopamine And Serotonin, depression occurs. These are our body’s feel-good chemicals. But according to the latest studies, just like any other disease, depression also causes physical body changes, especially in the brain.

Harward Medical School had a study about this in which they took 24 females who had the problem of depression. In these females, 9-13% of females brains had some changes. According to PET Scans and MRI Scans, their brain Frontal Lobe, and Hippocampus, the parts which control emotions and memory was small as compared to normal.  It was found that in depression, Neurons which is actually the brain cells are literally get died. It was also found that when these cells regrow then depression fades away. This process is commonly known as Neurogenesis.

Causes of Depression –

Genetics is the major cause of depression. According to the Centre of Addiction and Mental health (CAMH), it was found that there is a gene that is linked to suicidal behavior. This is the “Serotonin Transporter Gene“. The people who have a variation of this gene, then those people are more prone to suicide.

60% cause of depression is “Environmental Triggers”. That is the demise of the people who are close to us, getting fired from the job, having chronic pain or chronic illness, facing sexual abuse, being in a bad relationship or a breakup of a relationship, alcohol addicts, drug addicts have a higher chance of the depression. Similarly, video game addicts have a higher chance of depression.

Seasonal affective disorder – There are countries in which you can go out for even 6 months and there are high chances of depression for these people.

The people ages 15 to 25 and 60+ have a higher chance of getting into depression.

Since symptoms are not quantifiers, so it is very difficult for a normal person to get whether the other person is in depression or not.

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Treatment

As we are talking about the Science behind Depression and for the treatment of this includes Psychotherapy and medication. Both things go with each other. But most important is family support. It is the most therapeutic. In most of the cases, the signals are generated in the brain with the help of electricity which is called Electroconvulsive Therapy.

If you know anyone who is in depression, then encourage them to see a doctor. Tell them, it’s fine. And if they feel guilty, then you fix the appointment for them. But please make them believe that it is only a type of disease. Just like hypertension and diabetes or even fractures, we need doctors. Similarly, in depression, one should have to go to the doctor because as told earlier, you will get the physical changes in the brain. So make sure to go to the doctor and get your treatment asap.       

if you found someone in depression then tell them it is not a weakness or a personality trait, it is a disease and you must have to take the help of this. In the Medical line, doctors have studied this thing so that you can go to the doctor for the treatment for depression.

The open discussion about this topic is extremely important. If you think someone is depressed, then you have to talk to them. Studies have shown that, if you talk to someone who is having depression and suicidal thoughts, then the chances of suicide will marginally get decrease. And never discussed your experienced depression time with them because that might make them feel guilty and you don’t want that. And encourage these type of people to take medical assistance, so that doctor can understand the patient and can give better suggestions and care about it.

I hope this article has cleared all your doubt about the science behind depression, but still, if you have some questions, do ask in the comments below.