Depression can impact anyone for a multitude of reasons. There is a lot of research into the cause of depression and there is not just one clear answer. There could be multiple reasons as to why you feel depressive symptoms. These causes can be broken down into two main categories that include biological factors and environmental factors. It is possible that you have one or both of these factors impacting your mood. Below I will discuss what falls under these two categories in detail.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with psychotherapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, and couples with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, and life transitions. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing telehealth (video/phone) sessions to residents of New Jersey and New York.
Biological Factors:
Genetics:
Since depressive symptoms are something that everyone has experienced at some point in their life, there is a lot of research as to where it comes from. The most disturbing feeling is when you do not know why you are feeling down. You wrack your brain for any sign or life event that happened to you that may make sense of it all. However, it is very possible that these depressive symptoms are arising because of your genetic makeup.
You are more likely to experience depressive symptoms if someone in your biological family also experienced depression. This shows that it does run in your genes and you are more prone to feeling sad, down, withdrawn, hopeless, or isolated.
This does not mean that if your grandparent has depression that you will then definitely experience a depressive episode as well. What it does mean is that it is statistically more likely that you could experience depression than someone who does not have a depressive gene running through their ancestry. It is always good to be aware of what mental health issues run in your family just like it is good to know what medical conditions run in your family. Then you can educate yourself more about the signs and symptoms of the disorder so that you can recognize if you start to experience any of them.
Genetics are not usually the sole reason as to why you would experience a depressive episode. Usually there are also other factors that come into play, which are listed below.
Chronic pain and illness:
Depression is a very common disorder that is co-occurent with chronic pain and illnesses. Some common examples include type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. These types of medical conditions can cause an impact on your daily life that can make you feel down or hopeless. When you are facing a decrease in your quality of life and/or prolonged pain then you can develop depressive symptoms. There are also medical conditions that cause you to feel more lethargic which can bring about depressive symptoms.
Hormones:
Your hormone levels are usually cycling throughout your body as they balance each other out. However, you may experience a surge or depletion of hormones that can increase your depressive symptoms. Any hormonal shift can have a big impact on your mood. Some examples are your menstrual cycle, thyroid problems, menopause, and pregnancy.
Environmental Factors:
Early trauma and abuse:
Any traumatic event can greatly impact your mood and how you function in your day to day life. When you experience a trauma and/or abuse at an early age, you are more likely to develop depressive symptoms than someone who did not experience trauma before. Especially if your trauma goes untreated. Some examples are cases of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction.
Poverty:
Studies show that people who are living in poverty are much more likely to develop depressive symptoms than people who are above the poverty line. Living in poverty can not only lead to a depression disorder, but it could also limit the amount of education that you get about what the signs and symptoms of depression are and how you could get help to treat the depression.
Personality:
There are some people who you may identify as a “Debbie Downer” or “always under a rain cloud”. There are certain personality traits that people experience that can lead them into this cycle of negativity. Some examples include low self-esteem, pessimism, neuroticism, being self-critical, or a perfectionist. People with these types of personalities are more prone to experience depressive symptoms.
Stress and conflict:
This is a common reason as to why people feel down and depressed. Depression can be caused by a major life event that can actually be positive or negative, but they cause stress. Some examples of positive life events are weddings and having a baby. There is a lot of stress and conflict that could arise while planning a wedding or during your pregnancy that could lead to depressed feelings. Some negative life events could include your partner breaking up with you or losing a job. These are events that you would most likely be very upset after they occur. But if you find that it impacts your day to day life in a negative way for months then it is something to take seriously.
Grief:
When you lose someone or something in your life, there is always a grieving period. There are multiple steps to grief, which include feeling down and depressed at some point as you process your loss. There is something called “complicated grief” in which you experience the stages of grief and depression for many months after the loss.
Social Media:
There is something called the “comparison trap” when looking at your social media. You may find yourself scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and comparing yourself and your life to what other people are posting. It is hard to remember that people post the literal highlights of their life and edit to show only what they want others to see. There are several studies that show that social media can lead to depressive symptoms through insecurity, comparison, fear of missing out, harassment, and bullying.
If you find that you are experiencing depressive symptoms due to your social media, then try to limit the time you spend looking at it and unfollow any accounts or people that make you feel down.
Lifestyle Factors:
Lifestyle factors could include what medications or supplements you take, your diet, and how much you are going outside. These could all have an effect on your risk of experiencing depressive symptoms.
Substance Use:
There is a lot of research that shows substances can be harmful to your mental health. A big one to watch out for is alcohol since it is a depressant drug. Even though you may feel good after one or two drinks, alcohol will still leave you feeling down. This is where a hangover comes in. If you are experiencing depressive symptoms and using drugs or drinking alcohol often, it would be a good idea to cut down your substance use so that your mood improves.
Physical Activity:
How active you are in your daily life can definitely impact your mood. If you find that you are sitting on the couch most days and that you are not getting much movement in then you will most likely feel lethargic, down, bored, and/or lonely. You should try to get some movement in each day with more intensive exercise a few days a week.
There are a lot of reasons that people could develop depression. Usually it is because of more than one cause. Once you realize that your mood is down or that you are experiencing symptoms of depression, it would be good to try to reflect on what may be causing your symptoms and start making some changes. When you are depressed, it is typically hard to get enough motivation to seek out help and treatment. But depression is a real disorder and it can be very harmful to you if left untreated.
Whether you recently started experiencing depressive symptoms, or you have been experiencing depression for years, it is not too late to get help. Reach out to us today by filling out our form below if you would like help with your depressive symptoms.
Courtney Glashow, LCSW
is a licensed psychotherapist practicing in Hoboken, New Jersey. She specializes in helping teens and adults with anxiety, depression, and life transitions through counseling. Courtney can help NY or NJ residents through telehealth (video/phone) therapy sessions as well.
