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Biological Causes Of Depression

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Everyone will have a sad moment in their life, whether it is a death, a friend betraying he or she, or not getting accepted to the college of his or her choice. Depression can be described with many different words, but it will come down to sadness. People who live with depression will see lack of joy, energy, and happiness. They will not enjoy life, or living. They see it as pointless and useless. Many people will have a depressing moment at some point in their lifetime. The people who develop depression do not have to be poor or unsuccessful. They can be making millions a year and still be depressed, showing that money and success does not guarantee happiness. To be able to fully understand what depression is, one will need to know the …show more content…

One of them can be biological, which includes neurotransmitters, genes, and the brain structure. Although genes may play an important role in depression, but they play a role alongside with life experiences. With genes playing a role, the genetic makeup of a person could make them more likely to develop depression. Some biological factors do not determine if someone will develop depression, but if the person has the factor and lives in an unhealthy environment he or she will be more likely to develop it. A person who may have the biological factors but lives in a healthy environment is less likely to develop depression. Someone who is experiencing depression may show less brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. The neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine give off a joyful feeling when they are released. People who suffer from depression may not have enough receptors for those neurotransmitters, making them feel …show more content…

People who suffer from depression may experience learned helplessness, which is a behavioral view. This can be when someone has so much stress that they cannot handle, they stop trying to handle it. When they can no longer handle their stress, they become helpless, which will lead to hopelessness. The cognitive theory is more about the thought process and what one may believe when he or she is suffering from depression. People who are depressed may think that they are worthless if they fail a test, or if they do not make all As for a semester. People who constantly think about negative experiences may develop depression, but also other disorders. Another sign of depression is when someone is always trying to figure out what caused something else to happen. One may say it is their fault the assignment was turned in late and because of that he or she will now fail the class. He or she looks at something happening because of something negative. When someone looks at life in a negative way he or she has a pessimistic view on life; however, having an optimistic view is the opposite. People with the optimistic view may say the professor will give out more than just that assignment and they can make it up.
The last factor of depression is sociocultural factors. The main sociocultural factor that can increase the chances of depression is wealth. People who have more money are less likely to

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