With 322 million people suffering with depression worldwide, it's not surprising to learn that in America, depression is among the most common mental disorders. The cause of depression is often simplified as a chemical imbalance in the brain, but the reality is that the disease is far more complicated. Scientific research has yet to completely understand the biology of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors.
WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?
The disease of depression is the complicated combination previously described; this disease gives you the predisposition to fall into a depression after having experienced a negative external event. Fore example, getting fired from a job might send one person into a deep depression, while another simply bounces back after experiencing the initial sadness and disappointment.
Many experts in the cognitive behavioral field believe that depression is caused by, and worsens, with distorted negative thinking. The emotions you experience during an episode of depression are created by negative thoughts and perceptions. Your feelings will result from the meaning you attach to those thoughts. If you eliminate distorted, negative thoughts, you will find it easier to cope with the negative event that triggered your depression.
WHY DID I FEEL FINE YESTERDAY?
If you felt fine yesterday but today feel depressed and hopeless, distorted thinking may be to blame. As an example, let's say you woke up late and had to rush to work. This put you in a bad mood, and you started thinking distorted negative thoughts. "I'm always late. I'm a loser. My boss is going to be angry at me all day. She probably hates me anyway. I'm going to get fired." This is an overgeneralization. More than likely, you have not been late that often. If this is something you want to change, you can alter your schedule and habits to become more punctual.
If you are suffering from depression, you are not alone. Depression is a complicated illness, but it is treatable. A licensed therapist can help you understand your mood disorder and develop strategies to cope with and improve your symptoms.