Anybody can be depressed

Jane struggles daily to get out of bed. Waking up is the easy part, but finding the drive to move about the day is usually a herculean task.

Jane’s life seemed perfect on the outside. Everyone said she had the perfect parents, wealthy status, and great school grades. So why was she always in a gloom and doom state?

Felicity knew what suffering tasted like, coming from a home where 3 square meals were a luxury and hand-me-downs were the only fashion statements she owned. Her life was already so bleak, so it was understandable that she would sink lower and lower into depression.

Jane and felicity though from different life spectrums, both suffer from massive bouts of depression. This just about proves that anybody can be depressed.

Feeling depressed is one of the common symptoms of being human, and you can't control that it happens. The issue is that we felt ashamed of it but the only way to feel good again is to face it.
External factors do not dictate who suffers from this mental illness, it is a health factor that controls the way we think and act. Sad feelings are common with every human; hence, anybody can slip into depression due to aggravated bouts of sadness.
Factors that promote depression are mostly internal and stem from several issues.
The major factors of depression are:

• 1. Family genes
• 2. Chronic stress
• 3. Traumatic experiences
• 4. Unresolved grief from the loss
• 5. Medication and substance use.

FAMILY GENES

Depression can run in families as there are genes like the Serotonin transporter gene that promote the feelings of depression. This means that members of the same family can fall into depression at certain times in their lives. Hormonal imbalance is a contributing factor to depression, and through medications, it can be treated.

Depression stems from the inside, promoted by negative thought patterns, overthinking, and intense worry. A person suffering from low self-esteem or dealing with lots of criticism can very well fall into depressive sessions and lose the will to carry out daily functions.

2. TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES

Another determinant of depression is life experiences. Some traumatic experiences can make a person get stuck in a web of self-deprecating thoughts which develop into feelings of self-loathing and thoughts that make being alive a chore.

Some persons blame themselves for these situations and this leads them to sink into dark harmful thoughts that compound to depression.

Depression affects people despite their social standing in life or what their situations look like on the outside. Social environments like growing up in an unstable family, violent environment, or abusive relationships all work as factors that promote depression.

Depression is not a personal weakness; it is a treatable mental illness that is not limited to certain persons.

There is yet no proven preventive measure, as it has no singular cause for it. It is treatable though, as drugs like antidepressants and hormone boosters help to reduce the rate of depression.

3. CHRONIC STRESS

Stress also plays an effective role in fostering depression, workplace stress can get overwhelming. From nasty bosses to nosy and disruptive co-workers, the work overload can also increase stress levels which can develop into depression.

Sometimes people set unrealistic standards that are unachievable and when they cannot reach that standard, they fall into feelings of sadness which escalate into depression.

4. UNRESOLVED GRIEF /LOSS

Losing a family member or loved one leaves quite a gaping hole in hearts, and some persons never heal from this grief no matter how long it takes. Even years later, the pain of the loss remains fresh and the possibility of slipping into depression is quite high.

5. MEDICATION AND SUBSTANCE USE

Some drugs can alter brain chemicals they are usually side effects from treating certain conditions.

The use of substances also induces depression, because it alters brain activity and causes heightened emotions which die down after a while and leave room for thoughts that foster depression.

From these factors, you can see that depression is not just for certain persons, but can affect any person.

Here’s How to deal with depression

• 1. Talk through the feelings
• 2. Believe that it is a phase that will pass with the right treatment.
• 3. Build an internal and external support system to help you get through it.

Conclusion: In the end, we are all just people trying to get through life. If someone tells us they are depressed, help them instead of trying to make it seem like it was their fault. We are all just here trying to get through life