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Opinion | The Real Causes Of Depression Have Been Discovered, And They're Not What You Think
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How depression is measured
Depression is often measured by scientists using something called the Hamilton Scale. It runs from 0 (where you are dancing in ecstasy) to 59 (where you are suicidal).
- Improving your sleep patterns gives you a movement on the Hamilton Scale of around 6 points.
- Chemical antidepressants give you an improvement, on average, of 1.8 points, according to research by professor Irving Kirsch of Harvard University.
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Causes of depression
Many leading scientists believe the whole idea that depression is caused by a “chemically imbalanced” brain is wrong.
There are in fact nine major causes of depression and anxiety that are unfolding all around us. Two are biological, and seven are out in here in the world, rather than sealed away inside our skulls.
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Childhood trauma can cause depression
When you’re a child, you have very little power to change your environment. So, you have two choices.
- You can admit to yourself that you are powerless and there’s simply nothing you can do about it.
- You can tell yourself it’s your fault and at some strange level under your control. If you were responsible for being hurt, then at some level, you have to think you deserved it.
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Release your shame
Researchers tried discussing shame with ordinary patients that came for care. They were told something like, “I see you went through this bad experience as a child. I am sorry this happened to you. Would you like to talk about it?”
Just being able to discuss the trauma led to a huge fall in future illnesses. The act of releasing your shame is – in itself – healing.
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Biological factors are not primary drivers
Depression and anxiety are mostly being caused by events in our lives. You are far more likely to become depressed:
- If you find your work meaningless and you feel you have no control over i.
- If you are lonely and feel that you can’t rely on the people around you to support you.
- If you think life is all about buying things and climbing up the ladder.
- If you think your future will be insecure.
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Depression and medication
Doctors for long treated depression as something inside your brain, which can be treated with meds, with no outside influence.
Certain exceptions (like losing a loved one and this leadi...
Isolated diagnosis
To treat someone who seemingly has depression, while isolating this from any other situation, event or circumstance that might have triggered it is a flawed way to diagnose a potential mental illness.
The root cause of the problem of depression is not addressed in this way.
Happy pills
Antidepressant prescription and eventually their doses have doubled over the past decade, yet depression and anxiety are spiraling out of control.
The real cause of depression does not seem to be completely inside our heads, and pill-popping is just a stop-gap measure, which may even be harmful.
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Key Ideas
Reach out and stay connected
You may feel too exhausted to talk, ashamed at your situation, or guilty for neglecting certain relationships. But this is just the depression talking.
Staying connected to ot...
How to reach out for support
- Look for support from people who make you feel safe and cared for. They just need to be a good listener.
- Make face-time a priority. Talking to someone face to face about how you feel can play a big role in relieving depression.
- Try to keep up with social activities even if you don’t feel like it.
- Find ways to support others.
- Caring for a pet can get you outside of yourself and give you a sense of being needed.
- Join a support group for depression.
Do things that make you feel good
Do things that relax and energize you. This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning how to better manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, and scheduling fun activities into your day.
Even if your depression doesn’t lift immediately, you’ll gradually feel more upbeat and energetic as you make time for fun activities.
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Key Ideas
The Invisible Illness Called Depression
Depression is a serious mental illness and can be overlooked by friends and family because the depressed person expends precious energy just to camouflage the problem.
Depression is like a...
The Manifestations Of Depression
- Women under depression usually exhibit sadness, guilt, hormonal changes, among other seemingly unrelated symptoms.
- Men can get irritable, exhausted and start having sleep issues. They then get into drugs and alcohol, or start to overwork in order to distract themselves.
- Kids under depression usually start to sulk, feel lonely and misunderstood, or have long periods of irritability.
Mindfulness As Part Of Treatment
The common treatments of depression are antidepressant medications and therapy, which has a large relapse rate.
However, if mindfulness is part of the treatment, the relapse rate declines. What is being pointed out is that mindfulness is effective when it is part of a treatment, and not so much on its own.