The Science Behind Depression

THE BRAIN AND DEPRESSION

SIGNS OF DEPRESSION

WHY DOES DEPRESSION OCCUR

WHO DOES DEPRESSION AFFECT

-you cant sleep

-sleep to much

-you can not concentrate

-find previous easy takes, difficult now

-feel hopeless and helpless

-you cannot control your negative thoughts

-you lost your appetite

-can't stop eating

-you became more irritable, short-tempered, or aggressive

-consuming more alcohol than usual or other reckless behavior

-you have thoughts that life is not worth living

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Depression can affect anyone at any time , no matter of race, religion, age or people who seem to have it all . Many famous people were and are affected with depression such as Robin Williams who happened to commit suicide due to it.

Depression can cause a chemical imbalance in the brain. This is because neurotransmitters that aid in sending different nerve cells to your brain and control your mood night not be functioning properly. The part of the brain that is affected by depression is the Hippocampus. This part of the brain processes long term memory, recollection, and fear. But scientists have found that the Hippocampus is smaller in people with this illness. It can effect dopamine which triggers drive and attention and also continuous exposure to stress alters nerve cell growth in this part of the brain. Depression can also effect different parts of your body.

The cause of depression is from a mix of different factors; genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. With the technology we have today, we are able to see that people with depression have different looking brains than a person who does not posses this disorder. The parts of the brain that appear to be different are the areas involved with mood, sleep, thinking, appetite, and behavior.

Also, some types of depression can run in families.

From the genetic studies to see if some genes make people more prone to the disorder, it reveals that the influence of many genes acting together with environmental or different factors can cause a risk for depression.

WHEN DO PEOPLE FEEL DEPRESSED

People can feel depressed when:

-There's no reason

-Loneliness

-Lack of social support

-Recent stressful life experiences

-Family history of depression

-Marital or relationship problems

-Financial strain

-Early childhood trauma or abuse

-Alcohol or drug abuse

-Unemployment or underemployment

-Health problems or chronic pain

TYPES OF DEPRESSION

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Questions

There are different types of Depression:​

Major Depression -most common, characterized by if a person has a lack of focus for life, feels sad or hopeless for two or more weeks​

Seasonal Depression -Occurs when there is a loss of daylight, symptoms usually come in the fall and disappear when spring comes​

Postpartum Depression -After a woman gives birth their hormone level drops which can result in feeling depressed​

Bereavement -grieving over a death, this can last weeks, months, and even years. An important loss can trigger depression

MY THOUGHTS ON DEPRESSION

WHAT IS DEPRESSION​

Do you think school plays a role in making people feel depressed?

How many canadians do you think have to deal with depression?

Depression is a mental illness, that has many behavioral, physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. ​ Unlike when you feel upset for an hour or a day, depression is ongoing for weeks, months, and even years.

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I think there is to much unhappy and stressful situations in our life that leads us to feel depressed, especially between the ages of 16-24. This is the age because we have to make the decision on what we want to do for the rest of our lives. This just adds extra and constant stress to our already stressful life as we deal with other problems. I think the stress of our future has a lot to do with people becoming depressed in my age group.

The Science Behind Depression