The term "depression" is widely used to describe the way an individual feels in the presence of pervasive emotions such as sadness, gloominess, or hopelessness. There are many varying degrees of symptoms associated with this illness, ranging from mild and transient to severe and chronic. Depressed feelings can be the result of difficult life changes, recurring illness, and loss of a loved one, chronic fatigue and even environmental issues.

The causes of depression can come from inside and outside the physical body. When depressed feelings are initiated primarily by physical or chemical changes taking place inside the human body, we say that they are "endogenous." Endogenous depression can result from hormonal and chemical imbalances as well physical illness. Post partum depression, clinical depression, seasonal affective disorder, and mood disorders due to Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease are all examples of depression caused by physical changes occurring inside the brain. When depression is primarily the result of external forces that are impacting an individual's ability to cope with life's changes we say that the depression is primarily exogenous. Exogenous depression can result when an individual loses a loved one or experiences a traumatic event.

For some, depression is a symptom of a serious form of mental illness that results in chronic feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. When an individual experiences persistent sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, loss of enjoyment in everyday activities, and feelings of isolation, he may be suffering with a mood disorder. Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Dysthymia are three of the more commonly diagnosed mood disorders that are due to chemical imbalances in the brain. While these forms of depression may be exacerbated by external factors, they stem from poorly regulated amounts of Serotonin and Dopamine in the central nervous system. Mood disorders may be considered, then, to be the result of physical changes in brain chemistry.

In the same way that we call diabetes a physical illness because it is a medical condition related to inadequate pancreatic function, clinical depression is also a physical illness. This is a frequently misunderstood medical reality by those who do not look beyond the label of mental illness to discover that the problem is not just emotionally, behaviorally, or spiritually based.

Individuals who suffer with mood disorders can improve their ability to cope with stress and learn healthier ways of managing their depressive symptoms through cognitive, behavioral, and spiritual therapy. Most, who struggle with persistent and moderately severe symptoms, need medical intervention in the form of antidepressants and/ or mood stabilizers to counteract the brain's inefficiency to self-regulate Serotonin and Dopamine.

There is an undeniable link between certain forms of depression and physical causal factors. Whether due to debilitating illness, or because of hormonal and chemical imbalances in the human body, endogenous depression is precipitated by changes occurring from within.

Because depression is widely misunderstood by society, those who suffer with it are often thought of as "crazy," "unstable," and "lacking in character." A better understanding of the physical causes of depression could certainly engender more understanding and emotional support from those who so lightly dismiss the painful feelings associated with this illness.

Learn more about this author, Dr. Deborah Bauers.
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