Depression A Common Serious Illness - 2133 Words

Depression Depression is a common serious illness. A lot of people believe that since they have had a bad day or two that they know all about depression, but that’s not the case. Bad moods are common, they are bound to happen, but if your symptoms don’t subside there is a possibility that it could be clinical depression. The word depression itself is used so often in the wrong situations that the true definition of clinical depression can be lost. â€Å"Clinical depression is a medically recognized disorder in which a sufferer exhibits melancholy moods, anxiety, or even self-destructive behaviors for prolonged periods† (â€Å"Depression, 2011a†) in this paper the following questions will be answered: 1. What is depression? 2. What causes†¦show more content†¦There are theories that suggest that the brains of people with depression look different than those who don’t have depression. The parts of the brain that play a role in mood, thought, sleep, appetite, and behavior look different. Even though they look different the images don’t explain why they are different, and they can’t be used to diagnose depression. People with depression also show lower brain levels in brain activity in a section of the prefrontal cortex that is involved with actions. Depressed people have few receptors for the neurotransmitters, serotonin, and norepinephrine. The brains energy consumption will fall in depression and rise in mania. A lot of different things can cause depression. Genes, social atmosphere, the environment, and technology are a few factors that cause depression. Depression often runs in families, but even when it doesn’t run in the family you are still at risk depression. Scientists are in the process of studying certain genes that make people more prone to depression. Some research suggests that; â€Å"The risk for depression comes from the influence of several different genes acting together with environmental and other factors† (Depression, 2011a). What causes Depression? There are many different ways that clinical depression can come about. Depression can be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters. NIMH found that; â€Å"More than 40% of people with PTSD were diagnosed with depression 4 months