Is depression something you can just control?
Or are there real changes in your brain that cause it?
Research studies show that there are many changes which happen in the brain when someone is depressed.
Of course, the brain is super complex – and we are only scratching the surface of everything there is to know. People who have depression can have different symptoms and different causes.
It’s important to know that even though we don’t understand everything about depression, we do know something about what treatments can help. And if one treatment doesn’t work for you, there can be another one that will – so don’t give up! You are a very special and unique person – so something that worked or didn’t work for someone else – will probably work differently for you.
Depression probably has a combination of different causes:
Gene-environment interactions: — did you know your genes and your brain can change based on what you are exposed to in your environment? some people can feel more anxious if they were in a big car wreck – other people don’t change at all
Endocrine: — some people’s mood really goes up and down with changes in their hormone levels – hormones are proteins in your blood so different parts of your body can communicate with each other – like thyroid hormone
Immune system: — stress and depression that happen in your brain can cause your immune system – the part of your body that fights infections – to get weaker – and vice versa – certain chronic illnesses can increase depressed feelings
Plasticity: — scientists talk about the brain being “plastic” – that means before we thought the brain’s electricity was hard-wired — now we know that its wiring can change based on genes, environment, hormones, the immune system, and and medical and psychological treatments — that means there is a way to get better!!
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