Self-Improvement Resources

You must understand that depression is normal. It is a symptom of something upsetting the balance in your life. There are many causes for depression, as you will see in the list below. The causes may be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.

Most Common Causes

• The factor that contributes a lot to depression is a sense of deprivation, or simply a feeling of being lost. This sense of loss may be real or just in the mind.
• Common things like not getting enough rest or not eating properly can cause depression.
• Certain drugs can affect a person’s moods. All drugs affect the body and the mental processes in some way. If a drug produces noxious results in the brain or nervous system, extreme depression could be the consequence. Toxic depression happens when a person takes too much of a drug or tranquilizer over a long period of time. This kind of depression and drug toxicity will clear up in a day or so after the drug is no longer in the system. You must remember that when you start feeling strange while taking a medication, consult your medical doctor.

Physical Causes

The following are some physical causes of depression:

• Hepatitis
• Hypoglycemia
• Infections
• Brain or nervous system disorders
• Glandular disorders
• Low thyroid
• Hyperthyroidism
• Excessive ovarian hormonal irregularities

Mental Causes

• Pessimistic and Defective Thinking
  You’ve probably heard many times in your life that "It’s all in the mind." This can never be truer. If you think that your life is in the dumps, then it probably is. If you think that the problems you face are exciting challenges that will lead you closer to success, instead of thinking of them as real unsolvable problems, then you probably won’t feel depressed. It all depends on your attitude.
• Impractical Expectations Not Attained
  If you’re expecting to be promoted as manager, but someone else gets the job, then re-assess yourself if you really deserve to get the position. If you do not deserve, then work harder and don’t get disappointed. If you are worthy for the job but your efforts are not being noticed, then forget about it. Shift your focus on other worthwhile goals. Life is too short to be spent on things beyond our control. Poor people tend to be more depressed because the television, radio, and newspapers have informed them that there are so many things out there to buy and own, yet they don’t have the money. They buy lottery tickets and sweepstakes in the hope of getting rich someday. They should stop making these unrealistic expectations and should just work hard and smart to attain their goals. They should be contented with what they already have, and should strive to improve their lives.
• Reactive Depression or Grief Reaction
  This occurs after the loss of a loved one, job, or other important aspects of your life. This usually lessens as time goes by. The loss of a partner, close friend, or relative brings on this kind of emotional reaction. Just realize and accept the fact that everything in this world has an end.
• Rage or Anger Held Back
  Experiencing anger is extremely dangerous to your health. It causes your adrenaline and blood pressure to rise up at above normal levels. Moreover, you could end up hurting someone or doing something that you will regret later on if you can’t control it. But if you hold it back, it’s very unhealthy and can cause serious depression.
• Low Self-Esteem
  People with low self-esteem or self-confidence have a higher chance of being diagnosed with depression. One or more of these pessimistic thoughts listed below are always running in their minds:
  1. Everything I do is wrong.
  2. My efforts are always not enough.
  3. No one ever recognizes what I’ve done for him or her.
  4. Everything is always my fault.
  5. I am nothing compared to other people.
  6. My skill is worthless.
  7. Everyone else is much better (much intelligent, much stronger) than me.
  Sooner or later, they will accept this as true despite all evidence to the contrary. Interactions with depression sufferers suffering from low self-esteem range from difficult to intolerable. When you offer love and affection, they are not recognized and reciprocated. Despite exerting all efforts to help them, you are told you don't understand what is wrong. You receive complaints that the support you extend is not sufficient, or not the right kind.
• Stress
  One of the most common yet deadliest enemies we face in this modern, demanding world is STRESS. And I have to stress that out because it is often ignored, yet it can really damage your health and your life. It can ultimately contribute to depression.
  
  Probably the leading type of stress is job stress or work-related stress. It is not unusual for workers to be grumpy on Monday and happy on Friday night. Workrelated stress has been the cause of many ailments such as extreme fatigue, headaches, anxiety, nervousness, respiratory illnesses, muscle pain, back pain, ulcers, insomnia, high blood pressure, depression of course, and even obesity! If you’ve been so preoccupied with your work and you haven’t got the time to take a short break, you’ll be more likely to pig out on dinner or midnight snacks. And of course, job insecurity can lead to depression.
  
  Other factors that contribute to stress are relationship problems, health problems, and money problems. Things like a fight with your sister, not being able to pay your debts on time, supporting a family on a meager income, having an incurable disease, can indeed bring about depression. Even positive events such as getting a job promotion or having more job responsibilities, getting married, or getting pregnant can also lead to tension, and depression.

Emotional Causes

• Hormonal Changes After Childbirth
  Some women tend to have a depression illness after their baby is born. It is called Postpartum Depression, but many people call it the "baby blues." This type of depression is caused by hormonal changes upon pregnancy.
  
  When the mother experiences depression before giving birth, there’s a bigger chance that she will experience more depressive feelings after the child is born. Sometimes the mother will feel awful for having this kind of feeling, when she’s supposed to be exhilarated with her baby.
  
  There is nothing to be ashamed about. This is not the mother’s fault. It’s cause by the hormonal changes, and could be aggravated by the stress of waking up at night to feed the baby, work-related and travel-related stress, as well as increase in the over-all expenses.
  
  This type depression will disappear as time passes by, but getting support and medication could help in easing the current problem.
• Getting Old Syndrome
  
  When people reach the age of 60 and above, they tend to feel left out. They retire and stay at home watching TV or doing nothing. This makes them feel lonely and depressed. Furthermore, they have been through many of life’s challenges - passing away of loved ones, being left by sons and daughters, health problems, and others.

Look over the above list of depression causes and see if you can pick up anything that might be contributing to your depression. More often than not, it is a sign that your body needs rest and relaxation after a period of handling pressures and exhaustion. Observe this hint as you would a sign of hunger or pain.