Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?

like a mean boyfriend,,,,,,,,or losing faith in your dreams....

losing hope,,,,, it starts there,,,,,,,then the chemicals go haywire.

It's kind of like the question,,,, what comes first , the chicken or the egg?Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?I totally agree. When my life is going great I feel great . But when things aren't just right I get down. I believe with me it has nothing to do with chemicals in the brain.Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?
Depression does not necessarily result from an "environmental problem", which is clinically called "situational depression". Some people experience depression without any situational events occurring to them. It takes more than just "depressed mood" to make a diagnosis of depression. Other criteria such as slowed-down physical responses (psychomotor retardation), thoughts of death, sleeping too much (hypersomnia), sleeping too little (insomnia), feelings of hopelessness, and other criteria are necessary to diagnose a person with a depressive disorder. Also, the impact of the depression must significantly effect the person's psychosocial functioning. Also there are degrees of depressive disorders. A less severe depression is "dysthymia"; a more severe depression is called Major Depression (or Unipolar Disorder). Major Depressive d/os are rated as to how many of the criteria are met to make the diagnosis and how severely the depressive d/o impacts the person's life--Mild, Moderate, or Severe.



People who have not had any significant events to "cause" a depression usually have a close family member who has either a depressive disorder or Bipolar Disorder (used to be called manic-depression). These people are thought to have been born with the genetic tendency to have faulty electrochemical problems in their brains. It is not known whether it is an insufficiency of serotonin or a combination of serotonin and dopamine. These are two of the neurochemicals responsible for creating the electrochemial responses between synapses in the brain.



When a situational problem occurs that causes depression, it is thought that the event can alter the neurochemical functioning of the brain thereby creating the depressive disorder. So--the short answer is that it is not necessary for an environmental problem to occur for a person to experience a depressive disorder but that such events as problems with a bf, losing a job, and so on, can trigger a depressive disorder. Usually, though, stuational depressions do not get into the range of Major Depressive D/O, but they can if the impact is severe enough.



FYI--you can look up all the criteria necessary to make a diagnosis of a depressive disorder as well as all the categories of psychological/psychiatric disorders in the DSM-IV TR, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association and regularly revised. They are working on a major revision (the DSM-V) now.Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?I agree with you. Goals are unattainable, disappoints happen, tragics occur, your serotonin dips to new lows, and wha-la you are severely depressed.Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?
I think is simple. When something tragic happens...that can affect your life somehow in terms of adaptability and survival, the brain puts you in that state to tell you that next time you have to do anything possible for that state to not appear anymore. It is the instinctual way of learning exactly like when you are a child. So you will train all your life so those states will not appear.Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?I do believe it has to do with lifestyle factors, stress, how you treat your body etc.Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?
chemical imbalance is just an excuse for doctors to give us medication.. which is supposed to "treat" us but really that pill is nothing but harmful chemicals and drugs, that can actually make you feel worse. You see when you feeling "depressed" you turn over to meds.. and when things start feeling a little better you're all like "okay.. the meds are working" therefore you keep on taking them.. making you become dependent. Many people have this problem and has taken zolof for 10-20 years now. They never stop because if they do they're afraid they might feel depressed again. It's stupid and all the drugs are just playing with your mind.. forget all about the chemical imblance.. it's all BS... it's all about the environment..Although depression is caused from a brain chemical problem,isn't it more an environmental problem?
well brain chemistry, enviromental aka nuture. some of our nature. And also our choices and what circumstances come our way.
yep, blame it on Osmosis....