Causes of depression
While researchers often talk about ‘finding the cause’ of some disease or disorder this often obscures the fact that only part of the story is known. Some causes are pretty straightforward. We know...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Genetics
While depression is popularly considered to be due to life experiences and/or personality factors, there is in fact, strong evidence for significant genetic predisposition towards developing...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Biochemical
Our knowledge of the human brain is still fairly limited, therefore we do not really know what actually happens in the brain to cause depression. It’s likely that with most instances of clinical...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Illness
We all know that being ill is not a pleasant experience. Even short periods of illness can lower our mood, as the effects of pain and discomfort, or of confinement and a reduced capacity to do the...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Ageing brain
As we age, our brain’s capacity (in terms of general functioning) reduces, while certain neurotransmitters (which influence mood state) can become perturbed. Three reasons for these changes are worth...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Gender
Gender is a partial, but incomplete, explanation of why a person develops a mood disorder. Essentially equal numbers of men and women develop melancholic depression and Bipolar Disorder. However,...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Stress
It is important to recognise that nearly every individual can be stressed and depressed by certain events. Most people experience a rapid ‘spontaneous’ resolution within days or weeks. Some do not – so...
View ArticleCauses of depression: Personality
At the Institute we believe that personality and temperament contribute to certain depressive disorders, particularly the non-melancholic disorders. Certain personality types are more at risk of...
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