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Common Causes
Depression often runs in families. This may due to your genes (inherited), learned behavior, or both. Even if your genes make you more likely to develop depression, a stressful or unhappy life event usually triggers the onset of a depressive episode.
Depression may be brought on by:
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Childhood events like abuse or neglect
- Chronic stress
- Death of a friend or relative
- Disappointment at home, work, or school (in teens, this may be breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, failing a class, or parents divorcing)
- Drugs such as sedatives and high blood pressure medications
- Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), cancer, or hepatitis
- Nutritional deficiencies (such as a lack of folate and omega-3 fatty acids)
- Overly negative thoughts about one's self and life, self blame, and ineffective social problem solving skills
- Prolonged pain or having a major illness
- Sleeping problems
- Social isolation (common in the elderly)
Home Care
If you are depressed for 2 weeks or longer, you should contact your doctor, who can offer treatment options. Regardless of whether you have mild or major depression, the following self-care steps can help:
- Get enough sleep.
- Follow a healthy, nutritious diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid alcohol, marijuana, and other recreational drugs.
- Get involved in activities that make you happy, even if you don't feel like it.
- Spend time with family and friends.
- Try talking to clergy or spiritual advisors who may help give meaning to painful experiences.
- Consider prayer, meditation, tai chi, or biofeedback as ways to relax or draw on your inner strengths.
- Add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, which you can get from cold-water fish like tuna, salmon, or mackerel.
- Take folate (vitamin B9) in the form of a multivitamin (400 to 800 micrograms).
If your depression occurs in the fall or winter months, try light therapy using a special lamp that mimics the sun.
Many people try a popular over-the-counter herb called St. John's wort. Some studies do suggest that this herbal remedy may be helpful for mild depression, but not moderate or severe. Be aware that St. John's wort has potential drug interactions and should NOT be taken with prescription antidepressants, birth control pills, protease inhibitors for HIV, theophylline, warfarin, digoxin, reserpine, cyclosporine, or loperamide. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking about trying this herb for mild depression.
If you have moderate to severe depression, the most effective treatment plan will likely be a combination of counseling and medication.
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Reviewer Info: Paul Ballas, DO, Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 01/20/2009 |
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