Depression is the second leading cause of death in the world among teenagers and young adults. The death rate due to depression increases by the day. However, the major causes of depression are not too far from our daily activities and habits. While harmful habits, temperamental disorders, and certain life events can cause depression, we must not also forget that there are certain hidden causes of depression we had ignored and had degenerated into this severe health condition.

People do not always pay attention to depression until it has eaten deep into their minds and mostly leads to suicidal thoughts. The world health organization has it that over 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression and the truth is, depression and suicide are linked. About 60% of people who commit suicide suffer from major depression. 

Depression is a serious condition that causes a shift in the way you feel towards people, relationships and your work. It kills the energy you once put into a particular activity. This abnormality had led to the death of many people. Science has proven that depression is a medical condition that can be avoided and treated. You do not have to suffer in silence.

In this blog post, I will like to share with you some ten (10) major causes of depression, and also how you can avoid them or heal from depression. 

• Abuse
• Relationship conflict
• Insufficiency or inferiority complex
• Gender influence as a cause of depression
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Genetic history is a rarely discussed cause of depression
• Medical conditions
• Loss of a loved one
• Behavioral temperament
• Brain chemistry

1. Abuse is a major Cause of Depression

Physical, emotional and sexual abuse is a major cause of depression. It is prevalent among people of all ages and gender. In schools, offices, religious establishments, and social organizations, all these kinds of abuse take place and become prevalent when not cautioned. 

If the victim of the abuse has not gotten the necessary help after a while, it could degenerate into depression and lead to suicide. Most victims of abuse isolate themselves and do away with everything that has to do with the source of abuse. They become ashamed or afraid to speak up and begin to die in silence.

2. Relationship Conflict

Let me quickly share my life story with you. Some years back, I had an episode of depression as a result of a conflict I had with a very close friend of mine. It happened that we had become friends since childhood until one day she publicly denied me before her family members and others around that we were never close. This broke my heart and I fell into depression afterwards. Nothing in life ever made sense to me. Suicidal thoughts began to fill my mind during those periods.

Dear reader, while relationship conflicts like this could lead to depression; it is never the end for you. People will disappoint and deny you. They will betray your trust but never let that take away your peace or life. To err is human. Even the best of humans still make mistakes. Therefore, forgive and walk away from any relationship that does not value your contribution. 

3. Insufficiency or Inferiority complex

You are not in for competition with someone else, so stop comparing yourself to others. The mind of competing with others or feeling that someone is better than you is a mental state of inferiority complex. Your competition should be between who you were yesterday and who you want to be tomorrow. Strive to be the best version of yourself and not the best of another person.

The moment you begin to feel insufficient of yourself, depression will set in. Insufficiency is the reason for depression even among the rich and successful. Strive to be the best version of yourself and not the best of another person. And even after you have achieved your desired goal, do not stop. The joy of being alive is when you always find something to live for. Give yourself the opportunity each day to go for something bigger than what you have or who you are now. Keep Smashing goals and get to the peak of your being.

4. Gender Influence as a Cause of Depression

The hormonal imbalance that takes place in women has its influence on depression among the feminine gender. The World Health Organization (WHO) has it that more women are affected by depression than men. However, more men commit suicide than women according to a WHO statistics.

Subsequently, during a woman’s menstrual period, she often falls into mood swings, anxiety, irritation and all of these can contribute to the cause of depression.

5. Drug and Alcohol Addiction Causes Depression

There is a misconception that alcohol or drugs will help you get over negative situations. But clinically, it is proven that drugs and alcohol aggravate depression, especially when it becomes an addiction and the individual can no longer do without them.

When a habit leads to addiction, the best thing to do is to replace the habit gradually. But first, identify the habit trigger and result in habit replacement.

6. Genetic History is a Rarely Discussed Cause of Depression

I am sure you’re wondering how depression can be a thing of genetic history. It really is for some persons, when a trait of depression becomes prevalent in the family history. This trait can be passed on from generation to generation like any other genetic inheritance. However, this kind of depression is not a common one and that is why it is rarely discussed.

7. Medical Conditions

Depression is a medical condition that is usually an upshot from other illnesses. For example,  Flora was diagnosed with a tumor in her left breast. When the doctor explained how the tumor had grown bigger and began to spread to the second breast. She ought to continue her chemotherapy but the news that the second breast becoming affected made her lose interest in her treatment plan. 

So, Flora stopped chemotherapy and her medications. She isolated herself and didn’t relate with anyone. It was after a few weeks that the news of her death reached the neighborhood. Flora was my neighbor who allowed depression to take hold of her due to a terminal illness.

8. Behavioral Temperament

Personality character adds to the list of the causes of depression. Some people have a habit of thinking the worst of every situation. Negative thought patterns and spontaneous worry results in depression. The pessimism in them brings about anxiety which later results in depression.

9. Loss of a Loved One

People lose their loved ones everyday but it feels differently with each person. For some, such a loss will lead them in a dilemma and cause them to be depressed. Most often than not, this kind of depression might lead to suicidal thoughts if not managed.

10. Brain Chemistry is also One of the Causes of Depression

There are natural chemicals in the brain that aids communication. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. Depression occurs when there is imbalance in the brain neurotransmitters. So when you wonder why someone who was fine this minute gets depressed in the next minute, it could be as a result of an imbalance in the person’s brain chemistry.

Having learnt the causes of depression, it is important to know how to avoid depression. The best counsel would have been to avoid everything I listed above, but how about some of those events that happen naturally and cannot be controlled?

The following are ways to avoid and heal from depression;

1. Ease yourself of the burden. You can do this by regular exercise and making sure to get enough and adequate sleep. Take a stress free challenge, it helps to relax your nerves.

2. Re-organize your relationship and hold on to the faithful ones. This is how to prevent your heart from heartbreaks and traumas from relationship conflict.

3. Eat well. Your diet has a lot to do with your health. Digest appropriate nutrients in appropriate measures.

4. Avoid being caught up in too many options. The thought of having to choose from many options can cause anxiety. 

5. Take a break from the media and every other source of badness. This will help to prevent anxiety and panic attacks.

6. Reduce alcohol and drug intake. They will only aggravate your situation.

7. If you’re already on medication or therapy, follow your doctor’s instructions.

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