Depression -- A Chemical Imbalance

Depression is a multitude of different actions that together cause one big reaction, the chemical imbalance that causes depression.

When a person suffers great stress due to a time in their life that causes difficulty it can cause the neurotransmitters located in the brain and central nervous system to "overload" and lose its steady grip on the job they perform

The stress that causes the chemical imbalance can vary widely, some people can be worried about finances, some about the state of their relationship, others may feel alone in the world, some have suffered from a traumatic experience, other can just feel that they don't have the status they deserve.

The neurotransmitters involved are called Serotonin and Norepinephrine; both of these neurotransmitters help control a person's mood and stress levels.

When these neurotransmitters lose their grip on a person's mood it can have disastrous affects, some people find it hard to control their feelings and it can feel like a lifetime on despair comes crashing in on them at one time and depression can occur.

When depression occurs, the affects are both physical and mental, the person will constantly have negative thoughts plaguing their mind, sometimes these are not even the true reality of a situation they are in, but the distorted reality their mind is giving them.

When the depression has taken hold the person will not wish to go out in public, they may even find it difficult to face their own family and friends, this is a natural reaction because they are having feelings of anxiety, anger, despair and sadness. The person will probably spend many hours in bed, losing their sexual desires and appetite for food.

To be able to stop the affects of depression the sufferer will need to seek medical help, this can be a difficult decision for the sufferer to make, even if they see they have a problem it doesn't necessarily mean they will decide to look for treatment.

Once a sufferer has decided to look for treatment to find a way past the depression they have it can take time to combat the affects of depression. Many people can spend months, even years in treatment to alleviate the emotions they feel. In some cases people suffering with depression can go through many cycles of treatment, including medication and counseling without any help at all.

An important note

There is a belief that the chemical imbalance, which causes depression, is possibly hereditary so if a close family member such as a mother or father has had depression it is quite probable that their children may suffer with depression at some point in their lifetime. The reason why this may be the case is that if the family genetics has a deposition to stress or mood swings then it is more likely that the neurotransmitters are affected.

If you feel that you do suffer with low moods then it may be worth checking your family history for depression to see if it is a hereditary condition.

More articles on depression can be found at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/elderly_depression-noXphp/index.php, http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/depression_basic_php/index.php, and http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/Depression/index.html.

About the Author:
Mike Serovey is the owner and webmaster for http://www.mikeserovey.net where you can submit your articles for free.