Riding a Wave of Depression

Depression can affect up to one if six people at some point in their lifetime yet we still don't understand what really makes depression happen.

It has been found that depression is an illness that runs through families, this may be due to each family member having the same genetic make up, making each family member more vulnerable to depression, or it may be because of the way children in the family are bought up.

Although we know that depression can run through families, we also know that other individuals with no family history of depression do suffer also. These individuals only suffer when subjected to long term stress or have been subject to a high dose of stress over a short period of time due to trauma, criminal activity, or they have been taking illegal drugs or certain medications over a long period.

When a patient suffers with depression they can suffer a wave of highs a lows, they can feel fine enough to leave the house one day and then not get out of bed the next, but what is driving these dramatic changes in emotions.

There is a belief that in a lot of cases patients have a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters, these are information transmitters in the brain and central nervous system. These neurotransmitters like Serotonin and Norepinephrine help control our feelings.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is found in the central nervous system and is believed to control moods, sleep, sexual feelings, appetite and vomiting.

Norepinephrine is also a neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system and is believed to be a stress hormone

The highs and lows of depression, as mentioned previously, can be caused by these neurotransmitters (Serotonin and Norepinephrine), which control a persons mood and stress levels. If the levels of Serotonin and Norepinephrine alter through out a day then a persons moods will alter.

What we need to understand is what affects these neurotransmitters to find out why they alter so dramatically in some people, is it the genetic make up of their family which causes them to be susceptible to drastic change in the body, or is it the lifestyle they are bought up in?

Can it be that whatever changes those individuals that have seen a lot of trauma and high levels of stress have had, mirrors whatever those people who suffer due to family related history have?

Although time will tell before investigations show that depression through family history is due to genetic make up or because of a cycle within the family life, it is true that between 40% and 70% is inheritable between families. Either way we do know that if a father has suffered with depression, one way or another it is likely one or more of the children will suffer with depression at some point in their life.

The sooner we find out exactly why people suffer through family history, the sooner we can look at a more long term alternative to alleviating depression before it occurs.