Clinical Depression:
Major Depression is an illness many doctor's believe to be related to an imbalance of a natural chemical in the body called 'Serotonin'. It can be triggered by a traumatic event or it can develop with no apparent cause.
Dysthymia is a milder form of depression. It's sypmtoms tend to be milder and persistent, which may last for years. Physically, it is like having a chronic low-grade infection you never develop: you never develop a full-blown illness but always feel a little run down.
Bipolar Disorder is an illness in which one's mood changes between depression and elation for no apparent reason.
Seasonal Depression (sometimes called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD) may result from a change in the balance of brain chemicals associated with decreased sunlight. Seasonal depression often starts in late fall and ends in spring, when the days get longer.
Depression can be brought on by a number of factors working individually or in combination. Some of the more common triggers of depression are:
Severe Psychological Stress: Relationship problems, death in the family, divorce, financial difficulties - any long term stressful situation, even prolonged cloudy winters.
A Physical Illness or Condition: Cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, reumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, major surgery or mulitiple sclerosis.
Medications: Some cardiovascular drugs, hormones, birth control pills and even some non-prescription pain remedies may cause or worsen depression.
Sometimes depression appears to have no trigger. While depression is not fully understood, a growing amount of evidence supports the view that people with depression may have an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters, the chemicals that allow nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other. Many scientists believe that an imbalance in serotonin, one of these neurotransmitters, may be an important factor in the development and severity of depression. You may recognize one of the symptoms or causes of depression in yourself, a loved one or a friend. Acknowledging depression is the first step in becoming free of it.