What are the causes of depression

Depression can be said to be a mental illness. Patients often have symptoms of low mood and are prone to suicidal thoughts. There are many causes of depression. It is somewhat hereditary and is also related to the patient's psychology and the environment they live in. Excessive stress can also lead to depression.

1. Genetic factors (10%):

Genetic epidemiological surveys of large sample populations show that the closer the blood relationship with the sick person, the higher the probability of getting the disease. The probability of first-degree relatives suffering from the disease is much higher than that of other relatives, which is consistent with the general law of genetic diseases.

2. Biochemical factors (25%):

Catecholamine hypothesis: mainly refers to the possibility that the occurrence of depression is related to the decreased concentration of the neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) in the synaptic cleft of the brain. After the use of many antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), although the concentration of these neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft of the brain increases rapidly, the antidepressant effect generally takes about 2 weeks to take effect. Therefore, there is a hypothesis that the sensitivity of 5-HT and NE receptors increases (supersensitivity).

3. Psychosocial factors (25%):

Various major life events that occur suddenly or persist for a long time can cause intense or (and) lasting unpleasant emotional experiences, leading to the onset of depression. To date, the cause and pathogenesis of depression are still unclear, and there are no obvious abnormal physical signs and laboratory indicators. In general, it is the result of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social (cultural) factors. Because the cause of depression is currently unknown, there are many hypotheses.