A type of mood disorder, depression can severely impact a person’s daily life, relationships, and decisions. Though everyone can experience times of sadness or grief, depression is a chronic condition that can get worse without proper treatment.
There are various reasons why someone may be more susceptible to developing this mood disorder. Review the following top causes of depression below and find out how to get the help you need from a Denver Rehab program.
Main Causes of Depression
Depression can occur seemingly without any apparent reason. However, there are often underlying experiences, events, or chronic illnesses that impact the development of depression. Genetics can even play a role. Since the human brain features complicated chemistry, sudden changes or imbalances in this chemistry are often the catalyst of depressive episodes.
Experiences in childhood. Difficult events in your childhood can stay with you for a long time. These experiences, no matter how small, can lead to impactful emotional triggers that lead to anxiety, fear, and depression. Negative childhood experiences like neglect, family or relationship trauma, abuse, or an unstable environment create vulnerabilities, self-esteem issues, and difficulty coping with life events later on.
Life changes. Unexpected life changes can leave you stressed out or trigger negativity. If you’re suddenly unable to cope with daily life because of a big life change, you may be dealing with a depressive episode. Life changes can include the loss of a family member or beloved pet, moving to a new home or neighborhood, the end of an important relationship, or losing your job.
Chronic health conditions. Other mental health disorders can also trigger depression. Anxiety, eating disorders, and PTSD are often coinciding with depression. Additionally, chronically-ill individuals often suffer from depression since their physical health issues have such a big impact on their daily lives. Those who experience chronic sleep irregularity, or issues with their thyroid, brain, or nervous system, can experience depression and low mood symptoms, as well.
Genetics. Having a close family member with depression increases the likelihood that you will experience this mood disorder yourself. Keep in mind, however, that many coping strategies and behaviors are learned from those around us from a young age. Through effective depression therapies, you can learn how to better cope with this mood disorder.
Drug and alcohol abuse. Recreational drug and alcohol usage can make you feel good in the moment, but becoming dependent on these substances can have lasting negative consequences. Depression and other mental health conditions often develop from the overuse of drugs and alcohol. If you find yourself using substances to distract you from depression, anxiety, or other negative feelings, a combination of drug rehabilitation and therapy could help.
Getting help for depression
When healing from depression, coinciding mental health conditions, and substance abuse, it’s important to seek help in a safe environment with licensed medical professionals and plenty of therapy options. Serenity provides an individualized approach to healing through customized counseling sessions, meetings, and programs designed to help you achieve your goals.
For more information on therapy for substance abuse and depression, contact Serenity.