The causes of depression in youth can be numerous and sometimes unknown.  This article shares some of the causes to help parents understand depression and the uncomfortable illness that may be affecting our children.

Causes of Depression
The causes of depression are many. Depression is a complex disease that can occur as a result of a multitude of factors. For some, depression occurs due to a loss of a loved one, a change in one’s life, or after being diagnosed with a serious medical disease. For others, depression just happened, possibly due to their family history.

Factors involved in causing depression, include:

• A history of depression in the family: It is believed that depression is passed genetically from generation to generation, although the exact way this occurs is not known.

• Grief from the death or loss of a loved one.
• Personal disputes, like conflict with a family member.
• Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
• Major events that occur in everyone’s lives, such as moving, graduating, changing jobs, getting married or divorced, retiring, etc.
• Serious illness: depressed feelings are a common reaction to many medical illnesses.
• Certain medications
• Substance abuse: close to 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major depression.
• Other personal problems: these may come in the forms of social isolation due to other mental illnesses, or being cast out of a family or social circle.

The Body vs. The Mind

Medical research indicates that people suffering from depression have changes in their brain compared to people who do not depressed. The hippocampus, a small part of the brain that is vital to the storage of memories, is smaller in people with a history of depression than in those who are not depressed.  Serotonin, a body chemical, has been found to have a lower receptor rate that is controlled by the hippocampus portion of the brain.  Serotonin, a neurotransmitter and chemical messenger that allows communication between nerves in the brain and the body has been a leading factor and natural body chemical discussed by medical doctors who treat depression.

As of today, scientists don’t know why the hippocampus is smaller in individuals diagnosed with depression.  Researchers have found that cortisol (a stress hormone that is important to the normal function of the hippocampus) is produced in excess in individuals diagnosed with depression.  Cortisol has been found to have a toxic or poisonous effect on the hippocampus. Some doctors believe it’s possible that some depressed people are born with a smaller hippocampus that leads to a greater possibility of developing depression.

Depression is complex.  It is an illness with many contributing factors.  As doctors reach a better understanding of the causes of this illness they will be able to make better diagnoses and which will lead to more successful prescribed effective treatments.
Genetics and Depression

There is evidence that suggests a genetic link to depression. Children, siblings and parents of people with severe depression are much more likely to suffer from depression than are members of the general population. Multiple genes interacting with one another in special ways probably contribute to the types of depression that runs in families. Scientists have not been able to identify a “depression” gene.