Ailments and Situations - Depression - Causes and What to Expect

Causes:

At the chemical level, the brain requires a certain balance in order to function effectively and maintain an elevated mood. Serotonin is a mood-stabilizing hormone and is one of the most important chemicals involving mood levels. This hormone is a neurotransmitter -- a substance that carries impulses between nerve cells. If levels of this neurotransmitter decline, depression can result. Other important mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters include dopamine and norepinephrine, which help us to think and act more quickly and keep us alert.

Depression is also closely linked to the health of your liver. If your body builds up an excess of toxins, your liver can become overloaded, affecting the overall homeostasis of the body. This excess stress on the body can result in many ailments and situations, one being depression.

Other causes include Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), various drugs, a diet high in refined sugar, generally poor diet, stress, hormonal imbalance, and personal loss.

As the term implies, SAD is a seasonal disorder that usually occurs in the winter when the days are shorter and darker. Low levels of ambient (sun) light affect people's mood and many people blame their state on the weather. Women tend to suffer this type of depression more than men. Effects include loss of energy, weight gain and cravings of low-nutrient foods, anxiety attacks, and excessive sleep.

It may come as a surprise, but some birth-control pills, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory agents, sedatives, and even some antibiotics can trigger depression by creating hormonal imbalances and liver toxicity.

A high sugar diet and a generally poor diet negatively affect the liver. A startling figure: the average American eats more than 125 pounds of white sugar every year! High levels of sugar result in a high-level of energy that is very short-lived. As your blood sugar levels wears off, the resulting "fall" can have negative effects on your mood.

White sugar is a human-created substance that is attacked by the body when ingested. This "invader" stresses the immune system and also forces an excess load on the liver as it attempts to detoxify the body. Hypoglycemia and diabetes are both strongly linked to feeling down. And as mentioned above, depression is closely linked to the health of your liver.

The Wurtman Study was one of the first to link blood sugar and serotonin levels. The report found that people with abnormal carbohydrate cravings (simple sugars and/or starches) are more likely to become depressed. "Noshing" on cookies, candy, chips, and general junk food may mean more than just a quick hunger fix. The indirect goal may be to raise serotonin levels as your body attempts to obtain the missing nutrients necessary for proper brain function.

Caffeine blocks the absorption of a number of nutrients, affecting the brain's chemical balance. Lacking even one vitamin, mineral, or amino acid can affect mood.

People with high cholesterol levels may also be more susceptible to depression. As well, a slow metabolism resulting from low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) can also lead to depression, particularly in hard to explain female cases. 20% of people with depression have a sluggish thyroid.

Personal loss can set into a motion an unfortunate cycle of decreasing immune function coupled with increased depression. It is important to take care of yourself during your time of mourning.

Other causes can include constipation, fibromyalgia, hormonal imbalances, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep disorders, stress, and yeast infection.

 What to Expect:

Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine levels (and resulting mood) are quite low over the course of depression. The symptoms and signs mentioned above result in a positive feedback on the body (though the effects are quite negative) and symptoms can become self-reinforcing. It is important to thus treat depression as early as possible.