Clinical depression - how does it start and why does it stay?

Question

I do not know what it is like to just feel normal-happy the majority of the time. I would like to know and am in therapy and have started medication about 6 weeks in. Though I have a wonderful life I often feel sad and anxious, and have for much of my adult life. My question is why am I still depressed? Is it that I have a physical propensity for it? I know my mother was depressed, is it hereditary? Or is it in part because when you are sad a good part of your life your body gets used to it and can't do anything else, even when things get better? Or a combination?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I have been through what you're going through and I probably will again. I know I have a physical propensity for depression, but it also gets triggered quite a bit by negative thoughts that I tell myself. Studies have shown that there is a hereditary link, but it's not a very strong one; people who are depressed tend to have one or more relatives who have also had depression. Six weeks in is not enough time to start thinking your medication won't work, but you absolutely should tell your doctor that you're still having symptoms because different people require different dosages. Take courage in the fact that there are millions of us -- you are not alone.

Answer 2

SHDWATALK or whatever his screen name is is correct.
However after 6 weeks of meds you should be having some sort of relief beginning to start to come on.
There is an interesting book called "The Power on Now". What is interesting is that it talks about the mind. The mind is a tool for you to use, not to use you. You need to not listen anymore to the negative. If your seeing your therapist regularly and 6 weeks into meds, you'll start seeing the light of day again really soon. Hang in there, sometimes answers come to us first when we are far enough out of the depression. Feel better :0)

Answer 3

It often is biological (hereditary). If you have no reason to be depressed (past abuse or crapy life currently) then it is probably just chemical imbalances in your brain. There are thousands of different meds out there and your doctor probably told you that it is sometimes about finding that one that is right for your particular imbalance ( unfortunately that can take quite awhile to find the right one)

Answer 4

Depression can be dispositional or endogenous ... in other words you are born with it. Some depressions can be "situational" and as a result of life crisis. If you are "born" with depression and like you take care of it with therapy and medication, you will learn to manage it and you will have a happy and fulfilling life.

What helped me was to learn that I can never be 100% depression free. It's part of me and I have to learn to not deny, to say ..."OK, it's the depression kickin in." and not try to be frustrated and beat it down. Medication, therapy, and other coping skills I've learned along the way (mediation for one), help me manage my illness. I was diagnosed when I was 9 with endogenous depression .. .it ran in my family.

Learn all you can about your illness, how it works, how it feels, how you can manage it.

Answer 5

It's a chemical imbalance in your brain.

Here is the best website I have found about the disorder (I struggle with depression myself and asked these very questions once)

http://www.concernedcounseling.com/communities/depression/definition.asp

Answer 6

You may want to read this article http://nitzitry.notlong.com/ i found, will be useful also has info on different treatments and should help with your depression.