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Depression is a serious mental health disorder that has an impact on how an individual feels about him or herself. A person suffering from depression feels sad, moody, or low for long periods ("Depression," n.d.). According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), about one in every 10 Americans experience depression once or regularly in their lifetime. Apart from the mental health, the physical health of a person is also affected. The red flags associated with depression include: sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, loss of concentration, trouble with memory, sleeping too much or too little, despair, loss of appetite, panic, fear, restlessness, suicidal thoughts and weight loss. The argument articulated in this paper seeks to elaborate on biological causes of depression as reviewed from scholarly articles, journals, research studies as well as psychiatrist perspectives.

Depression is not caused by one factor but a combination of factors which interact with one another. The biological outlook on causes of depression argues that the genetic makeup of a person can cause depression ("Biological Causes of Depression," n.d.). In addition, research has shown that depression is linked with family history as well as hormonal imbalances in the mind. For instance, a reduction in neurotransmitter serotonin has been found to cause depression. Also, existing medical conditions such as underactive thyroid or even elevated levels of hormones such as cortisol stress hormone are all factors leading to depression. Researchers have argued that hormones do not directly cause depression but rather escalate the condition when coupled with stressful situation or family history.

Evidence drawn from National Alliance on Mental illness reveals that the first and most significant risk factor for developing depression is genetic factor or family history. This is connected to the fact that an individual inherits some genes from the parents. If a certain family has a history of depression a person may inherit genes that increase their susceptibility to depression. However, this does not mean that the person will suffer from depression. Moreover, not all members born in families where depression runs acquire the condition, they might only become more vulnerable ("Depression, National Institute of Mental Health," n.d.).

The next group of factors leading to depression is hormones. Research has indicated that some hormonal changes are linked to depression. The brain experiences some changes in cases of depressive situations which normally affects certain parts of the brain. This leads to under or over secretion of certain hormones which in most cases are associated with some symptoms of depression. This area of research is dedicated on the endocrine systems which produce hormones and distribute them in the body. Once released, the hormones work by regulating certain effects such as response to stress. Scholars have found that despite having health glands, individuals experiencing depressive conditions usually have imbalanced hormones in their blood. Research has maintained that such hormonal abnormalities are associated with depression symptoms such as loss of appetite, and sleeping problems since they affect these activities. One such hormone is cortisol which is produced by adrenal glands. People with depression normally have an excess of this hormone in their blood. The high levels of cortisol usually go down when depression withdraws ("Depression," n.d.).

Another possible biological cause of depression is brain chemicals or neurotransmitters (National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d.). Neurotransmitters are certain chemicals in the brain enabling communication between nerve cells. Research has shown that during depression, there is a decline in activity of some of these chemicals which in turn interferes with certain regions of the brain that regulate activities such as appetite, sexual response, and sleep and to some extent moods. Reduction in neurotransmitters lowers communication between nerve cells and leads to development of different symptoms of depression. Researchers have only identified thirty neurotransmitters and only three of these are associated with depression. These include: serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The three works together with brain structures that regulate functions such as sleep, appetite, and sexual drive.

In conclusion, the authors through intensive research have maintained that biological factors associated with depression interact with each other to produce the resulting symptoms in an individual. However, genetic factors are difficult to control since they are inherited but there are a number of factors that could be applied to prevent people from depression. For example, Antidepressants have increasingly become important in managing depression. Unlike biology, psychology views depression as being contributed by factors such as individual personality, interpersonal relationships, and early experiences. Most psychologists view depression as being caused by psychosocial ideas rather than biologically oriented. They therefore fail to recognize biological factors as possible causes of depression. The argument articulated in this paper focuses on biological perspective which is strongly supported through evidence unlike psychology where disagreements often arise concerning the subject matter. Moreover, different psychologists think differently concerning the topic and rarely hold a unified reasoning relating to causes of depression. The evidence provided in this paper therefore increases the knowledge base in the discipline of psychology as well as clearing the unproven theories explaining why people become depressed.

References

Biological Causes of Depression. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.allaboutdepression.com/cau_02.html

Depression, National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-what-you-need-to-know-12-2015/depression-what-you-need-to-know-pdf_151827.pdf

Depression. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/