What Causes Depression?

There are times when we might be able to identify what went wrong that started the depression. For example, your depression can be traced to losing a loved one, an unsuccessful attempt in achieving a personal goal, experiencing a traumatic event, rejection, betrayal, or disappointment. Sometimes it is easy to pinpoint the cause of depression to a single event. Other times, depression develops over time as a result of the accumulation of unfavorable life circumstances that one was subjected to for a long time.

At some point, most of us have wondered why two people who went through the same upbringing, negative event, or loss can have such different reactions. Perhaps you feel depressed after a traumatic encounter, while a family member or friend seems to have moved on unscathed by what happened. The answer to this question lies in the fact that our differences are rooted in a complex interaction of innate temperament and individual development, starting in very early life, when our environment shapes our most basic ways of thinking, feeling, & being in the world.

Factors in our environment such as our family upbringing, experiences in school, community, & religion if applicable play a significant role in how we think & behave. If you experienced a parent as harsh or critical, for example, or if you experienced them as absent, then you might re-experience that sense of harshness or abandonment when you encounter a setback in your present life. At Summit Psychiatry, we can help you transform these painful moments in sources of deeper self-awareness and resilience in the present.