According to the Psychology Today Magazine, the causes of depression is still unknown and in many cases one in four Americans don’t know they have an mental illness. As of today, it is believed that the root of all mental disorders tend to be caused by an interation of psychological, social, and biological factors. Professionals call this theory the bio-psycho-social model, since mental disorders are linked together with these three factors.
However, there are some kinds of depression that tends to run in families, suggesting that it has the possibility of being inherited by offspring. Often times this is the case with those who suffer from the bipolar disorder. Medical studies in regards to familiy members who have develop the bipolar disorder have found that those who suffer from the illness have a slightly unique genetic makeup than other family members who don’t suffer from the mental disorder. There are other factors that play a role in the bipolar disorder such as; stress in the home or even at work.
Sometimes in certain families, it will seem as if depression runs in each generation. Yet, this mental disorder can take place in people who have no history of depression once so ever and is often blamed on changes in the way the brain functions when there is no history.
However, in recent years, many medical researchers have proven that physical changes in one’s body can cause mental changes. Often a medical diagnosis such as; cancer, heart attack, or Parkinson’s disease can lead to depression and other mental disorders. Then there are other stressful events in one’s life that can trigger depression such as, financial worries, divorce, changes in daily routine, or environment.