Is depression caused by external factors, or by our own mind and body?
The answer may not be as simple as some would like to believe. The commonly held view is that depression is caused by negative events or circumstances that result in fear, sadness, apprehension, and worry. External factors such as gloomy weather, the six o’clock news, and even how one views society at large — are also considered major sources of depression.
Another school of thought in this issue about depression is rooted in biology and biochemistry. Going by this theory, depression is supposedly caused by chemical imbalances which, in turn, affect a person’s psychological and emotional equilibrium. The discipline of psychology, however, takes a different tack by claiming that the chemical changes are effects of the psychological condition, not the other way around.
There are reports and studies that show depression as being linked to a variety of chemical changes in the brain. Changes in the brain’s chemical receptors have been mentioned as possible causes of depression. The same has been said of damage to the nerves and biochemical transmitters that do the...