The Big D Word
Depression… what were you thinking?
Are you sick of people telling you to take a warm bubble bath and put on a face mask to cure your depression? Are you sick of people undermining depression’s effects on the brain? Are you sick of people telling you to just cheer up? Alright, I could go on but I think you get it.
What does depression really do to the brain?
Depression is a medically diagnosed mood disorder that affects how you feel, think, and behave. It affects three important parts of the brain; the amygdala, the thalamus and the hippocampus. The who, what now??
So what does this mean?
The amygdala is associated with emotions
The thalamus is associated with behavior, speech, movement, thinking and learning
The hippocampus is associated with processing long-term memory and recollection
Yep, you read that right… depression can affect your memory! Research shows some people with depression even have a smaller hippocampus when compared to those who do not have depression. This further proves that depression is not just an emotional illness, but also a physical illness.
Now what causes this invisible life sucking monster in my brain?
The easy answer is to just say a chemical imbalance, but it is so much more complex than that. It is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
Your brain talks to itself
Your brain sends information to other parts of your brain through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. These messages allow the body and brain to function properly. When a person is depressed, neurotransmitters become damaged and cannot carry out their “messenger” function. Kind of like when your power goes out and you lose all electricity in your house. These damaged neurotransmitters can certainly have a significant effect on mood. Neurotransmitters associated with depression include:
Serotonin- helps regulate sleep, mood, appetite and sexual behavior
Norepinephrine- helps our body respond to stressful situations and raises blood pressure
Dopamine- influences motivation and seeks reward
Inadequate levels of any one of these neurotransmitters can cause the body to react in the opposite way. It is like a domino effect, meaning one teeny tiny imbalance can throw off so much else in our body.
So no, you can’t just take a bath and put on a face mask to stop being depressed long-term (maybe temporarily).
How to cure it
It may not be curable, but it is treatable… YAY!
Managing depression may be a life long journey that could include medication and therapy. Medications that can help treat depression are called antidepressants. Antidepressants do not cure depression, but they do help reduce its symptoms. Fortunately, there are many different kinds of antidepressants that all work slightly different making it easier to find the right one for you.
Finding a support system can be extremely beneficial and can help you not feel so alone in this. Your support system could be a parent, friend, cousin, partner or whoever you want! Always remember that you got this, you are going to get through it, and you are going to rock it.
If you think you have depression or your depression is worsening please contact your doctor or a person you feel comfortable talking with.