Depression is a serious condition that affects millions of people, and it can take a toll on the lives of those who suffer from it. But while many people have heard of depression, they may not know what it actually is. So what is depression? How does it affect your brain? And can depression be hereditary? We’re breaking down everything you need to know about this devastating mental illness in our new blog post.
What is depression?
So let’s start by defining what depression is: Depression is a mood disorder that affects your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It’s not uncommon for people who experience depression to feel as though they’re trapped in an endless cycle of sadness or hopelessness that they cannot escape from on their own.
Depression is a serious issue that affects millions of people. It can be difficult to understand what it’s like to live with depression and even more difficult to know how to help someone who has it.
Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness that can affect your daily life. It also causes other symptoms, such as loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, fatigue and lack of energy, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, and thoughts about death or suicide.
Is depression hereditary? Is depression genetic?
Depression isn’t something that just happens. Certain factors, including genetics, cause it. Studies show that people with a family history of depression are more likely to experience it themselves. In fact, some research suggests that genes account for up to 40% of the risk for developing the major depressive disorder (MDD). Other studies have found links between certain gene variants and specific symptoms like low mood or anxiety.
There’s no single gene responsible for depression; hundreds if not thousands of genes are likely involved in its development and expression. Some genes may be more strongly associated with particular symptoms than others; however, researchers still don’t fully understand how these genes interact with each other or with environmental factors like stressors at home.
But the good news is that many resources are available, including this article and our entire resource center. We’re here to help you understand what depression is and how it can affect your life—and we want to do more than just help you understand. It’s important to know that depression isn’t your fault, and it can happen to anyone—even people who seem happy on the outside. We also want to equip you with the tools you need to fight back against depression so that it doesn’t take over your life.
