Depression is in the news again. In the current cover story for Time Magazine for August 7, 2017, the authors note how depression affects 16 million Americans and review a new class of antidepressant drugs. They did not discuss non-biological causes for depression. However, in our recently co-authored published book ("I Can't Take It Anymore: How to Manage Stress so It Doesn't Manage You", by Paul G. Longobardi, Ph.D., and Janice B. Longobardi, R.N., P.H.N.), we discussed several causes, including the power of stress to influence the onset and maintenance of depression. The book is available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542458056 and for more information about the authors and book you can go to our book website at www.manageyourhealthandstress.com . Here is an excerpt from the book on the topic of stress and depression:

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to positive or negative situations in your life, such as a new job or the death of a loved one. Stress itself isn't abnormal or bad. What's important is how you deal with stress.
If you're having trouble coping, chronic stress can wear you down and overwhelm you. You may frequently be in a bad mood, your productivity may decrease, your relationships may suffer, you may develop sleep problems, and you might even find it difficult to go about your normal daily routine.
How can we understand how stress leads to depression? Stress has direct effects on mood; some of the early initial symptoms of lowered mood can include irritability, sleep disturbance, and cognitive problems such as poor concentration. When we experience stress, we often stop doing some of the healthy activities that keep us on track, such as exercising, visiting with others, etc. These early, initial mood symptoms contribute to, and generate, further stress. People may withdraw from the depressed person who may be feeling out of shape from not exercising, and has become negative.
Someone who is increasingly absorbed by their own stress may become less emotionally available to their partner. This leads to relationship problems. Increased unhealthy coping can lead to substance abuse and lowered mood. The depressed person changes their routines and structure. Life stress, and lowered mood, leads people to change routines of eating and sleeping, a pattern of disturbed self-regulation. For most of us, having consistent routines helps us regulate our mood.
From earlier chapters, we noted that chronic stress leads to increased cortisol which inhibits the neurotransmitter serotonin. The depletion of serotonin is at the basis of many of the pharmacological treatments for depression. Additionally, stress leads to a reduction in size in the hippocampus, the area in which we store memories. Some of the key factors in the development of depression, in studies of humans and non-humans, include loss of control and accompanying feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

In other chapters we discuss ways to restore your feelings of efficacy and well being. Nonetheless, know that there many ways to assist if you are suffering from depression, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Good luck in your journey.

Dr. Paul Longobardi

For information on these and related topics, please see my website at www.successandmindset.com