No matter how deprived we are of emotions, no matter how much we deny our ability and right to feel… mental exhaustion causes thoughts, restrained feelings and a misrepresentative grasp about us and reality. Words lose their meaning… they vanish and life’s meaning fades away. Regardless of what triggered the burning out state and how deep you are in your own flamboyant destruction, our senses remain active. Or should I say, alarmed? They are the ones showing what we are starving for…

But, who is actually suffering from it?

Depression is not only an issue concerning disturbed and so-called abnormal individuals. Along with anxiety, which is slightly more common than depression, they could be considered analogous to the “common cold” of emotional disorders. Every year a huge number of people suffer from depression: 25% of women and 12% of men are likely to go through depressive periods in their lives.

The cause of gender differences in the numbers is not yet fully identified, but the probable reasons are perhaps that women are more open to show and face their feelings than men who “hide” their frustration behind drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances. In addition, women are sometimes taught at an early age to be vulnerable and dependent on men. This is why they are more likely to admit their unstable condition.

I couldn’t help but wonder – what are the reasons why?

There is no one single truth and one single morality about depression. Often we treat depression as a multi-determinant state, i.e it can be caused by a number of different factors. These may be biochemical differences in the brain, interpersonal, behavioral or cognitive too. But more often it is a complex combination of all of them. Biochemical factors can include your family genetic predisposition and the current biochemistry of your brain. Conflicts and losses in our life can be triggers, as well as behavioral variables such as increased stress and reduced positive experiences. Enough with theories and scientific facts. Let’s take a look at behavioral and cognitive factors in images.