Depression Nature Vs Nurture

The article talks about how depression may be inherited and how people can become vulnerable to developing clinical depression. Related to the discussion of the causes of clinical depression is something called, "Risk factors" Essentially, all are at risk for developing a depressive illness.

One of the oldest debates in the history of Psychology is about Nature versus Nurture. Today, we know that both play a significant role in human’s life. Some people believe that it is genes which affects our way of life and some people believes that it is none other but our environment that greatly influences our lifestyle and some believe that both has tremendous impact on one’s way of life. Indeed in certain cases both our nature (our genes) and our environment roughly play an equal role in human life.

Biopsychologists believe genetics plays a factor in depression for if one has depression it is more likely that a close relative may and will suffer from depression as well. In fact about 20 percent of those relatives suffer from depression as well (Comer, R. J. 2010). Sometimes the cause for depression is simply a chemical imbalance. Low activity of norepinephrine and serotonin has been linked to unipolar depression. As well as certain interactions between neurotransmitters and the endocrine system itself has been linked to depression.

Depression often runs in families, which suggest that individuals may inherit genes that make them vulnerable to developing depression (Kam,2009). Depressive and manic-depressive illnesses occur more frequently in particular families than in the population at large. Family members of a depressed person have a risk of approximately 20-25% of having the disease themselves. Offspring at high risk for the disorder often had anxiety problems as young children (Kam,2009). The sequence seems to be anxiety disorders, mostly phobias, before puberty. Then in adolescence you begin to see depression, and sometimes in late adolescence and early adulthood, especially in boys, you see substance abuse (Kam,2009)

The biological theory of depression focusing on genetics argues that shared DNA is the cause of depression so the more genes shared with a depressed family member, the more an individual’s likelihood to develop depression. Whereas psychological theories of depression, such as the cognitive negative schema, focus on how individuals perceive

Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and an endless list of other mental issues transcend one’s upbringing. But how exactly do they factor into the equation? First, we have to discuss the basics of mood disorders. Essentially, all the illnesses mentioned above are classified as mood disorders. Although scientists are still conducting extensive studies on the subject to gain further information, the general understanding is that an imbalance of chemicals in the brain such as, serotonin and norepinephrine, can negatively alter one’s thoughts, emotions and perception of reality (SAVE). The symptoms can be devastating, adversely affecting all areas of a person’s life. SAVE weighs in, “Many people who suffer from depression report feeling as though they've lost the ability to imagine a happy future, or remember a happy past.” Friends of mine, suffering from destructive mood disorders, have described depression as a feeling of being “stuck,” as if they are frozen in time, watching the rest of the world move on around them. Did they inherit these issues from their family? Through extensive studies, Douglas Levinson and Walter Nichols of the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences aimed to find an answer. They found that around 50 percent of depression cases are caused by genetic factors. Individuals with a parent or sibling that suffers from major depression are at a “2 or 3 times greater risk of developing depression compared with the average person” (Levinson) The scientists make sure to specify that one parent isn’t solely to blame for passing the genes down. Often times, it is often a genetic blend of both that causes the illness. Overall, scientists have come to a firm agreement that individuals can, in fact, have a predisposition to mental illness. Some of these individuals are blessed with a healthy upbringing,

(Palmer, 2013). However, there are ethical problems with this research, as scientists debate whether it even is possible to find a gene linked to depression and what will motivate a person to undertake these predictive tests; and the consequences of the knowing the results. Although there may be some benefit in early treatment and prevention, such knowledge could potentially impact negatively on a person’s identity. (Palmer, 2013). This could lead to the individual to become more depressed and ashamed of their genes. I personally think that depression is genetically linked as I have seen some evidence in my own family. It is possible that my grandma might have had a depressive illness during her life but never professionally identified with the condition. Hypothetically if she did possess a liable gene, that would mean she also passed it on to her 5 children. This would include my aunty Aileen who was identified with depression and sought treatment from a psychologist; however this failed and committed suicide in early 2014. This alone does not mean that depression is purely genetic, as there are other factors in her life could have encouraged the gene to be more active than those in her

The general public believe that depression is caused by both nature and nurture factors. A majority of the public believed that nurture has a greater influence on whether the person gets depression or not.

No one knows the exact etiology of depression. Depression is a disorder that is still being examined, just like many other mental disorders the etiology depends on multiple factors. Some factors include biological differences, life events, brain chemistry, and hormones. Even though clinical professions have multiple benchmarks to reference depression etiology still depends on the individual person. An example for the unknown etiology of depression could be as something as simple as a scar on a person face. To a male who plays football, a scar on his face may not affect him. But if a female has a scar on her face it means a lot because females are often judge based on their appearance. Having a scar on a females face could be a reason

When we look at the science of human development, the main consideration is how people change over time. In the age old question of nature versus nurture, there are some that believe the characteristics and traits within us are innate, meaning we are born with them. Still others feel that nurturing, our environmental influences like friends, community, schools, media and even parents affect who we are. This is a false dichotomy, it is not which-but how much of each because both play crucial roles in our development (Berger 2015).

There isn’t one specific cause for these chemical imbalances, but rather a mixture of causes, such as genetic, environmental, and psychological factors that may all contribute to one’s depression (National Institute of Mental Health). If depression is prominent in one's family, family members and offspring are not guaranteed to have depression, however, they are more susceptible to develop the disorder (National Institute of Mental Health). This is an example of how genetics can influence the development of depression. Even if someone does not have the genetic makeup that is prone to depression, they can still develop the disorder due to environmental and psychological factors, such as the death of a loved one, financial stress, low self-esteem, or any other stressful situations (National Institute of Mental Health). In many cases when one is suffering from MDD, it is due to a combination of multiple factors rather than being completely due to one circumstance or the other. MDD can also be a result of hormonal changes that take place due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause

Nobody truly knows what is the main cause of depression, but there are several factors that play a huge roles in increasing the risk of developing depression. To start with, different types of abuse can impact Clinical Depression. For instance, past sexual, emotional, or physical abuse can increase one’s vulnerability to Clinical Depression later in life. Furthermore, substance abuse of different drugs and alcohol can trigger depression in some people. According to WebMD, “30% of people with substance abuse problems also have Clinical Depression.” ("What Is Depression?"). In addition to various types of abuse, one’s social life could impact their perspective in which they see themselves. This can be a result of isolation from mental illnesses

It does have genetic influence, however it doesn’t have to be a depression gene occurs. The close relatives of someone with depression are more likely than other people to suffer not only from depression but also from anxiety disorders, attention-deficit disorder, alcohol or marijuana abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia, migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and other conditions. Several genes have been found to increase the risk of depression.

     Psychological theories of depression focus on the way people think and behave. Some theories emphasize the role irrational though processes. It states that depresses people tend to view themselves, their environment, and the future in a negative light because of errors in thinking. These errors include focusing on the negative aspects of any situation misinterpreting facts in negative ways, and blaming themselves for any misfortune. In another view it is said that people with “depressive” personality traits appear to be more vulnerable than others to actual depression. Examples of depressive personality traits include gloominess, pessimism, introversion, self-criticism, deep feelings of inadequacy, and excessive brooding and worrying. People who regularly behave in dependent, hostile, and impulsive ways appear at greater risk for depression. Psychologists also believe that stressful experiences can trigger depression in people who are predisposed to the illness.

Over the years, people have argued and discussed about what could be possible causes of depression. Some experts believe that a person’s genes could be a determinative of whether he or she is inclined or genetically predisposed, to depression. Experts point it to the fact that depressive genes could run in families. Other specialists lessen the role of the person’s genetic, arguing that depression is generally caused by stress, trauma, or physical or mental illness.