Depression Really is a Medical Condition

We all get sad sometimes, and we all have bouts of what we have come to call depression, but the truth is, there are lots of different types of depression.

There is a mental health issue known as depression. This type of depression is usually short lived, situational, and while it is caused by a chemical and/or hormonal change, when you change the circumstances that have caused this type of depression, the brain begins to release and/or re uptake new chemicals, and this type of depression goes away.

Then there is something that is becoming more well-known that is called clinical or medical depression. This type of depression really has little to do with circumstances or situations in one’s life. However, it should be noted that circumstances can indeed exacerbate and make it worse. A person with clinical or medical depression gets depressed, just like everyone else does, but in their brain, there is a malfunction of the neurotransmitters that does not allow the brain to release and/or re uptake the chemicals necessary to move out of this state of being.

People with clinical depression are often misunderstood by friends and family, especially when it appears that things are going well in their lives. No one understands why this person is depressed or sad. The advice that is given to them is: Cheer up! Just smile! Don't let it get to you!

So stop for a moment and think about this.

Diabetes is a disease that is caused by a problem with the pancreas, having to do with a hormone called insulin. There are many different causes for diabetes, including poor lifestyle choices, poor eating habits, poor physical and emotional health, a family history (genetics) of the disease, etc. Some people are more prone to it than others. Some people, when faced with identical circumstances, will never get diabetes, and some who do everything right will.

If someone has diabetes, would you tell them to cheer up and get over it? No, you would most likely tell them to go to the doctor, and if need be, change their lifestyle, eating habits, sleep habits, and perhaps in extreme cases, to take medication.