Would you say that depression is environmental or genetic?

Question

Share me your thoughts! One thing what I have noticed is, as soon as you leave a toxic place, you feel instantly relieved and better BUT still carry those toxic thoughts. They stay in your subconscious mind

AmandaYVR · Accepted Answer

Yes, genetic predisposition to depression and other mental health issues can be inherited. But this should not be allocated as the only or primary cause.

Life is often stressful, challenging, and exhausting. People have always suffered, and some never recover, but what has changed is that there has been more change in the past 100 years than in all the remaining human history combined. We are at breakneck speed now.

Antidepressants were manufactured and introduced in America in the 1950s. Inserting them into society and culture has made more and more people feel like there is a 'cure' now, that their minds are the problem, and they've unfortunately believed the lie that "some people just have a chemical imbalance." This is not true. It was a concept fabricated by pharmaceutical companies, the lesser-funded mental healthcare industry, and promoted by pharmaceutical drug salespeople, and certain mental healthcare professionals (who get kickbacks for all drugs they prescribe), and with the public's greater acceptance of wanting to destigmatize mental health issues, it created a holy trifecta for widespread adoption (in America) of antidepressants. America is the largest consumer of them. Why is that? Is it because life is the most stressful in America? (There are many issues that support it being stressful and having major challenges, but most stressful globally is highly debatable.) Just like other industries with lobbyists pushing for specific outcomes, we must consider motive - what is to be gained? It is the most expedient to blame the individual, and it's just good business sense to also say "you have an imbalance, these can fix that."

What is much, much, harder to fix is society. Therapists use talk therapy to help individuals process the problems in their lives. They are not actually there to offer directions and solutions, per se, but rather to simply guide the patient toward what it is that they want (presuming it's not harmful or self-defeating); to uncover the parts of themselves they do not understand. This puts all the focus on that individual, and almost none of it on society. "Focus on the things you can change, not the things and people you can't." The doctor prescribes meds that boost serotonin, etc. (that is one type; there are others), and as the patient is artificially buoyed by the chemical effect, they may believe their depression is lifted/lifting. But are also told not to go off the drugs. Chemicals that get introduced into the body will typically slow or stop being naturally produced (though there are many other examples of a body being deficient and having no other way to naturally produce something), and this creates dependency. Attempting to change the dose, or stop them altogether, can be fatal.

I know some people have found relief with antidepressants, particularly when one is convinced/told that they simply have a genetic issue or imbalance, and it is true that sometimes that relief can save lives. But the bigger question, and issue here, is why so many people find they cannot cope with life today, and go to man-made synthetic products to try to compensate. Why? Because society is broken. And I think it's dangerous of society/people to look only at the individuals, and not to the larger and permeating issues that are affecting so many. Some manage to escape the depths of things like depression (and they are lucky), but we should also recognize the enormous amounts of compensation, and coping mechanisms, that people are employing, just to stay afloat, and sane, in today's troubled and tangled world.

(I also know you didn't ask about antidepressants, but on the topic of genetics and depression, one soon follows the other.)

Smoke-n-Growls · Accepted Answer

Both!

We don't have an answer for what causes depression, yet, but so far science has determined there are both genetic and environmental factors.

A theory I personally think is on the right track is that people are genetically pre-disposed, and environmentsl factors can trigger or exacerbate the condition.

EarthRealm · Accepted Answer

Environment And Genetics 🧬 here I will Explain.
A mother that Drinks alcohol 🥃 whether it be Wine 🍷 or straight up alcohol 🥃 when she is pregnant will alter The genes of the baby she is Carrying in her Stomach.
The baby will then be Born and Will spend the rest of its life with a chemical Imbalance.
The mothers that Say they didn’t drink alcohol yet there child has had Depression since the day it was Born those mothers are lying 🤥
To save themselves from ridiculed there’s even people that walk around promoting Females to drink Wine 🍷 while pregnant.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Pregnancy Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics all note that no amount of wine during pregnancy is deemed safe and that consuming wine while pregnant should be avoided.

When you drink a glass of wine, the alcohol travels through your blood, passes through the placenta and reaches your baby through the umbilical cord.

RedStealthOperative · Accepted Answer

I say it's not just one or the other. For some, genetics can play a huge role in this, just out of a natural chemical imbalance. I've witnessed it. Literally everything can go right in their life, and they'd still be able to point out things they're sad about or for no reason at all, they're just very melancholic.

In the other case, environment is HUGE, and for more people is usually the case. Yes, you can still carry those thoughts of toxicity from a previous environment, but more often than not, a person who is on a journey for self-growth, gets counselling, and adjusts their lifestyle accordingly to be happier and more fulfilled, depression can't really touch them much.

Globally though, medication and lack of sunlight, physical activity, and even diet has been shown to play a big part in one's mental state.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Mostly environmental. The fact that we’ve gotten better at recognizing symptoms of depression can’t alone account for the exponential increase in diagnoses. Everywhere there’s someone set to make money off a thing, you can expect them to take advantage, bar none. Depression is very likely over-diagnosed. Everyone with pills to sell and sessions to provide will happily treat someone having a bad week like they’re at the end of their rope. Comparing reported happiness rates between first world countries and third world countries is eye opening. More so when you extend that to suicide rates.
Also, i don’t think there’s any empirical conclusion that depression is genetic. We understand some trends that suggest there could be a genetic component, but it’s far from conclusive.

Lynx122 · Answer

I don't know the only time I've had depression was because I was burnt out from a job but when I have a decent free time and environment I'm never depressed even when not everything is going my way. But with people who have depression constantly it's just brain chemistry or I don't know what other causes are there can be a lot of things. Abuse etc.

jhl_x · Answer

I consider it mostly environmental, but having it for a long time certainly messes with the brain at a biological level. That's why the bad stuff in the head doesn't go away even after life gets less worse.

Also, suicide, depression's endgame, goes directly against nature's purpose of perpetuating life.

BeMuse · Answer

That's because you're weak ass bitch with a need to fit in. You think people having opinions that are different than your are "toxic" because they didn't mollycoddle you. You have low self-esteem. Anyone with a stable level of self-respect and self-confidence doesn't get hung up on other people's opinions. They have their own ideas and convictions in life and understand that different people are going to be different in their thinking processes.

Aerissa_Jade · Answer

Most in my family have no suffered from this terrible disease, except those of us that had some traumatic thing happen to us, like being raped.

Those who had normal lives or non-traumatic stuff, even when getting depressed, they weren't as bad and they got out of it faster.

Seems very environmental to me, as I had never experienced depression up until my attack.

CaptainOverthink · Answer

It's environmental with genetic modifiers.
Genes can make you more prone to depression. Like say if your genes made you the kind of person that analyses a lot and may fall into the trap of overthinking and brooding which may lead to self-critical thinking and in turn depression.

But regardless of genes; your rolemodels, life-lessons, fortunes and choices is what decides if you go down that road or not.

Mijopapi2000 · Answer

I believe it can be either or a mix of both. The government is spraying toxins in the air all the time and telling you not to get sun and wear sunscreen so of course that is gonna cause depression but if your mom or dad suffered from it you might have it automatically.

exitseven · Answer

Mostly environmental. A lot of people got clinical depression because of covid. There have been lots of suicides and plenty of excessive drinking. If covid never happened people would just be living their lives.

Snsl153 · Answer

It could be either, or both. Every person is different, and their reasons for being depressed will therefore reflect that fact.

D_Bone_Steak · Answer

You'll have to learn to properly cope.

burlen · Answer

It can be induced by genetic predisposition and environmental conditions, according to the latest studies on its causes.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

Both. There are people who are genetically prone towards being depressed. Environmental or social factors can bring it on.

WhitneySnow · Answer

It’s both. Your situation can depress you and your brain can release depressing chemicals even when there’s no real reason to be sad.

genericname85 · Answer

it can be both. clinical depression is when your brains reward system is messed up. you can inflict that to yourself by conducting yourself wrong, you can be born with it or it can be caused by your life being shit.

driven159 · Answer

both things can happen to cause it like war zones and some its already in them waiting to be triggered

fanblow313 · Answer

Clearly, both play a role, so either answer is wrong.

Hrumf · Answer

Both needs to be an option in this poll…

LilyoftheLake · Answer

It's epigenetic! So... Both!

XXblack88 · Answer

I would say environmental

loveslongnails · Answer

Probably a bit of both.

truthisthree · Answer

who ever said genetic is stupid

LazerBean · Answer

Both.

CloudMassacre · Answer

Both

jahaims · Answer

It's both.

The_Naughty_Guy · Answer

It’s environmental

RobEurope · Answer

Both play a role.

Would you say that depression is environmental or genetic?

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