Depression: A Result of Environmental Influences

When one thinks of depression, environmental influence or developmental changes are not the first things that come to mind. Rather, it is common to hear that this mood disorder is mainly caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. However, there are also many who propose that depression is purely psychological, or in other words, “just in your head”. Even today, there are some who either believe depression is not a clinical disorder or just not serious, and thus refuse treatment or look down on those who suffer from the symptoms. Not only is depression a product of the chemical imbalance in the brain, referring to the malfunctioning of the release of specific neurotransmitters, it is also the result of stressful events that one experiences throughout his or her lifetime. An individual is molded and developed based on the their past experiences and changes.

In the lecture by Rebecca Silton on how neuroscience is slowly informing research, she argues that depression today is highly misdiagnosed. Because objective diagnoses are biased, physicians and psychologists turn to the “Holy Bible” of diagnosing mood disorders, the DSM-V, and to what is becoming more popular the NIMH-RDoC initiative. The validity of the DSM-V is being questioned after so many cases of MDE relapse in patients. A new initiative is being taken where mental disorders are seen as brain disorders or disorders of brain circuits (Silton). Silton presents Beck’s Cognitive Schema where attentional, memory, and interpretation biases all play a role in the cause of depression. Specifically, adverse developmental experiences cause cognitive vulnerability and susceptibility to major depressive episodes (Silton). 

The article by Ferris Jbr talks about how major depressive disorder can be linked to a spontaneous trigger that can occur abruptly. Jbr’s article provides studies conducted by Kendler and Slavich-researchers at University of Virginia Commonwealth and University of California respectively-where patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder have experienced one traumatic event at one point in their lifetime. These traumatic events may include, but are not limited to a loss of a loved one, loss of cherished possessions, economic misfortune, or even unexpected unemployment. The article highlights a major trigger being loss. According to Kendler, these patients have been “prekindled” and it may not take much to spark their first major depressive episode for which they are increasingly susceptible onwards. Slavich conducted a study with 100 people who suffer from major depressive episodes and found that those who suffered from a major adversity in their childhood and long-term depression are more susceptible to an episode from a minor form of loss. 

            Silton mentioned the questionable validity of the DSM, which is now being edited to include environmental factors for diagnoses. The DSM-5 will include someone to be diagnosed with depression two weeks after the death of a loved one (Jerris Jbr). Depression cannot be taken lightly; it is, in fact, a clinical disorder that must be treated with therapy and medications. Silton presented research in her lecture, which shows the most effective treatment for depression as a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications, which increases the odds of recovery by 10-20% alone (Silton). Looking at depression, it should not be considered just a chemical imbalance in the brain, but also a result of the environmental influences that shapes an individual. Specifically, depression is the result of stressful events, including a major loss.

References:

Dr. Silton, R. et. Al. (2011). Depression: How Neuroscience is Slowly Informing

Research. Retrieved April 21, 2014.

Jbr, F. (2013, February 7). Researchers Take a Closer Look at the Most Common and

Powerful Triggers of Depression - Scientific American. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/triggers-of-depression/