Depression saps energy and self-esteem and makes a person feel tired, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. Seriously depressed people need encouragement from family and friends to seek treatment to ease their pain. Some people need even more help. When you suspect depression in yourself or someone close to you, reach out for help. Genetic factors Some types of depression run in families, indicating that a predisposition could be inherited.
Major depression seems to occur generation after generation in some families.
It can also occur in people with no family history of depression. Biochemical factors Depression is also tied to disturbances in the neurotransmitters that control mood and activity level. Neurotransmitters carry impulses between the nerve cells in the brain. An imbalance in the amount or activity of neurotransmitters can cause major disruptions in thought, emotion and behavior. Any unwelcome change in life patterns can trigger depressive feelings.