I can’t tell you how many times I hear this. I see people at the top of their game. They have everything they want, work is going well, family in place, finances established, yet they’re depressed. How can this be?
It’s simple. You don’t need a “reason” to be depressed. Depression is a biological process/disorder similar to high blood pressure or diabetes. I tell my patients, the brain is an organ just like your liver and kidneys.  Just as your liver and kidneys can malfunction, so can your brain. The brain controls everything – your muscular movement, your intellect, emotions, etc. If the part of the brain that controls our emotions is malfunctioning, then our emotions are going to malfunction beyond our control. Therefore, just a person with diabetes can’t just “get their act together” to regulate their glucose levels, depression is not a matter of simply getting one’s act together. Research continues to validate depression as a condition that results in changes in brain chemistry.
Yes, it is common for depressive episodes to be triggered by distressing events, particularly at the beginning of the illness (first few episodes). But typically, as one progresses through life, subsequent episodes may or may not be triggered by an event.
Fortunately, media coverage has put depression more in the mainstream conciousness and made it more acceptable for people to openly discuss being depressed and therefore seek help.Â
Let me know what you think