Why Do You Feel Depressed Often? Scientifically, These Are 6 Causes

Illustration of woman in a window (Unsplash / Joshua Rawson)

JAKARTA - Everyone has hopes and aspirations. When reality is not as expected, it triggers feelings of pressure. Scientifically, stress is not only caused by internal conditions or personal feelings.

Depression, according to Melanie Greenberg, Ph.D - a clinical psychologist and author of The Stress Proof Brain, can be caused by hormones, lifestyle, and expectations. Check out below a scientific explanation of the causes of depression.

Serotonin and norepinephrine are low

Serotonin and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that are known as chemical motivators when experiencing depression. When galanin is produced when faced with difficult problems, it can be balanced with two positive hormones so that emotions are stronger.

Due to the weather

This arbitrarily could be the reason why rainy weather and sad songs are the right compositions. However, it is scientifically described in Keller and colleagues' research entitled Warm Weather Boosts Mood, Broadens the Mind.

The study found that during the spring, the moods of hundreds of participants improved. Participants can also do more outdoor activities. It deals with cognitive aspects and the warmth of the sun makes it more creative.

There is a sub group of people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, this is a condition where winter makes the 'heart' turn blue. Daily activities such as sleep, appetite and motivation tend to change.

Lack of vitamin D.

A 2008 study conducted in the Netherlands by Hoogendijk found that out of the 1,200 people involved in his study had 14 percent lower vitamin D levels, and had mild to severe depression.

Expecting things that can't be changed

Expecting things that can't be changed can be the cause of feeling depressed. If you feel sad about what happened even though you are doing your best, try dividing your attention into the happy parts of your life.

Feeling alone

A study using a brain scanner, MRI, shows that there is a reaction in the same part of the brain when experiencing rejection and physical pain.

In short, fear of being left out, rejected, and excluded can be lonely. This situation is certainly depressing because as social beings, we cannot be without other people.

Get caught up in negative ruminations

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, a psychologist at the University of Michigan suggests that sitting around and pondering negative events can make things worse. Reflection from one incident to another with a negative perspective causes a loss of motivation.

If you find the causes above that often trigger feelings of stress, get on with your feet. Do fun things, such as taking walks, communicating with other people, and building realistic expectations.