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What does it mean when you are not able to determine what is causing your depression?

16 Answers
Last Updated: 10/28/2019 at 2:06am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Stacey Kiger, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

My belief is that therapy is not about giving advice, but joining you on your journey

Top Rated Answers
HelpfulNick95
January 16th, 2015 1:08pm
To answer that simply, nothing. To answer that like I answer these questions, read on. Depression can be caused by a lot of things. Loss, a break up, family stress, etc., but that doesn't mean it was caused by anything. Like anxiety, depression can be felt by anyone, but that doesn't mean everyone has a depression disorder or anxiety disorder. If you're coping from loss and are in one of the stages of grief, the Depression stage, then you will only be depressed temporarily. However, if you suffer from a depression disorder or anxiety disorder, these feelings can happen for no reason your whole life. There is sometimes not an explanation for the way people suffering from depression disorders feel. Sometimes they'll just break down and cry for no reason or never get out of bed. I've noticed that people who have depression will often want to be alone, or are scared of what others may think if they knew that they had depression. To learn more about depression and how to handle it, what it is, and what causes it, read the Depression Self Help Guide: http://www.7cups.com/depression-help-online/
LeoNapier
January 25th, 2015 5:53pm
It means nothing. Depression is not always caused by a specific event in life. Sometimes it just happens to people without an obvious reason.
TheLizzyMonster
April 28th, 2015 5:23pm
I guess that depends on what you mean by that. It could mean there are multiple things playing into your depression and it is difficult to find the root cause of all this suffering. If that is the case, then it is really important to write down your emotions and try to see what triggered that specific thought or emotion. On the other hand, it could mean that people who have perfectly good lives can still be depressed. Depression does not have to be caused by trauma in one's life. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes the brain to handle situations, thoughts, and emotions differently. I know it can be hard to separate depression and trauma, but your life doesn't have to be going wrong for you to feel depressed. In cases such as this I would highly recommend professional help because it may not be an issue that talk therapy can help fix.
dantesinferno
April 29th, 2015 3:12am
Sometimes it's the chemicals in our brain that could be causing depression. Like for example low serotonin levels. That's why medication sometimes is needed.
SpaceLaces
August 31st, 2015 9:21am
There is not always just a reason you become depressed. You could be a millionaire with all the things and friends anyone could ever want and still experience depression. If you can't find a reason, don't dwell on it and just try to focus on feeling better.
Anonymous
March 8th, 2016 8:58pm
Sometimes people think depression is caused by a traumatic experience like bullying or a death but sometimes it's ourselves causing the damage. we might judge ourselves and think we are worthless failures causing us to abuse ourself mentally and/or physically causing us to feel depressed.
MrEdwardNygma
June 18th, 2015 2:33pm
It may mean that you are unsure of what the cause is in the first place. Figure out the issues step by step.
newbiebunny
September 22nd, 2015 8:20am
It probably means that you need professional help. Don't be afraid to ask for help, sometimes others can notice things you can't on your own.
Twinklestars
November 9th, 2015 2:49am
It could be multiple things what's causing your deporession. The best thing to do is talk it out with someone and find the route cause of your depression. The best thing to do is to speak to your doctor. It could be many types of deporession. Seasonal is one that is common and you may feel like there is no cause?
adaptivePond72
December 21st, 2015 5:43pm
Write down everything that's causing me pain.. Do this for a week. Go back through the pages the things that are common in almost every page might be the reason of your depression.
awesomemtl04
February 2nd, 2016 12:00pm
It isn't easy to find or pinpoint a specific reason to your depression. It may have started with one thing going wrong or affecting you - but it can spiral out of control and once you reach a state of depression finding one cause is near to impossible. Many factors account for it and leads to an overall state of mind.
Anonymous
March 29th, 2016 10:18pm
When you can't pinpoint an exact event that has happened that may cause depression. You could have a chemical inbalence.
BitterSweetListener
March 27th, 2017 1:37pm
Some people who have depression have that, though. I always get that feeling. But I think the best thing to do when that happens is not overthink it and try to seek professional help. Because as I've felt before, I really got frustrated and thought what was wrong with me since I thought there was really nothing to be depressed about.
Kevan
August 21st, 2017 9:43am
I guess, it means that there are alot of tiny reasons which build up and causes depression. Or it might be that someone you love is going through hard time and you are sharing his/her depression.
Nicole23Flower
April 8th, 2019 11:30pm
It means you are just confused, which is a normal human feeling. Many people aren’t sure of the cause of their depression, and it takes time and effort to get to the bottom of it. So not knowing the cause simply means you need to try harder to focus on what brings you down. Whether that means focusing on the small, not so obvious things, or if it means reflecting on the clear pieces of your life that make you upset. Try starting with the tiny things that you know don’t bring you happiness. From there, you can start to really think about what’s causing your depression. Remember, it’s completely okay not to know, and it will take time.
MsKendra
October 28th, 2019 2:06am
The cause of depression varies a lot between people. When I find I am asking myself this question, I also wonder if I'm asking a question that will help me feel more empowered and resilient. I can find it preferable to ask myself useful to answer questions, that can help to lift a moment of depression. For example, Have I eaten well and drank enough water? Have I had a healthy amount of sunshine and exercise today? Have I fostered social connections in any way? These questions help me cope with depression and give me useful steps forward and strategies to manage my depressive episodes. Also, it's always hard for me to determine what is causing depression when my brain feels foggy and depressed, so those big questions are ones I leave for when I feel strong.