Depression can have many causes. That is one of the reasons why it is a very complex illness: it's symptoms and possible treatments vary in relation of the causes and one's individual predisposition.
Here are some of the main causes of depression:
1. Genetics. It is not yet very clear how genetics can lead to depression, however, it is known that depression often runs in family through many generations. Also, genetics might not directly cause the depression, but still can contain predisposition for developing the illness. For example - one might be geneticaly predisposed to develop depression if he or she becomes the victim of abuse in childhood. That also can answer the question about why some victims of abuse develop depression, while others don't, even if they went through the same amount and form of abuse in the same period of life.
2. Conflict and stress. If someone has emotional vulnerability and is very sensitive person, everyday family conflicts, stress or conflicts in work or school can lead to depression. In this case very high emotional sensitivity is actually a risk for developing depression.
3. Important and stressful events - death or a loss, job loss, exposure to stressful situations or phobias (social situations for persons with high social anxiety), can all lead to depression. When it comes to death, depression is stage of a grieving process and it occurs naturally. however, if anything of the above leads to chronic depression, the problem is much worse. This also can explain why anxiety and depression often come in pairs.
4. Medications and serious illnesses. Depression occurs naturally in persons that have serious illnesses that made them suffer for a long period of time. However, certain medications that are used to treat different illnesses and conditions can also cause depression. If depression is caused by a long and serious illness, it should go away after the person is healed.
5. Abuse. Physical and/or verbal abuse can lead to depression especially if abuse is present in period of childhood (which, unfortunately, often is). Again, development of depression in these cases can often vary depending on one's predisposition to develop depression. Abuse can also lead to development of other disorders and psychotherapy is often needed.
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