It is reported that hundreds of million people are affected by the mental disorder depression. If that is the case, it is important to ask the question” Why do people get depressed?” There are three categories that generally caused depression, namely: psychological, physical/chemical, or social according to the National Health Service of UK. The first cause which is psychological can be best described as changes in people’s lives. Normally, people live normal lives where everything is almost predictable since there is a fixed routine. People wake up, take a bath, go to school/work, and go home after a long day. The time is then spent for relaxation by socializing with friends or family members. One of the main reason why people get depressed is because of change. Change is stressful since most people are satisfied with their situation except for those who are really discontented in their relationships, career or finances. Nevertheless, any type of change whether positive or negative is stressful. For example, being promoted is a good change but it does bring anxiety too since there is a need to adjust to a new environment. When a negative change happens to a person such as losing a job due to the downturn, depression is more likely to set in. The job that has been lost is thought of as something permanent that is why finances depend on it. Losing a job, death of a loved one or even having a divorce is unsettling and can trigger depression. Some people resort to alcohol or substance abuse as coping skills which aggravates the situation.

Aside from changes in life, a major cause of depression is brought about by chemical imbalance in the brain. Other factors such as heredity, illnesses, and substance abuse are part of this category. There has been research indicating that family members who experience depression may have inherited it from their ancestors. Chronic illness such as heart disease, kidney problems, HIV/AIDS etc also cause depression since patients often lose hope due the suffering they are going through specially when there seems to be no hope anymore for the medical condition. It is important then that loved ones or health providers guide the patient’s attitude since depression complicates the illness which could lead to early morbidity. It is also possible that depression can be self-induced by abusing substance such as alcohol and drugs. In such cases, professional help should be sought for treatment.