Depression in Family

Depression, though being one of the most common psychological disorders, is also one of the most complex ones. It manifests itself in different ways depending on the individual in question. For some, there may be a complete loss of appetite, measuring stress and of course sleep. For others, it may work in the opposite direction.

Depression With Children

In fact, major depression that is clinical in nature can be found amongst people from all across the world. In fact, depression with kids is also quite a common phenomenon. This is what brings us to the question of what is the role of depression in family. For example, for a couple going through divorce, one individual may go through a few painful feelings before getting over it and getting on with life while the other may shift into clinical depression. There is a good reason to believe that genetics can explain the reason behind this. There is a chance that an individual suffering from depression may just have a family history of depression.

History of Depression

An increasing number of people are looking into the genetic and heredity factors of depression in family. If this correlation becomes clearer, it will become much easier to better understand and even prevent depression from taking a major degenerative turn. A good way of preventing this is seen with talk therapy benefits. In fact, several studies conducted on depression with kids point to the fact that children with one parent with a history of depression is at a greater risk of getting into depression himself/herself if some event is to trigger the disorder. Similarly, if both the parents have had a history of depression, the risk of depression with kids is even higher.

Genetic Predisposition

In fact, genetic predisposition has a great role to play that one could imagine. A family history of depression may be detrimental for generations to come. Survivors of major earthquakes or other natural calamities provide a fair case of the significance of a family history of depression.

In order to understand the phenomenon of depression with parents and how they may pass on to kids, it is important to take a closer look at the structure of the brain of a depressed individual. It is a proven fact that a part of the brain known as hippocampus is considerably smaller in individuals who have undergone depression for extended periods. While researchers are not sure if this condition can pass on genetically or whether it is caused by exposure to stressors, the connection is surely present.

Depression Triggers

There are several trigger events and conditions that can lead to depression. However, the importance of family history of depression is undeniable. Depression with parents has a tendency to pass on to children making the disorder even graver than what most people may expect. The understanding regarding depression in family is growing at a steady rate and this knowledge is pointing towards the detrimental effects of depression with parents. This depression is not limited personality and behavioral aspects of depression. The risk of the disease passing on genetically is being accepted on a wider platform as the understanding of the mind grows with every passing day.