Masters of Health Magazine January 2020 | Page 34

Winning the War on PTSD:

Hidden Causes of Depression

By Dr. jamie Turndorf, Ph.D.

In this article, I will reveal the hidden causes of depression that are not widely known by doctors and mental health care professionals.

According to Healthine.com, the most common forms of depression are Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Seasonal Depression (SAD), Postpartum Depression and Psychotic Depression.

The most common symptoms of depression are extreme irritability over seemingly minor things, anxiety and restlessness, trouble with anger management, loss of interest in activities, including sex, fixation on the past or on things that have gone wrong, and thoughts of death or suicide.

Depression is also accompanied by physical symptoms, such as insomnia or oversleeping, debilitating fatigue, increased or decreased appetite, weight gain (weight gain in depressed people is conventionally assumed to be caused by overeating, when, in fact, there is research proving that many depressed people gain weight not from overeating but due to the elevated cortisol levels that are associated with depression) or loss, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and unexplained aches and pains.

Regarding the causes of depression, mainstream medicine cites:

Brain chemistry imbalances

Hormone imbalance

Genetic predisposition

Low self-esteem

Anxiety disorder

Borderline personality disorder

PTSD

Physical or sexual abuse

Chronic diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cancer

Abuse of alcohol or drugs

Certain prescription medications

Family history of depression

Age, gender, race and geography