what is depression

there are so many ideas about what the causes of depression are,banded about by the 'experts 'what do you the 'real experts' feel is the reason? for me i feel it is partly reactive and mostly genetic. i've even heard people call it like alcoholism, a disease what do you kind folk think?

It's hard to say. I've had it ever since I can remember, even as a child. I believe my father had it pretty strongly as well, so I've inherited it somewhat.

Some of mine is situational (because of my young life beliefs, I haven't had a lot of good things happen, or allowed them to anyway), and I have had some terrible luck.

Again, it's hard to say - I would say mine is a combination of genetic, anatomical, and reactive.

I think it's a disease. For me, it's partially genetic but it's also as a reaction to something that happened in my life, and has only been made worse with bad things happening since then.

Combination of genetic and life events; however, I don't really remember knowing anything else...Though I've been recently dx with bipolar with borderline...The darkness of depression has always been part of my life...I thought it was normal...never seeking help until I was 34...

I think that genetics certainly plays a big part in depression, and it also depends on your environment and life experiences. I think that depression is like a dormant disease. Everyone has the ability to feel it, but it takes a certain amount of experience to bring it to the surface.

I think it's based in the physical, due to an imbalance of brain chemicals, either genetic or triggered by life events in that when you experience something traumatic/sad/upsetting your brain's chemical balance doesn't readjust as fast as other people's, leaving feelings of sadness. Or both!

Its been said, Depression is anger turned inward...

I think it is important to realize that depression is different for each and every person. There are different causes that range from genetic, biological to sociological. So therefore it can be defined as a disease or a flaw in thinking. It is crucial to understand where the depression spawns from before you decide on which route to treatment you would like to take. For this reason, I'm terrified to see a therapist because I don't want to be put on any meds I don't need. Depression is certainly a difficult "disease" to understand.

I think what everyone here is saying is all correct. It is a mixture of things for many of us.