[Eamgr]

Has anyone else thought that their mental health problems may stem from something that happened years ago. Recent thoughts and some weird dreams have made me feel that things that happened more than 10 years ago may be the root cause.

[mindwrench]

I have questioned this myself. I think if I could plot the severity of my issues on a timeline, the rate of increase would match up with a few events. I know that I had some level of the same issues before those events, but I think they made it worse.

[Fuzzybear]

[Unrigged64072835]

I know a lot of my mental health issues came about because of my upbringing, along with a couple of abusive relationships. Probably why I've been in therapy for so long.

[Deeplyhurt77]

My child abuse correlate's to my relationship problems today.

[Crook32]

My T just said last week that she thinks I have adult attachment disorder. So yeah she thinks some of my mood issues stem from that.

[Humpty Dumpty]

I am back and forth on it. I know my brother was an Ahole to me growing. He wasn't sexually or physically abusive, but it could be argued that he was mentally abusive to me. I don't like saying that is the only or main cause of my depression but it did make for a miserable childhood. Yet there are others who had it way worse than me so I don't have a right to complain.

I am very big on taking responsibility for your own actions & it feels like I'm trying to shift blame to my brother for my current depression when I say he was an ashole. Just one of those things I have to suck it up and get over it. I'm an adult now & I need to quit blaming my problems on others.

Side Note: This is how I feel about me. Everyone's situation is different & I would not give this "advice" to anyone else.

[dexter]

I feel like mine is a chemical problem in my brain. My depression is atypical in that, while I hear from a lot of other people that when they are diagnosed, they realized it had been something they had struggled with their whole lives. My depression hit me in my late thirties and it felt unique in that it was a new experience for me.

My upbringing and history has a clear and definite impact on my depression. Living a life in the closet for so long had directly led to my feelings of lonliness and inability to find a relationship. But when the depression hits, for me it definitely feels "chemical" in nature and a skewing of what is real and what is a creation of my brain.

I definitely believe that history can create a state of depression. I think in some people it may be 100% chemical in nature. For me and maybe for most a combination of the two.

I think this is an important topic. For some therapy alone can be a solution for depression. For other a combination of therapy and medications. It depends on the root. Thank you for posing this question Eamgr it is something I think about often.

[Eamgr]

Originally Posted by dexter

I feel like mine is a chemical problem in my brain. My depression is atypical in that, while I hear from a lot of other people that when they are diagnosed, they realized it had been something they had struggled with their whole lives. My depression hit me in my late thirties and it felt unique in that it was a new experience for me.

My upbringing and history has a clear and definite impact on my depression. Living a life in the closet for so long had directly led to my feelings of lonliness and inability to find a relationship. But when the depression hits, for me it definitely feels "chemical" in nature and a skewing of what is real and what is a creation of my brain.

I definitely believe that history can create a state of depression. I think in some people it may be 100% chemical in nature. For me and maybe for most a combination of the two.

I think this is an important topic. For some therapy alone can be a solution for depression. For other a combination of therapy and medications. It depends on the root. Thank you for posing this question Eamgr it is something I think about often.

Hi

Thank you.

I agree your right it is to do with chemical reactions in the brain but also often something has to trigger those reactions. As time goes on I'm starting to think about things more sort of putting the jigsaw together.

[MtnTime2896]

Is it just recalling things that happened to you back then or a repressed memory or symbolism? I know that a lot of some core issue of mine tend to strongly corralate with my past. I also know that a "repressed" memory (which is a hotly debated topic) has been pretty much established as the cause of several issues I have.

[Jenny R]

I have struggled since I was about 11. I always knew I was depressed because I felt hopeless and sad. Loss would just intensify it. I had a decent childhood but there were problems. My mom had a drinking problem and my dad had either depression or bi-polar. Will never know for sure. Some of us have good and bad in our lives and some of us suffer extreme trauma and abuse. I haven't be traumitized or abused and I can be deeply depressed.

I like to think it is a chemical imbalance because that is somewhat treatable.

[Eamgr]

Originally Posted by Só leigheas

Is it just recalling things that happened to you back then or a repressed memory or symbolism? I know that a lot of some core issue of mine tend to strongly corralate with my past. I also know that a "repressed" memory (which is a hotly debated topic) has been pretty much established as the cause of several issues I have.

It's kinda like I think about that time more and I keep having similar dreams about it. I know maybe there's many reasons why but I think that period in my life when I was younger has affected me. Maybe in a positive way in some circumstances.

I recognize now that I experienced depression as a young child. And yes, a series of factors throughout my young life triggered the ill health I have now.

[MtnTime2896]

Originally Posted by Eamgr

It's kinda like I think about that time more and I keep having similar dreams about it. I know maybe there's many reasons why but I think that period in my life when I was younger has affected me. Maybe in a positive way in some circumstances.

Yeah, sounds like it did. Honestly, you're the best source of information about your question. If something or several things had a deep impact on you as a child, it probably inadvertently changed some brain chemistry with how you receive different information. People begin learning from the womb. Things that happen as children teaches patterns of their world. It is very difficult to change the perception of these patterns.
I don't know exactly what you're particular situation is and you don't have to tell me, it's all good; so I can't really give advice beyond the information I just laid out. Keep going strong.