If you want to protect your mental health, you should consider the biological causes of depression as well. There are a lot of different things that can make people more likely to develop depression or make the symptoms worse, and you need to take those into account too. These are some of the big biological causes of depression.

Genetics 

There is strong evidence to suggest that some people are more prone to depression because of their genetics. Some people are more likely to develop depression because it’s in their genes, so they may need to take extra precautions. If your parents or other family members have struggled with depression in the past, it’s something that you should be extra vigilant about. 

Hormones

An imbalance in your hormones can lead to mental health problems. The mood swings and changes that come with puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can be the root cause of some people’s depression. As we get older, our hormones change a lot and this can lead to depression in some people. Unfortunately, this issue is often overlooked because we are always looking for outside factors. This is especially common in people with low testosterone. However, you can improve your quality of life with TRT (testosterone replacement therapy). All genders can benefit from this treatment and many people find that they experience better mental health and improved energy levels as a result. 

Illness

Certain illnesses have been shown to create feelings of depression. This is especially common with people who experience chronic pain or who have other serious medical conditions. Additionally, studies show that people who suffer from medical illnesses like cancer and HIV report higher rates of depression than the general public. So, if you already have a serious health condition, it’s vital that you consider how it could be impacting your mental health too. 

Gender

It’s important to recognize that gender affects your chances of developing depression. People assigned female at birth are most likely to develop it, but this doesn’t mean that people assigned male can’t be depressed either. There is evidence that AFAB people may be more likely to experience depression because they have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone than AMAB do. Estrogen also means increased risk for postpartum depression and PMS.

Do you know what causes high estrogen? It’s often genetic, but it’s also possible to get too much estrogen from your environment. That’s especially common with xenoestrogens that mimic estrogen in the body. If you want to protect your mental health, you need to be extra vigilant about avoiding chemicals and toxins in your environment.

We know that certain things like genetics and hormones can make it more likely that you’ll develop depression or experience worse symptoms. It’s important that you consider this when treating or trying to avoid depression.