MSI Press Blog

  Depression can run in families, but not in the way eye color or height do. What’s inherited is not a single “depression gene,” but a constellation of biological sensitivities — how the brain regulates mood, how stress hormones surge and settle, how sleep and appetite respond to change. These tendencies can make some people more vulnerable when life’s pressures mount. What It Is Genetic predisposition means that certain patterns in DNA influence how neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine function, how the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis manages stress, and how inflammation interacts with mood. Family history adds another layer: shared environments, learned coping styles, and emotional modeling. A parent’s way of handling despair or anxiety can become part of a child’s internal script. How It Contributes to Depression When biology and family experience intertwine, the threshold for depression can lower. A person may inherit a nervous system that reacts strongly to ...

  Depression rarely has a single cause. It is a confluence of biological, psychological, and social factors. Here’s a concise litany of contributors: Genetic predisposition and family history Chronic stress and burnout Trauma (past or recent) Isolation and loneliness Sleep disruption and circadian rhythm imbalance Medical conditions (thyroid, chronic pain, hormonal changes) Substance use or withdrawal Economic insecurity and housing instability Digital overload and social comparison Grief and loss Climate anxiety and global uncertainty Each person’s depression is a unique intersection of these forces — some visible, some hidden. image and some content/research AI-generated For other posts about depression, click HERE . post inspired by Depression Anonymous by Dr. Dennis Ortman. Book Description: When you feel depressed, suffering from a deep sadness, do you feel powerless over your mood? Does your life feel unmanageable because of it? Does your preoccupation with past hu...

  1. Has Depression Increased, Decreased, or Remained the Same? The short answer: it has increased slightly . National surveys from the CDC and NIH show that rates of reported depression and anxiety remain higher than before the pandemic , especially among young adults and women. While the steep rise seen in 2020–2022 has leveled off, the baseline is still elevated. In 2025–2026, roughly one in five adults reports symptoms consistent with depression — a figure that used to hover closer to one in ten before 2020. The persistence of this higher level suggests that the social, economic, and psychological aftershocks of the pandemic have not fully resolved. 2. Causes of Depression (a brief litany) Depression rarely has a single cause. It is a confluence of biological, psychological, and social factors. Here’s a concise litany of contributors: Genetic predisposition and family history Chronic stress and burnout Trauma (past or recent) Isolation and loneliness Sleep disruption and ...

  It is very easy if you are taking care of your loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia to fall into a depression. This depression can put a major risk to your health, and if you are depressed you will not be a good caregiver for your loved one either. Check Your Mood Elevator Before sharing what you can do to reenergize your positivity and power, an important capability is knowing when you need to be uplifted.    There is a simple tool that can help immensely with this; it is called the “Mood Elevator”.   The “Mood Elevator” was created by Larry Senn, a leading consultant, and author in the field of Leadership.   Larry Senn created the “Mood Elevator” to help leaders know when they have the needed positive energy or “mood” to be effective and when they don’t.    The higher buttons on the Mood Elevator are states that include “being grateful”, “insightful” “creative”, “resourceful”, and “hopeful”.   If you do a gut or feeling...