Depression Support and Information

     One of the most common area I deal with in Second Life®  as a peer supporter is depression.  There is a good reason for that.  Depression globally is one of the most common disorders out there..  This area of this website is intended to help everyone understand depression in plain English.  A lot of this information is from personal experience and from other website excerpts where stated.  Some of the information is from my own training in what I have observed and experienced while a peer supporting.

What is Depression?

     I am going to do my best to explain what depression is in plain English.  Note I am not a professional so if you are looking for a more official and clinical description of what depression is please visit  Psychweb.com or feel free to look through our Depression Resources section.

     I have learned from personal experience that depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain.  That imbalance can cause one to feel not like themselves, moody, blue,  anxious, insomniac, irrational, irritable, manic and even suicidal.  How does this happen you ask?  Well it's because of the lack of a bridge between nerve endings that allows chemicals and messages to travel between the nerves.  That bridge is called a Myelin Sheath which protects the nerve endings and allows passage of chemicals and messages.

     The Myelin Sheathing can become damaged and when this happens, that prevents the flow of chemicals and messages from getting across from one nerve ending to the other in a healthy manner. 

Common Causes

      There are several reason why this can happen.  The most obvious is genetics.  Depression can be inherited.  For what ever reason the inability to produce that myelin sheathing is impaired when it's passed on and can be passed on in many forms and in varying degree.

     Another cause is stress.  Prolonged Stress by itself can be a really bad enemy to the body in many ways.  Stress can cause the body to make to much adrenaline that does not get used up.  Excessive anger can do the exact same thing.  That adrenalin can actually burn through that myelin on it's own.  That's why it's so important to practice relaxation techniques and to exercise regularly.  Those two things will help burn off that adrenaline so it doesn't pile up and become to much for the body to handle.

     Poor diet can also be a bad thing.  if you are not eating properly you are depriving your body of what it needs to make it's own myelin.  Myelin needs ingredients to be made, it's not a single component.  Taking care of yourself goes a long long way in battling the effects of depression.

     Changing of the seasons is also a factor.  The change in daylight from Summer to fall into winter can cause the body to get mixed up in what it is supposed to make.  This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder and is quite common.

     Some medications can alter the production of needed chemicals to produce the myelin Sheathing. 

     Illness and injury are also factors especially if prolonged.