Before treating bipolar disorder, it’s helpful to find out its root cause. Because often just identifying the main cause of any disorder is a big step towards figuring out how to address it.

Genetically Inherited

There was a famous study done in 2006 by an international team of scientists, led by Rockefeller University researchers, that identified a gene called “p11.” This “depression gene” plays a role in controlling the neurotransmitter “serotonin” in your brain. If this gene is not working right, you may have a serotonin deficiency and thus be prone to depression.

But just because your p11 gene is faulty doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be depressed; it simply means you’re more susceptible to depression. This is because depression is a complex disease intertwined with psychological causes as well as physical:

For example, someone who has a faulty p11 gene may do fine until the death of a loved one. An event like this may send them into a funk that lasts longer than what most people would consider normal…they are “depressed” and not just in mourning. These are the folks who stand to benefit the most from a SRI (Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) like “Prozac.”

It’s important to note that “Prozac” or any other anti-depression medication would not bring back the loved one. This is why it is important to treat depression on at least two fronts: Address the physical part of depression with medication and the mental part with therapy such as cognitive therapy with a trained therapist.

What’s another option to deal with this type of depression? Self help. Reading a step-by-step plan on overcoming depression. (More later…)

Anxiety From Stressful Event(s)

Even though your serotonin levels may be normal, a single stressful event (like in the above example) can make someone clinically depressed. And sometimes it’s a combination of events that can make some folks develop depression…

I was so depressed at one time that I tried to kill myself by driving over 130 mph into a bunch of trees. (The fact that it was a “bunch of trees” instead of just one big tree is one reason I’m here with you now.) But when you read my story you will nevertheless be astounded I survived. I was only 16.

To survive something like that was an amazing series of incredibly lucky events–you’ve gotta read about it to really appreciate it. This marked a huge turning point in my life and I just knew I had to come up with a formula for beating depression ASAP.

It’s Rarely Just One Stressful Event

Usually, it’s a series of events over time that gets people depressed. Take divorce, for example: Even though the word “divorce” describes a single event, it can lead to multiple highly stressful things happening to the divorcee all at once:

- Loss of a relationship: It was supposed to be “…to death do us part.”

- Financial security gives way to financial worry.

- Loss of a better standard of living… The house and car is downsized.

- Daily contact with your kids is no more.

- Having to move when you aren’t ready. (Moving is, of course, stressful by itself.)

…You get the idea.

Taught To ‘Enjoy’ Depression

I know this sounds weird, but some people actually enjoy being depressed. Well, not exactly, but they really ‘get into’ the drama of emotional events. For these people, getting depressed is the equivalent of being extremely happy about something positive, only it’s the opposite; they feel the significance of the negative event justifies long-term sadness.

The real reasons for someone wallowing in depression are: One, it gets them personal one-on-one attention from people (their ‘caretakers’). And two, it gives them ‘permission’ to let their daily responsibilities of life slide; they can stay in bed ’til late and avoid cooking and cleaning, for example, and nobody will say anything derogatory about their ‘laziness.’

One theory is that they are “taught” this behavior as toddlers and young kids:

If your parents rarely paid attention to you unless you cried, you learned that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” as the old saying goes; as long as you were in distress, people paid attention to you and comforted you.