Depression is a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; greater and more prolonged sadness than that justified by any objective reason. The depression gene can be inherited and passed down through the family tree, as well as can occur for reasons unrelated to genes, such as psychological or physical factors. If someone has a depressed parent or sibling, their risk of developing depression is 20-30% higher than the average person. However, it does not manifest itself in the same way in every member suffering from depression. For some it may manifest as intolerance, for others as sadness or loneliness and may include frequent mood swings. There are multiple causes of depression, and some scientists have argued that although hopelessness is a symptom, it can also be a cause. Besides that, other causes of depression include low brain levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. It would seem that there is no single cause of depression, but a combination of factors, sometimes involving a person's genes, his biochemical environment, personal experience and psychological factors. Depression is not uniform, the signs and symptoms may have been experienced by some sufferers and not others. The severity of the symptoms and their duration depends on the individual person and their disease. There are more common symptoms such as: a constant feeling of sadness, anxiety, feeling of emptiness, a general feeling of pessimism, hopelessness, restlessness, irritability, loss of interest in activities or hobbies that you once enjoyed, low energy levels, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, remembering details, difficulty making decisions, sleep disturbances, a change in eating habits and, in the worst case scenario, extreme suicidal thoughts... middle of paper... or angry all the time and not sleeping more all day. I didn't mind being around people, and my friends and family commented on my more frequent laughter and smiles. I felt like a completely new person. As this developed later in my life, I was grateful to have a father who supported me and understood exactly what I was going through. He explained to me what he went through and I found that we could relate to more than I had initially thought. He helped me with my medications and my mood swings and talked to me about my therapy. He understood. It develops and manifests itself differently in each person and about 10% will be diagnosed at some point. However, it is extremely treatable and can be managed. Although depression has many faces, the effects are common. Depression is a serious condition experienced by many, understood by few but treated thoroughly.