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Coping with Anxiety and Depression by Steven M. Mirin, M.D.
For most people, this delicate balance is restored once the traumatic event has passed. But for some vulnerable individuals, psychiatric treatment is required to restore normal brain function and provide relief from depression or anxiety. We also know that an individual's vulnerability to the more severe forms of anxiety and depression may result from the complex interaction of psychosocial, developmental and environmental factors with one's biological and genetic makeup. Yet many people exposed to the high levels of trauma and stress seem to cope effectively and never develop these problems. We need to learn more about how such people are "protected." Is it brain chemistry, the timely support of others, a learned ability to cope with adversity or some combination of these or other factors?
What Is Depression?
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Brain Mysteries Unlocked. Over the past two decades, scientists have learned a great deal about the brain mechanisms that regulate the way we think and feel and how they shape our responses to our social and physical environment. This knowledge has led to a greater understanding of the causes of mental disorders and the development of increasingly effective treatments for these illnesses.
Specifically, we now know that the human brain responds to our social, psychological and physical environment through complex processes involving genes and the production, release and reabsorption of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Genetically mediated responses of brain circuits to traumatic events such as a death in the family, a troubled relationship or a life-threatening disaster can also disrupt the delicate balance of this complex system. 