[ekr]

The fact that conditions such as sleep apnea (insufficient nocturnal brain oxygenation) lead to depression and anxiety in a significant number of cases illustrates that depression isn't always an indicative of a social problem. It can also be a strictly biochemical issue (there are a lot of things that affect neurotransmitter efficiency for instance).

(edited)

[meesterdude]

My point was, depression can come from a variety of sources; not just environmental or biochemical. Saying it's generally those two sources glazes over all the others - and is not representative.

[dragonwriter]

> It can also be a biochemical issue

Presumably, it's always a biochemical issue, though sometimes the biochemical state may be triggered by events in the social context.

[DoreenMichele]

The distinction I am trying to make is that brain chemistry can apparently be wonky and resistant to change in the absence of triggering life events.