March 21, 2025 • 15 mins
Depression affects millions and remains the most undertreated condition globally, but there is hope for managing symptoms and reclaiming joy through understanding its causes and seeking appropriate help. Our mental health journey requires acknowledging the biological, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to depression while taking proactive steps toward healing.
• Depression has biological roots including genetics, brain chemistry, and hormonal imbalances that predispose certain individuals
• Childhood trauma and adverse experiences can create lasting mental health impacts even decades later
• Modern lifestyle factors including social media, isolation, and constant connectivity contribute to worsening mental health
• Over 800,000 people commit suicide annually—approximately one person every 50 seconds
• Warning signs of suicide may include withdrawal, lack of future planning, and giving away possessions
• Regular check-ins with loved ones and creating safe spaces for honest conversation can help prevent suicide
• Mental illness is not a life sentence—with proper treatment, support, and self-care, you can lead a fulfilling life
Consider joining the 14 Days to Mental Health Family. This course will fill your toolkit with the keys to navigating your mental health. Remember to follow Win Over Depression on TikTok, Pinterest (TT Mental Health Expert), LinkedIn, and Twitter for more support between episodes.
Win Over Depression Course: '14 Days to Mental Health Wellness"
GET THE COURSE NOW:
COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER
pensight.com/x/winoverdepression
https://www.winoverdepression.org
https://www.patreon.com/tameratrotter
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/tameras-podcast
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hello and welcome.
To Win Over Depression, yourbeacon of hope in the realm of
mental health.
I am your host, tamara Trotter.
I am your companion on thejourney to reclaiming joy and
resilience, and this podcastwill unravel the vital
importance of managing yourwell-being amidst life's
(00:29):
challenges.
From practical strategies touplifting stories and expert
advice, each episode is aroadmap to cultivating mental
wellness and overcoming the gripof depression.
Whether you are seeking solacefor yourself or supporting a
friend, here you will find thetools and inspiration to
(00:51):
navigate the complexities ofemotional health.
Join me as we embark on atransformative quest to
prioritize self-care, resilienceand the triumph of the human
spirit.
Let's together redefine thenarrative of depression and
embrace a life of purpose andfulfillment.
(01:13):
Today we'll be talking aboutwhy depression is so prevalent
and why people commit suicide.
Depression is prevalent forseveral interconnected reasons.
There are biological factorssuch as genetics, brain
chemistry and hormonalimbalances that predispose
(01:38):
individuals to depression.
Certain genes andneurotransmitters play a role in
regulating mood, andalterations in these systems can
increase the risk of developingdepression.
So if you have a close familymember, someone in your
(02:00):
immediate family, that has beendiagnosed or who has suffered
with depression or mentalillness, then you are
automatically predisposed tothis condition, which means it's
through no fault of your ownthat you may need to learn more
about how to overcome mentalillness in your life.
(02:23):
Another reason why depressionand mental illness is so
prevalent in the world is alsodue to psychological factors
like trauma, stress, lowself-esteem and negative
thinking patterns.
These patterns contribute tothe onset and persistence of
(02:49):
depression.
Traumatic experiences,especially during childhood, can
have long-lasting effects onmental health.
So think back on your childhood.
It should have been a positiveexperience where you were
learning, growing andexperiencing the world.
But if something happened toyou of a traumatic nature, that
(03:12):
could be the reason that you maybe feeling inadequate and have
low self-esteem.
So think back to your childhoodand think about whether or not
there was something thathappened that maybe you
suppressed or maybe you kept toyourself.
There's absolutely nothingwrong with seeking therapy or
(03:35):
getting some help for thesethoughts and feelings.
There are also social andenvironmental factors, which
include poverty, unemployment,loneliness, social isolation and
a lack of social support.
Living in environments withhigh levels of stress or
(03:57):
adversity can increase thelikelihood of experiencing
depression.
Increase the likelihood ofexperiencing depression and you
probably had absolutely no wayof getting out of a living
situation, especially when youwere a child, so you owe it to
yourself to take the necessarysteps to get better.
(04:21):
There are also lifestylefactors, which include a poor
diet, lack of exercise,substance abuse and inadequate
sleep.
You'd be very surprised howimportant getting six to nine
hours of sleep every singlenight is essential, because
(04:44):
these factors can also affectbrain function, mood regulation
and overall well-being.
So, when it comes to delvinginto the reason that mental
health is so prevalent, we needto really look at the past in
order to help us determine thefuture.
(05:06):
Oftentimes, mental illness wasnever discussed in families.
That is true today, and becausewe don't talk about it, it
continues to be a silent disease, and there are also cultural
and societal influences thataffect mental health, and the
(05:31):
stigma surrounding mental healthis what is impacting the
prevalence of depression.
There may be also a lack ofawareness or understanding of
mental health issues lack ofawareness or understanding of
mental health issues, whichleads to underreporting and
undertreatment of depression.
As a matter of fact, mentalhealth in general is the most
(05:56):
undertreated condition in theentire world.
In addition to that, thelifestyle that you live, in
terms of the modern lifestyle,living in a fast-paced
environment can contribute tofeelings of stress, overwhelm
and disconnection.
(06:16):
Technology and social media canalso play a role in
exacerbating feelings ofloneliness and inadequacy.
In addition to that, it's soimportant that we are aware of
what our children are doing, whois influencing them and who
their friends are.
(06:37):
Children are committing suicidein record numbers, and children
as young as eight years old arecommitting suicide because they
are being bullied in school.
In addition to that, otherfactors include a lack of access
to mental health care, whichincludes financial barriers, the
(07:00):
shortage of mental healthprofessionals, and this is what
is preventing individuals fromreceiving timely and adequate
treatment for depression.
So if you or someone you knowcan relate to any of these
factors, you should be gettingsome type of help and letting
(07:23):
your family or friends knowexactly how you're feeling, and
that is why win over depressionis in existence in order to
reduce the stigma surroundingmental health and to encourage
people that having a mentalhealth diagnosis is not a life
(07:43):
sentence and you can actuallylead a very fulfilling life if
you seek help, get medicationfor treatment if it's needed and
follow the instructions of aphysician.
I cannot stress enough howimportant it is for you to be
proactive in your quest and yourfight to overcome the symptoms
(08:09):
and circumstances that havecaused you to feel like you are
sinking in quicksand, which isoften how people who suffer from
a mental health condition feel.
So why are some people eithersusceptible to suicide or are
(08:29):
more than likely to makeattempts on their life?
Not everyone has the ability tocope with mean people and the
circumstances that they findthemselves in.
Suicide is a deeply complexissue and the reasons behind it
(08:49):
vary greatly from person toperson, but some common factors
are having a mental illness thatis not being addressed,
impaired judgment that is notbeing addressed, impaired
judgment and exacerbatedfeelings of hopelessness and
despair.
And it is a situation where you, every single day, have to
(09:12):
figure out how to rise to theoccasion To continue living life
to its fullest and doing thebest that you can to survive.
And most people aren't able todo that, and emotional pain can
(09:42):
overwhelm individuals to thepoint that they view suicide as
the only way to escape fromtheir suffering.
Many times their minds havebeen made up and they have made
a plan, and they are unrelentingwhen it comes to carrying out
(10:04):
that plan.
Sometimes there are warningsigns and sometimes it happens
out of the blue, and the familyand friends of that individual
had no idea that that personeven suffered from depression or
had a mental health condition.
So what can we do in order tobetter understand those who may
(10:30):
have suicidal ideation?
One of the things that we cando is talk with them and find
out where they see themselves inthe next year, in the next two
years, the next five years.
If they are very distant andwithdrawn and really don't have
a plan, then that is a warningsign that they really don't have
(10:55):
a plan because they imagine notbeing here.
So whatever you can do to keepin touch with someone that you
are concerned about, that youmake it a point to check on them
every day at different times,that you ask them to call and
update you on how they're doing,so that they know you care.
(11:18):
You don't necessarily have tobe able to solve their problems,
but just being there as asounding board, someone for them
to listen to, is going to makethem feel much better.
The lack of access to medicalhealth care, which we talked
about earlier, is whyindividuals struggle to cope
(11:42):
with their mental health issues,and their symptoms may worsen
and increase the risk of suicide.
So whatever you can do to keepan eye on your loved ones that
you're concerned about andconduct a mental health
assessment every single week tofind out where they are.
(12:03):
All of that is going to helpthem be in a better place and
it's going to decrease theirfeelings of suicide.
Oftentimes there are secretsthat some of the closest friends
of individuals don't even knowabout and this can cause someone
to be contemplating suicide.
(12:25):
Unfortunately, over 800,000people commit suicide every
single year, which relates toone person every 50 seconds is
committing suicide and endingtheir life.
There are also some chronicpain and illness that may lead
(12:46):
someone to want to take theirlife because of the severe pain,
a terminal illness, and theywant to just escape the
suffering and preserve theirdignity.
If there is a history ofsuicide in the family of an
individual, that family andeveryone in that family is
(13:10):
susceptible to having a mentalhealth condition.
So whatever you can do to keepyour symptoms at bay and to help
other people identify what'sgoing on with them, that is
going to help reduce suicide inthis country.
(13:33):
I know that this is a very toughtopic, but because May is
Suicide Prevention and AwarenessMonth, because May is Suicide
Prevention and Awareness Month,I wanted to just get ahead of
that by talking about what wecan do during the month of May
to support those mental healthprofessionals who work day in
(13:55):
and day out to find ways toreach others.
So when we can do our partmeaning that be aware of the
people around us and theirbehavior that is going to help
these mental healthprofessionals figure out who
they may need to treat and beable to reach them before it
(14:17):
gets to the point of suicide.
So if you are listening to thispodcast and you are
contemplating suicide, please donot take your life.
Consider what other people willfeel, even though you're
feeling bad right now.
By you taking your life, it'sonly going to add the stress,
(14:39):
strain and pain to anotherindividual and they will not
understand why you took yourlife and they will blame
themselves.
So if you can decide tonight tonot take your life and reach out
to your accountability coach orpartner tomorrow, that is the
(15:01):
best decision that you couldpossibly make right now, even if
you have to go back and listento all 119 episodes of when Over
Depression to give you somehope and encouragement for you
to be able to see the light atthe end of the tunnel.
I encourage you to do that.
(15:22):
I care about you.
I want to see you thriving andsurviving and managing your
depression rather than giving up, because, remember, giving up
is never an option.
We must stay in the game oflife, because the storms of life
cannot last always and, justlike every physical storm that
(15:48):
we see in our weather reports,those storms always pass, and so
your storm will pass as well.
I never want to end my podcastwithout thanking you so very
much for listening.
You are the best part of whenOver Depression and I thank you
so much for listening, tuning inevery Friday when we drop an
(16:12):
episode and spreading theawareness about this podcast.
I want you to also remember thatwe have a TikTok page called
when Over Depression.
We have many little tips andsuggestions to help you get
through your week and throughyour days, so I encourage you to
go there and become asubscriber.
(16:35):
You can also reach us onPinterest, at TT Mental Health
Expert.
You can find us on LinkedIn,pinterest, and you can also find
us on Twitter.
Remember that your life isworth living and even if you
feel terrible right now, you canget to a better place.
(16:58):
I cannot tell you it will beeasy, but I can tell you that it
will be worth it and you willstart to feel better.
In the month of May, I will bereleasing a course on 30 days to
improving your mental health,so I'll be talking to you more
(17:20):
about that.
I'm excited and I know that itis going to help people take
their life back.
So stay in the game of life andI will see you next Friday on
when Over Depression, take care.
Hello and welcome.
To Win Over Depression, yourbeacon of hope in the realm of
mental health.
I am your host, tamara Trotter.
I am your companion on thejourney to reclaiming joy and
resilience, and this podcastwill unravel the vital
importance of managing yourwell-being amidst life's
(00:29):
challenges.
From practical strategies touplifting stories and expert
advice, each episode is aroadmap to cultivating mental
wellness and overcoming the gripof depression.
Whether you are seeking solacefor yourself or supporting a
friend, here you will find thetools and inspiration to
(00:51):
navigate the complexities ofemotional health.
Join me as we embark on atransformative quest to
prioritize self-care, resilienceand the triumph of the human
spirit.
Let's together redefine thenarrative of depression and
embrace a life of purpose andfulfillment.
(01:13):
Today we'll be talking aboutwhy depression is so prevalent
and why people commit suicide.
Depression is prevalent forseveral interconnected reasons.
There are biological factorssuch as genetics, brain
chemistry and hormonalimbalances that predispose
(01:38):
individuals to depression.
Certain genes andneurotransmitters play a role in
regulating mood, andalterations in these systems can
increase the risk of developingdepression.
So if you have a close familymember, someone in your
(02:00):
immediate family, that has beendiagnosed or who has suffered
with depression or mentalillness, then you are
automatically predisposed tothis condition, which means it's
through no fault of your ownthat you may need to learn more
about how to overcome mentalillness in your life.
(02:23):
Another reason why depressionand mental illness is so
prevalent in the world is alsodue to psychological factors
like trauma, stress, lowself-esteem and negative
thinking patterns.
These patterns contribute tothe onset and persistence of
(02:49):
depression.
Traumatic experiences,especially during childhood, can
have long-lasting effects onmental health.
So think back on your childhood.
It should have been a positiveexperience where you were
learning, growing andexperiencing the world.
But if something happened toyou of a traumatic nature, that
(03:12):
could be the reason that you maybe feeling inadequate and have
low self-esteem.
So think back to your childhoodand think about whether or not
there was something thathappened that maybe you
suppressed or maybe you kept toyourself.
There's absolutely nothingwrong with seeking therapy or
(03:35):
getting some help for thesethoughts and feelings.
There are also social andenvironmental factors, which
include poverty, unemployment,loneliness, social isolation and
a lack of social support.
Living in environments withhigh levels of stress or
(03:57):
adversity can increase thelikelihood of experiencing
depression.
Increase the likelihood ofexperiencing depression and you
probably had absolutely no wayof getting out of a living
situation, especially when youwere a child, so you owe it to
yourself to take the necessarysteps to get better.
(04:21):
There are also lifestylefactors, which include a poor
diet, lack of exercise,substance abuse and inadequate
sleep.
You'd be very surprised howimportant getting six to nine
hours of sleep every singlenight is essential, because
(04:44):
these factors can also affectbrain function, mood regulation
and overall well-being.
So, when it comes to delvinginto the reason that mental
health is so prevalent, we needto really look at the past in
order to help us determine thefuture.
(05:06):
Oftentimes, mental illness wasnever discussed in families.
That is true today, and becausewe don't talk about it, it
continues to be a silent disease, and there are also cultural
and societal influences thataffect mental health, and the
(05:31):
stigma surrounding mental healthis what is impacting the
prevalence of depression.
There may be also a lack ofawareness or understanding of
mental health issues lack ofawareness or understanding of
mental health issues, whichleads to underreporting and
undertreatment of depression.
As a matter of fact, mentalhealth in general is the most
(05:56):
undertreated condition in theentire world.
In addition to that, thelifestyle that you live, in
terms of the modern lifestyle,living in a fast-paced
environment can contribute tofeelings of stress, overwhelm
and disconnection.
(06:16):
Technology and social media canalso play a role in
exacerbating feelings ofloneliness and inadequacy.
In addition to that, it's soimportant that we are aware of
what our children are doing, whois influencing them and who
their friends are.
(06:37):
Children are committing suicidein record numbers, and children
as young as eight years old arecommitting suicide because they
are being bullied in school.
In addition to that, otherfactors include a lack of access
to mental health care, whichincludes financial barriers, the
(07:00):
shortage of mental healthprofessionals, and this is what
is preventing individuals fromreceiving timely and adequate
treatment for depression.
So if you or someone you knowcan relate to any of these
factors, you should be gettingsome type of help and letting
(07:23):
your family or friends knowexactly how you're feeling, and
that is why win over depressionis in existence in order to
reduce the stigma surroundingmental health and to encourage
people that having a mentalhealth diagnosis is not a life
(07:43):
sentence and you can actuallylead a very fulfilling life if
you seek help, get medicationfor treatment if it's needed and
follow the instructions of aphysician.
I cannot stress enough howimportant it is for you to be
proactive in your quest and yourfight to overcome the symptoms
(08:09):
and circumstances that havecaused you to feel like you are
sinking in quicksand, which isoften how people who suffer from
a mental health condition feel.
So why are some people eithersusceptible to suicide or are
(08:29):
more than likely to makeattempts on their life?
Not everyone has the ability tocope with mean people and the
circumstances that they findthemselves in.
Suicide is a deeply complexissue and the reasons behind it
(08:49):
vary greatly from person toperson, but some common factors
are having a mental illness thatis not being addressed,
impaired judgment that is notbeing addressed, impaired
judgment and exacerbatedfeelings of hopelessness and
despair.
And it is a situation where you, every single day, have to
(09:12):
figure out how to rise to theoccasion To continue living life
to its fullest and doing thebest that you can to survive.
And most people aren't able todo that, and emotional pain can
(09:42):
overwhelm individuals to thepoint that they view suicide as
the only way to escape fromtheir suffering.
Many times their minds havebeen made up and they have made
a plan, and they are unrelentingwhen it comes to carrying out
(10:04):
that plan.
Sometimes there are warningsigns and sometimes it happens
out of the blue, and the familyand friends of that individual
had no idea that that personeven suffered from depression or
had a mental health condition.
So what can we do in order tobetter understand those who may
(10:30):
have suicidal ideation?
One of the things that we cando is talk with them and find
out where they see themselves inthe next year, in the next two
years, the next five years.
If they are very distant andwithdrawn and really don't have
a plan, then that is a warningsign that they really don't have
(10:55):
a plan because they imagine notbeing here.
So whatever you can do to keepin touch with someone that you
are concerned about, that youmake it a point to check on them
every day at different times,that you ask them to call and
update you on how they're doing,so that they know you care.
(11:18):
You don't necessarily have tobe able to solve their problems,
but just being there as asounding board, someone for them
to listen to, is going to makethem feel much better.
The lack of access to medicalhealth care, which we talked
about earlier, is whyindividuals struggle to cope
(11:42):
with their mental health issues,and their symptoms may worsen
and increase the risk of suicide.
So whatever you can do to keepan eye on your loved ones that
you're concerned about andconduct a mental health
assessment every single week tofind out where they are.
(12:03):
All of that is going to helpthem be in a better place and
it's going to decrease theirfeelings of suicide.
Oftentimes there are secretsthat some of the closest friends
of individuals don't even knowabout and this can cause someone
to be contemplating suicide.
(12:25):
Unfortunately, over 800,000people commit suicide every
single year, which relates toone person every 50 seconds is
committing suicide and endingtheir life.
There are also some chronicpain and illness that may lead
(12:46):
someone to want to take theirlife because of the severe pain,
a terminal illness, and theywant to just escape the
suffering and preserve theirdignity.
If there is a history ofsuicide in the family of an
individual, that family andeveryone in that family is
(13:10):
susceptible to having a mentalhealth condition.
So whatever you can do to keepyour symptoms at bay and to help
other people identify what'sgoing on with them, that is
going to help reduce suicide inthis country.
(13:33):
I know that this is a very toughtopic, but because May is
Suicide Prevention and AwarenessMonth, because May is Suicide
Prevention and Awareness Month,I wanted to just get ahead of
that by talking about what wecan do during the month of May
to support those mental healthprofessionals who work day in
(13:55):
and day out to find ways toreach others.
So when we can do our partmeaning that be aware of the
people around us and theirbehavior that is going to help
these mental healthprofessionals figure out who
they may need to treat and beable to reach them before it
(14:17):
gets to the point of suicide.
So if you are listening to thispodcast and you are
contemplating suicide, please donot take your life.
Consider what other people willfeel, even though you're
feeling bad right now.
By you taking your life, it'sonly going to add the stress,
(14:39):
strain and pain to anotherindividual and they will not
understand why you took yourlife and they will blame
themselves.
So if you can decide tonight tonot take your life and reach out
to your accountability coach orpartner tomorrow, that is the
(15:01):
best decision that you couldpossibly make right now, even if
you have to go back and listento all 119 episodes of when Over
Depression to give you somehope and encouragement for you
to be able to see the light atthe end of the tunnel.
I encourage you to do that.
(15:22):
I care about you.
I want to see you thriving andsurviving and managing your
depression rather than giving up, because, remember, giving up
is never an option.
We must stay in the game oflife, because the storms of life
cannot last always and, justlike every physical storm that
(15:48):
we see in our weather reports,those storms always pass, and so
your storm will pass as well.
I never want to end my podcastwithout thanking you so very
much for listening.
You are the best part of whenOver Depression and I thank you
so much for listening, tuning inevery Friday when we drop an
(16:12):
episode and spreading theawareness about this podcast.
I want you to also remember thatwe have a TikTok page called
when Over Depression.
We have many little tips andsuggestions to help you get
through your week and throughyour days, so I encourage you to
go there and become asubscriber.
(16:35):
You can also reach us onPinterest, at TT Mental Health
Expert.
You can find us on LinkedIn,pinterest, and you can also find
us on Twitter.
Remember that your life isworth living and even if you
feel terrible right now, you canget to a better place.
(16:58):
I cannot tell you it will beeasy, but I can tell you that it
will be worth it and you willstart to feel better.
In the month of May, I will bereleasing a course on 30 days to
improving your mental health,so I'll be talking to you more
(17:20):
about that.
I'm excited and I know that itis going to help people take
their life back.
So stay in the game of life andI will see you next Friday on
when Over Depression, take care.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.