"She loves to laugh so much, why does she suffer from depression?"

On the evening of July 5, singer Coco Lee’s sister Li Silin posted a long article on Weibo saying that Coco Lee attempted suicide at home due to depression. After rescue efforts failed, she eventually passed away on July 5.

"I can't believe that such a cheerful sister could have depression!" Many people were saddened and felt it was incredible that such a good person could commit suicide due to depression. So, what is the pathogenesis of depression? Why is it so terrible? What should you do if you find someone around you has suicidal thoughts?

Why would a healthy person suffer from depression?

According to Huang Xuebing, deputy chief physician and director of the clinical psychology department at Peking University Sixth Hospital, depression is a medical emotional disorder and a "brain disease."

There are three neurotransmitters in the brain that control emotional activities , namely 5-hydroxytryptamine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. When the above three neurotransmitters are unbalanced, the human body will experience insomnia, anxiety, compulsion, depression, fear and other symptoms, manifesting as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other brain diseases. Some patients with severe depression will experience pessimism, despair, hallucinations, delusions, functional impairment, and serious suicide attempts or even suicidal behavior.

How do the three neurotransmitters cause depression? First, let's understand what neurotransmitters are. When the human brain transmits information, the nerve endings of the previous brain cell will release a chemical substance as a carrier of information transmission. This chemical substance is the neurotransmitter. And each neuron (also known as a nerve cell) carries only one neurotransmitter, and each neurotransmitter has its own natural mission. For example, 5-Ht controls emotions, desires, and will; dopamine transmits happiness; norepinephrine provides life force. If the above three neurotransmitters are unbalanced, it will lead to the inability to express normal emotions, laying hidden dangers for depression.

If we compare the process of emotional expression to the process of making a cake, the three neurotransmitters are the main ingredients of the cake, namely flour, eggs, and sugar. The strict proportions of cake making are important. If there is not enough sugar, the cake cannot be whipped properly. If there are not enough eggs, the cake cannot be foamed or hold air. If there is not enough flour, the cake skeleton cannot be formed. This means that in the process of making a cake, if the proportion of any ingredient is unbalanced, the cake will not be able to take shape and will not be the brightly colored and sweet cake in the window.

What should you do if you find someone around you has suicidal thoughts?

"Although this world is not perfect, there are always people protecting you." When you have suicidal thoughts, you may wish to seek help from professional psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, psychological counseling and treatment, which may be of great help.

Finally, I would like to remind you that depression is controllable and curable through medical intervention. Many people suffer from depression without knowing it, or are unwilling to receive systematic treatment due to a sense of shame. Some patients even want to go to the hospital for treatment but are blocked by their families. These practices are wrong. Treating depression rationally and solving it scientifically is the best way.