Life experience may be most important in development of depression

A person who has to buy Paxil to manage their depressive symptoms may feel as though they were doomed from the start of their life to experience mood problems. However, new research indicates that whether or not a person experiences depression largely depends on their life experiences.

The Virginia Commonwealth researchers who conducted the study said that it is often assumed these days that genetic factors are the largest single determinants of a person's mental health. However, after studying sets of twins, they found that this is not the case.

Their study surveyed the mental health of 12,000 identical twins. These participants have the same genetic makeup and therefore would be equally influenced by genetic factors when it comes to depression.

The study revealed that participants' mental health statuses began to diverge from each other in early adulthood. This suggests that the accumulation of life experiences from childhood through early adulthood played a larger role in the development of depression than any genetic factors.

"In this time of emphasis on genes for this and that trait, it is important to remember that our environmental experiences also make important contributions to who we are as people," said lead researcher Kenneth Kendler.