I don’t think so. While there’s no single cause of depression, most experts believe there’s a combination of biological, social, and psychological factors that contribute to depression risk . I think the risk goes up in families with histories of depression but like alcoholism, most people suffering from it come from families where it is not present. The cause is not known. Treatment tends to be medical and psychological.
One fascinating fact about depression is that exercise and social involvement can cure it in some cases and significantly decrease the symptoms in others. I have an old article that I really like. “The Myth of Clinical Depression.” Let me see if I can pull it up. The study is old but I really like what it has to say. (Can’t find it. Might be on the home computer. Here is an article about the medical model)
No evidence that depression is caused by low serotonin levels, finds comprehensive review. After decades of study, there remains no clear evidence that serotonin levels or serotonin activity are responsible for depression, according to a major review of prior research.
“Many people take antidepressants because they have been led to believe their depression has a biochemical cause, but this new research suggests this belief is not grounded in evidence.”