Depression as an adaptation

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Earthcircle

Well-known member
Here is an article discussing the possibility that depression is a biological adaptation. I assume they are not referring to the extremes of psychotic depression, which I suspect is actually a different condition.

I post this here because, if it is correct, then standard approaches to treating depression are probably in error. CBT encourages one to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. I can see how this would delay recovery. Psychodynamic approaches focus on transference which, depending upon the case, may or may not be relevant to the problem which the patient is trying to solve.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/depressions-evolutionary/
 
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Earthcircle

Well-known member
StandingJelly said:
Wow, didn't think of it that way. I'm going to go and think about this ...

thanks for sharing btw
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You're welcome. Note that there are two divergent viewpoints in the articles, neither one of which is well known to the general public. I'm a little frustrated because I never got much out of psychotherapy or meds, but I feel like, in public forums, there is this pressure to say that I did. And if I didn't, then it's my fault. Or I'm trolling or lying if I say that I didn't receive any benefit.
 
S_Spartan

S_Spartan

Well-known member
This was very interesting. My worst moments of depression seem to be when I can't solve a problem. And there are a few problems in my life that I can't seem to solve yet I can't fully accept them as they are and this causes me depression. Very I interesting.
 
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Earthcircle

Well-known member
S_Spartan said:
This was very interesting. My worst moments of depression seem to be when I can't solve a problem. And there are a few problems in my life that I can't seem to solve yet I can't fully accept them as they are and this causes me depression. Very I interesting.
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What did you think of the other hypothesis, that depression results from infection? I noticed some time ago that I feel better, mainly less nervous, if I take an aspirin, which of course is an anti-inflammatory. I've learned to do that before a job interview, for example. But an aspirin only works for about -- what is it? four hours? -- I'm not sure it's good to be taking 2 or 3 a day for a long time period.
 
S_Spartan

S_Spartan

Well-known member
Earthcircle said:
What did you think of the other hypothesis, that depression results from infection? I noticed some time ago that I feel better, mainly less nervous, if I take an aspirin, which of course is an anti-inflammatory. I've learned to do that before a job interview, for example. But an aspirin only works for about -- what is it? four hours? -- I'm not sure it's good to be taking 2 or 3 a day for a long time period.
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I actually have gotten that same calming effect from Tylenol. I sometimes take it if I cant sleep. But you are right, can't take those everyday for a long period.

To me it seems like infection=anxiety and to me anxiety is a totally different feeling from depression.

I guess both are like an alarm that something isn't right but anxiety seems like action must be taken right now whereas depression is like a slow burning nag.

A few years ago I had an infected tooth and my anxiety levels were really really high. But after antibiotics and a root canal things slowly returned to normal.

But depression seems to me to based on life problems and my ultimate problem is that I can't seem to give life meaning. And my mind is always trying to solve the problem because I am a problem solver, I am paid to solve problems actually, but sometimes you can't solve a problem when you are missing information or materials or tools outside of yourself that you have not found yet.

I'm getting off track here but that is how I experience depression.
 
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Earthcircle

Well-known member
I like the following comment on the New York Times article: "In medical practice, the presence of a wide range of competing theories and the availability of multiple treatments of modest effectiveness is often an indicator of poor understanding of an illness and its mechanisms. This article clearly demonstrates this principle with the problem of depression."
 
Pacific_Loner

Pacific_Loner

Pirate from the North Pole
Earthcircle said:
And here is another viewpoint: http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/20...=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article

It really sounds like we don't know much about depression or how to treat it. That is also my impression from the various attempts at treatment which I've experienced.
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He was intrigued by research showing a connection between depression and inflammation in the body, and he started to think about the known causes of inflammation — among them pathogens like bacteria, viruses and parasites.

This is definitely a big part of how I "cured" my depression - drugs, alcohol, medication, large amount of sugar, chemicals in processed food, sedentarity, in my opinion and from what I've read, create an imbalance in the body's ecosystem that leads to bacteria and parasites multiplication, that eventually affect the brain.
 
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Earthcircle

Well-known member
Pacific_Loner said:
He was intrigued by research showing a connection between depression and inflammation in the body, and he started to think about the known causes of inflammation — among them pathogens like bacteria, viruses and parasites.

This is definitely a big part of how I "cured" my depression - drugs, alcohol, medication, large amount of sugar, chemicals in processed food, sedentarity, in my opinion and from what I've read, create an imbalance in the body's ecosystem that leads to bacteria and parasites multiplication, that eventually affect the brain.
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One wonders. It doesn't seem like anyone really knows for sure. I do worry though that what people often identify as the causes of depression, e.g. negative thoughts, are really just symptoms of it.
 
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