Depression

[YT2095]

well it seems the difference of opinion is too great. I firmly beleive that depression is just a wake up call, like a sore throat or sneeze is for a cold or flu bug. it`s just a symptom. and a very often missused and OVERUSED word. True depression is physiologicaly based (maybe the brain doesn`t make enough seratonin or dopamine or the diet`s rubbish or something physical). the other 90% of the time I hear that word depression mentioned, it`s as a result of failure to act and DO something about it. get out of that job, get rid of that partner, report them to police etc...

that`s my stand point.

[fafalone]

Maybe there's a reason it's difficult to do something about it.

[YT2095]

sure there is, and in both cases.

 

1) physiological; maybe a gland or hormone, one does`nt produce or not as much as is needed for "normal" (I strongly dislike that word) functioning, perhaps it`s dietary? we all here about certain kids reacting adversely to some food addatives or lack of certain food types (incl, vit`s/minerals). maybe a certain part of the brain doesn`t work or is under developed? to me this would be a GENUINE "helpless" depression and the true meaning of the word.

 

2) there are those that dig a hole for themselves either by action or 9 times out of 10 non-action, they get sad but "stick it out" then get sadder until it`s a full blown "depression", to THEM I aim my prior points at.

how many times have you heard a winger say "urrrrrhh I feel depressed (( " when In actual fact it`s self inflicted.

Coping Skills should be taught in Schools next to the basics also. we`re becoming a planet populated with complainers that won`t do a thing about it, and exploiting this "depression" word as if it`s a replacement for "sad" "a bit down" etc...

therein lies my issue

[YT2095]

and the sellective use of "quotes" certainly seem to back up your points when taken out of context, the media use it all the time.

I`ll stick to my guns on this one

[Sayonara]

If you found someone lying in the street with a broken leg, would you interrogate them as to how they broke it before you deigned to help them?

[fafalone]

Well generally doctors ask how you got a physical injury before they treat it, if you're coherent enough to answer.

[Sayonara]

Because it might affect the methods they employ in assessing and treating the damage, not because they want to decide if they're going to do anything about it.

 

That has nothing to do with my question to YT. I am trying to establish why he is implicating that there is a "worthiness value" that can be attached to depression by virtue of the reasons the sufferer feels depressed.

[Skye]

I don't think it's the worthiness of depression, as much as the worthiness of therapy or drugs in treating a depression caused by a persons circumstances.

[fafalone]

Well if you're depressed because your friends died... and you killed them... then you shouldn't receive treatment for the depression

[YT2095]

I beleive propper counciling should be sought first to establish the nature of the depression, whether it be psychological or physical, and not like a good many doctors that simply write a prescription for often very power powerfull medicines just because the patient convinces him/her that they are depressed in a 3 minute chat. so yes "worthiness" as you call it, I prefer the word appropriate diagnosis is a must, but rarely done, I speak from personal experience having been on all manor of drugs for depression myself (that made me worse) when in actual fact it wasn`t until I was hospitalised that the true nature of my depression was discovered, it turns out I was Hypoglycemic and when my blood sugar got too low I was experiencing what seemed to be depression. but not untill Id`e been of been on several high powered tranquilisers, that gave me panic attacks when I tried to come off them, they made my life hell!

if I wasn`t depressed before, I sure as hell was after the "doctors" had finished with me!

hence my stance on this subject.

[Marat]

I think the OP is asking whether there is some evolutionary benefit in the development of the capacity to become depressed in response to negative stimuli. The answer could be simply that depression powerfully and lastingly conditions the person experiencing it to avoid the stimulus that caused it. True, it has the downside that it may discourage normal, creative, adaptive responses to other environments as long as it persists, and it may even cause suicide, which reduces fitness, but perhaps most of the time the persistence of the conditioning to avoid whatever first evoked the depressive feelings turns out to be a net benefit to survival.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

(Before anyone complains about necromancy: this thread had been revived by a spammer before Marat posted.)