Dr Paul Keedwell, an expert on mood disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London argues that mild to moderate depression might serve an evolutionary purpose and may even be good for us in a BBC article, Is Depression Good for You?
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Written on Thursday, March 13, 2008 by Kellen
Is Depression Good for You?
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depression
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4 Responses to "Is Depression Good for You?"
How can something that feels so bad be good for you?
This is an interesting post. After trying pill after pill I'm starting to wonder if there isn't something else going on. The pills don't work and have really uncomfortable side effects for me. Thanks for presenting an alternative viewpoint of the problem.
March 28, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Harry,
The same way that the sensation of physical pain can be good for you. Without it, we would not be aware that something was wrong. If we broke our leg and had no pain receptors, we might not go to the emergency room and have it set. We might continue to walk around on it and make it worse. The pain guarantees that we will seek medical treatment for a serious problem.
Depression can also be a warning signal that something is wrong. It can tell us that we are on the wrong path or that we have suffered a great loss. It can tell us that we need to examine our path or stop to feel and express the loss we have experienced.
Granted, if the depression is so severe that it causes you to be suicidal or not to be able to function at all (eat, sleep, go to work, etc.) then there may be something more serious going on. But many people have mild to moderate depression that may be trying to tell them something is missing in their lives.
March 28, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Javier,
I'm glad it was helpful! Many people try medication, find it doesn't work and assume there is something wrong with them. I try to provide alternative viewpoints for this reason. I'm happy you found it helpful.
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