3 ms·

If that's the case, then depression is (yet another) broken adaptation. If you've ever been depressed, you'd realize it doesn't rejuvenate - much the opposite,

If that's the case, then depression is (yet another) broken adaptation. If you've ever been depressed, you'd realize it doesn't rejuvenate - much the opposite, in fact.

cpncrunch 13y ago
I wouldn't say that. It seems that this type of depression is the brain's way of telling you that you need to make changes in your lifestyle to avoid stressors that are perceived as unnecessary. Once you make these changes you definitely do feel rejuvinated. I think most cases of depression have obvious causes if you care to look.
- benched 13y ago
  I agree with you. The problem with depression, though, is that it does not make idle threats. In my experience, you get a window in which to make those changes, after which depression can stomp you into a hole so deep you can only get out with a lot of help, and tremendous effort. If you're lucky enough to find a way out at all. Many don't.
  - cpncrunch 13y ago
    Yes, I completely agree with you. Many (most?) times it's not obvious why the depression is happening. You really need to make significant lifestyle changes in the early stages of depression.
kaoD 13y ago
Perhaps it's a broken adaptation from an individual perspective, but working for groups. Depressed individuals are just being naturally deselected. You fail, then you die.
- ufo 13y ago
  I think people tend to put way too much weight on adaptationist explanations for things. Its much more likely that the mechanisms for depression are there to handle some other beneficial thing and that depression is just a side effect of it. One thing that highlights this sort of reasoning really well is genetic diseases. In some situations (cystic fibrosis, syckle cell anemia, etc) the mutated gene gives benefits as long as you are lucky enough to not get two copies of it, in which case you get a fatal disease instead.

3 ms·

If that's the case, then depression is (yet another) broken adaptation. If you've ever been depressed, you'd realize it doesn't rejuvenate - much the opposite,

by npsimons 13y ago

If that's the case, then depression is (yet another) broken adaptation. If you've ever been depressed, you'd realize it doesn't rejuvenate - much the opposite, in fact.

cpncrunch 13y ago
I wouldn't say that. It seems that this type of depression is the brain's way of telling you that you need to make changes in your lifestyle to avoid stressors that are perceived as unnecessary. Once you make these changes you definitely do feel rejuvinated. I think most cases of depression have obvious causes if you care to look.
- benched 13y ago
  I agree with you. The problem with depression, though, is that it does not make idle threats. In my experience, you get a window in which to make those changes, after which depression can stomp you into a hole so deep you can only get out with a lot of help, and tremendous effort. If you're lucky enough to find a way out at all. Many don't.
  - cpncrunch 13y ago
    Yes, I completely agree with you. Many (most?) times it's not obvious why the depression is happening. You really need to make significant lifestyle changes in the early stages of depression.
kaoD 13y ago
Perhaps it's a broken adaptation from an individual perspective, but working for groups. Depressed individuals are just being naturally deselected. You fail, then you die.
- ufo 13y ago
  I think people tend to put way too much weight on adaptationist explanations for things. Its much more likely that the mechanisms for depression are there to handle some other beneficial thing and that depression is just a side effect of it. One thing that highlights this sort of reasoning really well is genetic diseases. In some situations (cystic fibrosis, syckle cell anemia, etc) the mutated gene gives benefits as long as you are lucky enough to not get two copies of it, in which case you get a fatal disease instead.