I've had a diagnosed depression that I treated for many years with medication. And that course of treatment prolonged my illness and didn't ultimately work. What did work was to alter the way that I thought in the way I described above. And I'm not alone...research has shown that CBT and mindfulness training can be more effective than medication in treating depression.

The view that depression has only biological causes is dangerously naive, if not flat out wrong. Depression absolutely can be caused by unhealthy thought patterns.

> Having existential thoughts did not change the structure of your brain or alter its chemistry.

Of course it did - that's what thoughts are.

> Having existential thoughts did not change the structure of your brain or alter its chemistry.

This seems like a really strong statement that can't possibly be absolutely true. Isn't there some literature on this?

I remember seeing some "self care twitter" posts with lists of things that "don't cure depression" (thinking happy thoughts, sunshine, Vitamin D) but obviously some of those do send it into remission in many people. Isn't that enough?

I don't really see what's controversial about saying that thinking can lead you to real clinical depression.

It's something that happens over time it's not like a switch.