What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

Re:What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed by brownkonas on Friday June 08, 2018 @03:44PM (#17269065)

Not sure if this is substantiated or refuted by any clinical research, but through experience I believe depression to be a side effect of the mind being absent any existential threats that would, as an animal, threaten your survival on a daily basis: searching for food, maintaining shelter, guarding yourself or each other from predators. As we become farther and farther away our primal origins, the mind needs to invent challenges, obstacles and worry.

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Re:What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed by mikec3010 on Friday June 08, 2018 @04:24PM (#17269383)

That's one theory. Another is that our society has so many more intangible responsibilities, obligations, serious decisions, and opportunities for failure (oh and consequences, every single action through out the day brings consequences that our minds are overloaded and constantly anxious.

And research has found that anxiety and depression are tightly linked.

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Re:What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed by cpncrunch on Friday June 08, 2018 @03:48PM (#17269089)

I'm not sure if it's as simple as lack of existential threats, but I'd agree that it is important to have a purpose in life, and a daily routine, and research backs this up.

It's also important to rule out any life stressors that could be causing the depression, such as an unrewarding/stressful job, or living somewhere that you don't want to be.

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Re:What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed by oldgeezr on Friday June 08, 2018 @04:26PM (#17269391)

It's an interesting way of looking things. Depression is as complex as the brain which produces it, however. This may be a part of it, but there are many pieces in that puzzle.

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