Where does depression come from? Until recently, there was only one answer — the violation of the biochemical balance in our brain is to blame, and we need to take medications that will restore the balance and make the brain work “correctly”. However, the British writer Johann Hari came to a different conclusion. Are they true?
Johann Hari became interested in depression not by chance: he took antidepressants from his youth. However, they helped for a short time at best. This led him to ask himself: Is the theory that explains depression by a decrease in the level of serotonin in the brain true?
Johann Hari began to meet with specialists in various fields: psychologists, neurophysiologists, sociologists. And he came to the conclusion that depression is a natural reaction to unbearable living conditions. If we want to get rid of it, we must change our lives. How justified are his conclusions? We talked about this with the scientific editor of Johann Hari’s book Destination: Happiness, psychophysiologist and neuropsychologist Yana Staroverova.
Psychologies: Johann Hari believes that depression is not biochemical, but psychosocial causes…
Yana Staroverova: In my experience of psychological counseling, there are very few people whose depression has nothing to do with the environment. Depression appears when something chronically does not suit us and there is no prospect that this will somehow change. The sphere can be any: work, personal life, lack of communication, domestic disorder, poverty.
Over time, we fall into a state of chronic frustration, which is poorly understood, but extremely exhausting. At the same time, we have to turn off our “I want” and “comfort”, and this already affects the work of the brain. And if the situation does not improve, depression sets in. But biochemistry and heredity still make some contribution to the development of a depressive state.
Do you agree that medication for depression is being pushed by the pharmaceutical lobby?
It’s easy to blame the pharmaceutical lobby, but in my opinion, it’s much worse — human stupidity is to blame. Most people do not want to think that something is wrong with their lives, and happily throw themselves on pills. «I’m not good at raising kids, they act like little monsters, I have no idea how to fix it» — a monstrous thought, right? Much nicer is the other: “I love children, but I have depression, now I will take a pill, and I will have the strength to live with them as before.”
The pills shake a little, give a boost of strength — without this, it is very difficult for a depressed person to start any changes.
This is similar to the behavior of a person who, having broken his leg and received an anesthetic injection, does not call himself a taxi to the hospital, but continues to ride a scooter to work with thoughts: “That’s great, it doesn’t hurt, now I’ll be in time by nine.” And this is a very common behavioral strategy. In a good way — and according to the results of many studies — it is best to combine medication with psychotherapy.
The pills are shaken a little, they give a boost of strength — without this, it is very difficult for a depressed person to start any changes. And while this energy charge is acting, you need to have time to change something in your life, otherwise the symptoms will return. And if you do not change anything, you will have to increase the dose of pills. People themselves tend to choose the second option, otherwise the pharmaceutical lobby would be great to switch to the supply of other drugs.
How to deal with depression?
If within a couple of months you observe apathy, lethargy, mood swings, feel that “something is wrong”, immediately contact a neurologist or psychiatrist. The doctor will understand what is happening, determine whether you need medication and, if so, what kind, and refer you to a psychotherapist, if necessary. Follow his recommendations, discuss with a psychologist what is wrong in your life.
You are able to improve it on your own or with the help of others — here the author of the book is absolutely right in calling for restoring broken connections. Often, just in an effort to provide themselves with more comfortable conditions, people gradually change the social system as a whole, no matter how overwhelming this task may seem.