Depression is a symptom, not a disease

The little corner of Europe of Europe I live in, depression is not such a popular disorder, although Big Pharma - affiliated NGOs are doing their best to point out there’s a ‘depression epidemic’ sweeping our country. I do not believe in this ‘epidemic’ myself, yet, I find it that I tend to use the term depression quite often to explain why some of the people I know are behaving the way they do. Why is my friend overeating or not going out much? Obviously, she’s has a depression. It’s an easy and convenient explanation.
It is by thinking at specific cases I know that I came to the conclusion that what we call depression is not a disorder, but rather a symptom of a much deeper existential crisis. The same way as fever is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of an infection. Focusing the treatment on fever alone is useless and potentially dangerous as the infection can spread unchecked. The same goes for depression - putting a patient on mood-altering anti-depressants might help them feel better short-term, yet the problems affecting them linger on.

The epic-proportions depression epidemic sweeping much of the Western world can be traced back to the 1970s when the American Psychiatric Association came up with the idea that depression is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, which can be easily cured by anti-depressants. Big Pharma got access to a very lucrative market, while the people themselves were relieved that the negative feelings they experienced had a physiological cause, so it is not they’re fault they’re feeling low.
Why question ones own life choices when there’s a more convenient explanation?

Throughout history depression has been given many names and various explanations - from black bile to demonic possessions. 17th century scholar Robert Burton analyzed this disorder in “The Anatomy of Melancholy”. The potential cures he suggested are a healthy diet, enough sleep, music and meaningful work. Basically, living a better life. Can you even imagine a modern doctor sending off a patient with a simple recommendation like ‘take it easy, relax, go to a few concerts’? Me neither!
First of all because there’s no money for Big Pharma in that, but also because people would then start questioning our modern way of life and perhaps demand changes!
The biggest problem is many people are trapped in mind-numbing jobs that don’t give them no satisfaction and no meaning whatsoever.
According to a 2012 Gallup survey on job satisfaction found out that only 13% of people were actually satisfied with their job and looking forward to going to work.
A huge 63% described themselves as ‘not engaged’ in their work, meaning that they ‘sleepwalked’ through their work hours. Finally, almost a quarter, 24%, admitted to positively hating their jobs. Adding up these numbers, we get almost 90% of people finding no satisfaction or sense of fulfillment in their work, which in most cases means spending one third of a day doing something you find boring, unpleasant and meaningless, with a fake smile on their faces.
Being trapped in a job which brings you little satisfaction and many times not enough money is just one of the problems that affect a person’s psychological well-being. Most of us also have to deal with unhealthy relationships, low self-esteem, lack of confidence.
Have a look at the depression symptoms as defined by the American Psychiatric Association:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

How many of you have experienced such problems at some point? My guess is most. It’s so easy to fit the above criteria when you hate your job, you constantly worry over bills and on a personal level you feel you’re in the wrong relationship. According to the APA, if you experience such symptoms over a period of two weeks you have a depression and you need treatment. Yet, what the pills do is take the edge off the unhappiness you’re experiencing. Anti-depressants only help people ignore how much they hate their lives. No wonder effects wear of over time and you need ever stronger pills. You’re just addressing the symptoms, not the underlying disease.

Unfortunately, many people are only too eager to take some pills to help them cope with their misery, instead of digging deeper into their minds to find out what really makes them unhappy and make adjustments. Change is scary to most people!

‘If you are depressed and anxious, you are not a machine with malfunctioning parts. You are a human being with unmet needs. The only real way out of our epidemic of despair is for all of us, together, to begin to meet those human needs – for deep connection, to the things that really matter in life’. (Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari)

Thanks for reading!

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