Feeling depressed is as if a cloud has passed over your life – hence the term ‘feeling blue’. You can feel trapped within a debilitating flatness of mood with seemingly no end of the tunnel. Appetite may disappear or you may find yourself mindlessly eating without any pleasure, sensation of hunger or satiation. Depression spirals you into a place whereby you become ‘absent from life’ and any attempts by others to lift your spirits is met with disinterest or indifference. What is this thing we called Depression? Is it due to chemical imbalance, unresolved issues within an individual or an inevitable response to modern living?
Depite medical debate and differing evidence on changed brain chemistry, few people would doubt that modern life presents challenges that might debilitate or overwhelm us. The busyness of our lives often limits time for self-reflection, community belonging and relaxation and might be seen to contribute. Likewise, an individual with plenty of time on their hands might feel overwhelmed by the lack of direction or value they believe they contribute. Little wonder a person may feel depressed – maybe their depression masks a deeper existential longing for more meaning, purpose or real connection with others?
Looking for scientific clues as to why depression occurs will result in scientific answers because ‘if all you have is a hammer, every problem becomes a nail’. By asking different questions about the human condition, you might find answers more aptly related to what it is to be human and our real choices of how we want to be.