From Jonah Lehrer’s fascinating article in last week’s NY Times magazine entitled “Depression’s Upside” which traces the research currently being done on depression from an evolutionary perspective, i.e. the attempt to answer the question, “Is there an evolutionary purpose to depression and if so what is it?”. Shaky ground… Most of the article outlines the so-called “analytic rumination hypothesis” which boils down to the following:
“If depression didn’t exist — if we didn’t react to stress and trauma with endless ruminations — then we would be less likely to solve our predicaments. Wisdom isn’t cheap, and we pay for it with pain.“
Hmmm. The article also touches on the increasing prevalence of anti-depressants (also touched upon in last week’s episode of Big Love):
“I remember one patient who came in and said she needed to reduce her dosage,” he says. “I asked her if the antidepressants were working, and she said something I’ll never forget. ‘Yes, they’re working great,’ she told me. ‘I feel so much better. But I’m still married to the same alcoholic son of a bitch. It’s just now he’s tolerable.’ ”The point is the woman was depressed for a reason; her pain was about something. While the drugs made her feel better, no real progress was ever made.
Whatever you make of the claims put forth in the article, the conclusion is powerful:
To say that depression has a purpose or that sadness makes us smarter says nothing about its awfulness. A fever, after all, might have benefits, but we still take pills to make it go away. This is the paradox of evolution: even if our pain is useful, the urge to escape from the pain remains the most powerful instinct of all.
If you’re wondering what David Foster Wallace would say, read the article, as they reference him at length… Though I’m not convinced they fully capture his perspective. But perhaps more importantly, what would Dave Chapelle say?! Probably something like this. [Warning: Very, very coarse language. Seriously, if expletives offend you, do not watch it. But similar to, say, the final scene in Gran Torino, the clip is simply too amazing not to share, especially with those of you who are interested in the subject of depression (ht TB)].
COMMENTS
3 responses to “The Upside Of Depression?”
Leave a Reply
The Dave Chapelle monologue was da bomb. Loved it.
The NYT article has evoked a lot of criticism. Here's a piece I saw this weekend:
http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/depression/depression-has-no-upside
"Wisdom isn't cheap, and we pay for it with pain" reminds me very much of a song off the newest Morrissey album, Years of Refusal, called "That's How People Grow Up."
The first stanza and a half:
"I was wasting my time
Trying to fall in love
Disappointment came to me and
Booted me and bruised and hurt me
But that's how people grow up
That's how people grow up"
Also worth noting is the classically matter-of-fact Morrissey moment later in the same song where he expresses guilt for all of his feelings of loneliness:
"I was driving my car
I crashed and broke my spine
So yes there are things worse in life than
Never being someone's sweetie"
great, great comment Bob! I LOVE that song. surprisingly repentant, esp for morrissey. too bad he had to include that line about looking for love from someone who doesn't exist… but i suppose that's why we love him!