(no subject)
Read an interesting paper on depression by Paul Andrews and J. Anderson Thompson*. They argue that depression is a response that has evolved in human beings to help them deal with complex problems, particularly those which require analysis of complex social situations. Depression provides space for analysis of difficult problems that require tracing out networks of cause and effect, speculating on the actions of others, and performing difficult judgments weighing risks and benefits.
The writers compare depression to fever, which is a response that appears to be a disorder, but is actually an allocation of resources by the body to help fight infection while weakening less important areas of bodily function. They believe this applies to major depression as well as to subclinical depression, and that the two are essentially the same; however they consider bipolar depression is different.
While they claim depression is a useful form of cognition, there is debate over whether depressives' ruminations provide insight or are otherwise helpful, and they concede more research is needed. Depression involves two types of thought-process: problem analysis (pondering or reflection, breaking problems into component parts) and counterfactual analysis (brooding on what-if questions). It detaches people from unrewarding social environments, but also takes them from aspects of society that can cheer people up or help solve problems. It can help in problem-solving by drawing attention to problems and encouraging detailed methodical thought, but it can become unproductive and reduce performance at some tasks.
The effects of depression are not merely coincidental, but have the effect of concentrating the mind and removing distractions. Changes in brain chemistry (including in the serotonin system) increase concentration. Anhedonia (absence of pleasure in sex, food, and other diversions) keeps the mind focused on the problem. Preferences for solitude and feelings of fatigue, and reduced desire for eating and sleeping, may also increase people's ability to reflect on their problems.
The writers prefer talking therapy to drugs. Some psychotherapies (like CBT) are as effective as drugs in the short term and moreso in the long term. However some types of CBT may be better than others: the automatic thoughts component for directly changing how people think is less effective than EBA (enhanced behavioural activation therapy), which teaches people how to improve their social interactions, and IPT (interpersonal therapy), which focuses on problem-solving strategies and skills. This suggests that curing depression may require solving problems rather than changing thoughts or brain chemistry.
They show a wide range of reactions, from agitation to lethargy, which may be interpreted as depending on finding the best environment for cognition. Despite this, talking and exercise seem to help depressed people. This may be because these therapies are helpful in problem solving. Also, depressed people say they prefer psychotherapy to drugs even if they are reluctant to engage in social interactions; they will prefer a trusted objective therapist to a family member, which is consistent with the idea that social relations are producing the problem.
There is evidence that interpersonal conflict is linked with depression, and research shows it is more likely to cause depression if the relationship is otherwise co-operative. Research suggests that an avoidable stressor is more likely to cause depression than an unavoidable one, which suggests a link between depression and avoiding problems. Self-blame and an obsession with counterfactual what-ifs may be because depression is a tool developed to focus on avoidable problems.
A study in which depressed people were told to write about their darkest thoughts and feelings, and then graded on whether they were avoiding or processing their problems showed that those who analysed their problems more frequently and with more insight improved more; their peak of processing coincided with a peak of depressive symptoms. Research suggests depressed people may make more accurate judgments in complex analytical problems, from financial games to assessments of their own abilities and prospects. Prisoners'-dilemma situations show depressed people are more likely to make accurate rational assessments over whether to betray or co-operate and are less likely to blindly co-operate. But they are less likely to act on their judgments, due to over-caution, paying more attention to potential costs than benefits.
Other evolutionary explanations for depressive behaviour have been suggested, including that it encourages support and sympathy from loved ones, or acts to signal submission and hence bring an end to conflicts; however neither of these explain the cognitive element of depression. The authors suggest research on problem-solving in people with induced sad moods, and research comparing journal-based analysis with other treatments which don't affect or interfere with rumination. There are implications on the still poorly-understood relationship between serotonin (5-HT) and depression; antidepressants, by interfering with the ability to concentrate and ruminate, may in some cases prolong depression.
Just as other forms of pain help us not stick our hands in fire, depressive pain may be useful; it may reduce longer-term pain by forcing people to solve problems in a lasting way. Despite this, today we have a long list of ways of combatting the pain without solving the problem (drugs, alcohol, distractions). Depression first appeared, perhaps, with a caveman hiding in his cave for a few days to try and sort his life out; it was depression that forced him to stay there till he had an answer.But learning how to endure and utilize emotional pain may be part of the evolutionary heritage of depression, which may explain venerable philosophical traditions that view emotional pain as the impetus for growth and insight into oneself and the problems of life.
*The bright side of being blue: Depression as an adaptation for analyzing complex problems.
Andrews, Paul W.; Thomson Jr., J. Anderson
Psychological Review. Vol 116(3), Jul 2009, 620-654.ABSTRACT: Depression is the primary emotional condition for which help is sought. Depressed people often report persistent rumination, which involves analysis, and complex social problems in their lives. Analysis is often a useful approach for solving complex problems, but it requires slow, sustained processing, so disruption would interfere with problem solving. The analytical rumination hypothesis proposes that depression is an evolved response to complex problems, whose function is to minimize disruption and sustain analysis of those problems by (a) giving the triggering problem prioritized access to processing resources, (b) reducing the desire to engage in distracting activities (anhedonia), and (c) producing psychomotor changes that reduce exposure to distracting stimuli. As processing resources are limited, sustained analysis of the triggering problem reduces the ability to concentrate on other things. The hypothesis is supported by evidence from many levels-genes, neurotransmitters and their receptors, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, neuroenergetics, pharmacology, cognition, behavior, and efficacy of treatments. In addition, the hypothesis provides explanations for puzzling findings in the depression literature, challenges the belief that serotonin transmission is low in depression, and has implications for treatment.
The writers compare depression to fever, which is a response that appears to be a disorder, but is actually an allocation of resources by the body to help fight infection while weakening less important areas of bodily function. They believe this applies to major depression as well as to subclinical depression, and that the two are essentially the same; however they consider bipolar depression is different.
While they claim depression is a useful form of cognition, there is debate over whether depressives' ruminations provide insight or are otherwise helpful, and they concede more research is needed. Depression involves two types of thought-process: problem analysis (pondering or reflection, breaking problems into component parts) and counterfactual analysis (brooding on what-if questions). It detaches people from unrewarding social environments, but also takes them from aspects of society that can cheer people up or help solve problems. It can help in problem-solving by drawing attention to problems and encouraging detailed methodical thought, but it can become unproductive and reduce performance at some tasks.
The effects of depression are not merely coincidental, but have the effect of concentrating the mind and removing distractions. Changes in brain chemistry (including in the serotonin system) increase concentration. Anhedonia (absence of pleasure in sex, food, and other diversions) keeps the mind focused on the problem. Preferences for solitude and feelings of fatigue, and reduced desire for eating and sleeping, may also increase people's ability to reflect on their problems.
The writers prefer talking therapy to drugs. Some psychotherapies (like CBT) are as effective as drugs in the short term and moreso in the long term. However some types of CBT may be better than others: the automatic thoughts component for directly changing how people think is less effective than EBA (enhanced behavioural activation therapy), which teaches people how to improve their social interactions, and IPT (interpersonal therapy), which focuses on problem-solving strategies and skills. This suggests that curing depression may require solving problems rather than changing thoughts or brain chemistry.
They show a wide range of reactions, from agitation to lethargy, which may be interpreted as depending on finding the best environment for cognition. Despite this, talking and exercise seem to help depressed people. This may be because these therapies are helpful in problem solving. Also, depressed people say they prefer psychotherapy to drugs even if they are reluctant to engage in social interactions; they will prefer a trusted objective therapist to a family member, which is consistent with the idea that social relations are producing the problem.
There is evidence that interpersonal conflict is linked with depression, and research shows it is more likely to cause depression if the relationship is otherwise co-operative. Research suggests that an avoidable stressor is more likely to cause depression than an unavoidable one, which suggests a link between depression and avoiding problems. Self-blame and an obsession with counterfactual what-ifs may be because depression is a tool developed to focus on avoidable problems.
A study in which depressed people were told to write about their darkest thoughts and feelings, and then graded on whether they were avoiding or processing their problems showed that those who analysed their problems more frequently and with more insight improved more; their peak of processing coincided with a peak of depressive symptoms. Research suggests depressed people may make more accurate judgments in complex analytical problems, from financial games to assessments of their own abilities and prospects. Prisoners'-dilemma situations show depressed people are more likely to make accurate rational assessments over whether to betray or co-operate and are less likely to blindly co-operate. But they are less likely to act on their judgments, due to over-caution, paying more attention to potential costs than benefits.
Other evolutionary explanations for depressive behaviour have been suggested, including that it encourages support and sympathy from loved ones, or acts to signal submission and hence bring an end to conflicts; however neither of these explain the cognitive element of depression. The authors suggest research on problem-solving in people with induced sad moods, and research comparing journal-based analysis with other treatments which don't affect or interfere with rumination. There are implications on the still poorly-understood relationship between serotonin (5-HT) and depression; antidepressants, by interfering with the ability to concentrate and ruminate, may in some cases prolong depression.
Just as other forms of pain help us not stick our hands in fire, depressive pain may be useful; it may reduce longer-term pain by forcing people to solve problems in a lasting way. Despite this, today we have a long list of ways of combatting the pain without solving the problem (drugs, alcohol, distractions). Depression first appeared, perhaps, with a caveman hiding in his cave for a few days to try and sort his life out; it was depression that forced him to stay there till he had an answer.But learning how to endure and utilize emotional pain may be part of the evolutionary heritage of depression, which may explain venerable philosophical traditions that view emotional pain as the impetus for growth and insight into oneself and the problems of life.
*The bright side of being blue: Depression as an adaptation for analyzing complex problems.
Andrews, Paul W.; Thomson Jr., J. Anderson
Psychological Review. Vol 116(3), Jul 2009, 620-654.ABSTRACT: Depression is the primary emotional condition for which help is sought. Depressed people often report persistent rumination, which involves analysis, and complex social problems in their lives. Analysis is often a useful approach for solving complex problems, but it requires slow, sustained processing, so disruption would interfere with problem solving. The analytical rumination hypothesis proposes that depression is an evolved response to complex problems, whose function is to minimize disruption and sustain analysis of those problems by (a) giving the triggering problem prioritized access to processing resources, (b) reducing the desire to engage in distracting activities (anhedonia), and (c) producing psychomotor changes that reduce exposure to distracting stimuli. As processing resources are limited, sustained analysis of the triggering problem reduces the ability to concentrate on other things. The hypothesis is supported by evidence from many levels-genes, neurotransmitters and their receptors, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, neuroenergetics, pharmacology, cognition, behavior, and efficacy of treatments. In addition, the hypothesis provides explanations for puzzling findings in the depression literature, challenges the belief that serotonin transmission is low in depression, and has implications for treatment.