This is the dilemma that was addressed to me in university. Does depression decrease Serotonin or does a lack of Serotonin cause depression? The jury has been out for a long time. Yes, Serotonin treatment alleviates the symptoms. I don’t think the medical model relies on drugs alone for depression. It also recommends counseling. The Seretonan model is also 50 years old. (I just found that out.)
“Overall, this evidence suggests that impairing serotonin function can cause clinical depression in some circumstances, but is neither necessary nor sufficient.”
I mentioned before, when I had clients with symptoms of depression, we would hold sessions by going for walks. I had very good success with this. (I worked on a university campus and there were plenty of places to walk.) This would not always be an option and, some depressions are justified. Someone is experiencing depression in the form of homesickness. Getting out, walking, making friends, getting to know your neighborhood and interacting with others can be part of the cure. If your dog died, … not so much. There is a time and place for everything. Any treatment has to match the situation.
And I submit to you the idea that it is not addiction but bad parenting. What in the hell is a kid doing with an i-phone? Now, I might agree to buy my kid an i-phone, but it would be under the condition that all school work is done, grades are above ‘C,’ and it is only to be carried on weekends and holidays. It will have a stand in the house where I can see it the rest of the time, and it will be turned off.
What a kid does with their cell phone is up to you, until they reach the age of 18.
That article isn’t negative regarding serotonin nor SSRI. It is discussing a “one cause” (just serotonin) as reason for depression - which was perhaps a “cause” (I’m not in this field nor an expert). They do discuss relevant utd studies of the complexity of the receptors, other chemicals, digestion (inflammation) and neuroscience - the complexity of the situation.
Depressive states or thinking processes can be learned or “un-learned” OR can be influenced as well via the transmitters/receptors:
It in no way discourages the usefulness of the SSRI, but (imo as a layman) encourages not a professional laziness to treating depression or a reliance on, say family doctors, just prescribing long term anti-depression meds without therapies or (I would hope) diagnoses.
My suggestion? Since this is an atheist forum with laymen, perhaps asking your peers within your field their thoughts maybe more useful for such a “link”.
This Narcissist with a Personality Disorder is telling you to fuck off!
Nor did I. Obviously the treatment is useful or it would not be used. But it is addressing symptoms and not causes. (I think that is the point I intended to make and also why I looked at Narcissistic Personality Disorder as a cause — or possibly the same thing expressed differently.) Like I said, just a thought I woke up with this morning. A link between narcissism and depression.
Are depressive feelings experienced by someone with NPD as consistent as is necessary for a depression diagnosis, or more likely to come and go or occur less frequently in their case?
Also, AFAIK, those diagnosed with depression experience more persistent self-directed symptoms. Would people with narcissism exhibiting depression symptoms not likely be directing those toward others as well as inwardly?
And is reacting with anger or denial if one’s worldview and self-perception are challenged a prominent feature of depression?
No idea… I’m not calling NPD depressive. NPD has its own set of symptoms. I’m sure someone diagnosed with NPD can also experience depression. I think a Depressive personality is just NPD expressed differently. That was the thought anyway. Depression is also Narcissistic. (Narcissistic isn’t necessarily depression.) Depression is an outward manifestation of the narcissistic personality in the same way narcissistic personality disorder is an outward manifestation.
Bot depression and NPD are symptoms of the Narcissistic personality. Same dysfunction expressed differently.
Yes… my point exactly. Everything in depression is ‘self directed,’ just like NPD
I would think so. Try telling a depressed person all they need to do is exercise or change the way they think. (Both extremely standard treatment modalities - REBT - Gesdtalt - Behaviorism - all use these modalities with success.) What’s the ole saying? Change your mind and you change the world. Norman Vincent Peale
Honestly I have herd the name and I know nothing about the guy. I have always liked the expression. I should probably know a bit more about the man I am quoting. LOL
Yo lady, this guy ain’t no layperson but I do play one at auto repair places so they don’t make fun of my big words.
An actual photo of me taken just last week, looking professional and thinky while obviously contemplating the similarities of turned spindle chairs of the early Middle Ages to modern versions… and stuff.
OMG! I just looked the guy up. AKA God’s Salesman! LOL… “The Power of Positive Thinking,” I gotta go wash my hands… It’s still a great quote. I gotta go wash my hands again. I literally hate this positive thinking bullshit. It is as delusional as religion.
Can I take back my quote… Oh fuck, but I really like it. Damn, I gotta go wash my hands again.
I know what I will do. I’m not even sure there is a thing called a mind. So I don’t believe in that woo woo shit. I will just say, “Change your thinking,” or ‘Change your beliefs,’ both perfectly real, 'and you can change the world." I will never quote the man again. Problem solved. “Change your beliefs and you can change your world.” (The Mighty Cog)
Maybe… “Change Your Beliefs While Ensuring That They Have a Sound Basis in Logic or Fact and You Can Change the World.”
I’d slap a bumper sticker of that onto my piece of shit car.
I mean, we don’t want to encourage another group of people to come along and change the world who have invented a messiah-centered religion and managed to sell a dominant world leader on declaring it the official state religion, after all.
I’m actually not asserting there is any truth to the idea. I just looked at the symptoms and made a mental connection. It seems a frutive area of inquiry… IMO I just thought it was very interesting. One must be very self focused to be depressed. (does depression cause the self focus or does one’s narcicissim cause symptoms of depression?)
