These slides were prepared for NAMI Block Island Spring Conference, 2018, to accompany showing of a TED talk by Andrew Solomon - that is at https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_depression_the_secret_we_share
3. CAUSES
UNKNOWN ! ! ! … but …
Chemical or psychological? … what kind of cure? … not advanced
enough…primitive science
“Depression was something braided so deep into us that there was no
separating it from our character and personality”
Depression is the flaw in Love…
Confuse depression, grief and sadness
Genetic vulnerability … and triggering circumstances …
4. TREATMENTS
• Chemical and psychological both have a role to play… treatments re
appalling… side effects… grateful now, not 50 years ago…
• Ways people make themselves better …
• Medication, certain kinds of therapy, maybe ECT … are conservative
treatments
• Depression is an illness of how you feel, tolerance of vast world of
alternative treatments … but not one size fits all … need perspective
… and reflection/awareness … how do I feel now
5. ATTITUDES
• Of the sufferer
• Courage, optimism, shame, feeling ridiculous, feeling overwhelmed,
• Not to be talked about [who wants to hear about me?]
• Of others
• A weakness of character, A middle class problem, not to be talked about [family
secret, can’t intrude, embarrassing…]
• Both – a False Moral Imperative, treatment an interference with
self, not natural,
6. FURTHER INSIGHTS / COMMENTS
• You know its ridiculous [sufferers are not without their ordinary
faculties]
• Acute anxiety – depression – sensation of being afraid [can we
compare these, as worse or better, or just all bad?]
• Medication making me someone else [Who Am I? Do I know?]
• Burdensome nature of secrecy [exhaustion, takes up time and
energy]
7. LIVING WITH DEPRESSION
• The opposite of depression is VITALITY
• Mood is Adaptive, Depression is Maladaptive
• Those who deny experience are enslaved by it
• Needs are our greatest assets, they bring SEEKING and
LEARNING
8. ILLS OF THE MODERN WORLD
- WAYS WE CAN MAKE OURSELVES BETTER
Meritocracy – both good fortune and bad exist – have as much to do
with success or failure as talent and energy
Individualism – don’t aim for SPECIAL/STAR – celebrate heroism of
ordinary life
Secularism – look for that which is beyond us – sea, stars, deserts,
music, transcendence
Romanticism – build relationships from friendships and interests, not
ideals and sex
Media – look for solutions, not outrage, etc. systemic issues not
scapegoats, local news
Notes de l'éditeur
What stays in your mind from this talk?
What we hear from Solomon, general statements.
What do you hear, what struck you most
ACE- adverse childhood experience
Resilience
Neuroscience/ Solms /
The Body keeps the Score
http://npsa-association.org/videos/video-1-general-principles-of-the-hypothetico-%c2%addeductive-approach/ difference between psychometric measurement/testing approach that is “norm” based and hypothetico/deductive approach that is clinical based on start point with patient experience, flexible techniques…
Feel – an emotion, or feeling that arises from the experience of emotion, is defined in neuroscience as a piece of information about the state of the organism.
This is from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO0v_JqxFmQ
From Panksepp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65e2qScV_K8 , Primal Emotions: SEEKING [enthusiastic], RAGE [fed-up – furious], FEAR [anxious], LUST [horny], CARE [tender, loving] PANIC [lonely and sad], PLAY [joyous]
The genetics of play nd positive affect, eg laughter, have led to new kind of search for anti-depressants, Rapastinel [GLYX – 13] is in trial
