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Does it have a survival function? Is depression useful in some way?

2007-09-10 21:18:28 · 5 answers · asked by hypno_toad1 7 in Social Science Psychology

5 answers

Depression could only be useful were one to subscribe to the concept of nuclear evolution, meaning that particular atoms that make up the molecules of biological tissue and biological process electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc...) actually evolve in some particular way to meet an external social or environmental demand. Depression is well defined and well understood today as having an underlying cause from a deficit of particular neurotransmitters in specific regions of the brain, or impaired physiological sites where these neurotransmitters are normally manufactured. Our emotions, like our thoughts and our abilities to store information in memory, are chemical in nature. An imbalance in one's brain chemistry is why we have disorders like mainc-depression, severe clinical depression, schizophrenia, even possibly in some cases impotence. So if you believe that chlorine atoms and potassiom ions have adapted over time to find another "use" - as if they had an intention to begin with after being spun from the gaseuos hydrogen and helium that were present in the universe's infancy - then, sure, maybe there is some usefulness to be discovered with depression. If on the other hand, you believe that the electrolytes that catalyze neuronic processes by giving the electrons in our brains network a path to take are just electrolytes that exist without purpose, without meaning, without intention or direction - then the idea of useful depression can't be validated.

Carbon is carbon is carbon is carbon today as was carbon of the past. Likewise for depression. It's just a condition that is the result of some abnormal chemistry.

I'm trying, by the way, to stop laughing at the last guy's theory that we aren't supposed to spend too much time depressed...I didn't realize there were time limits on physiology. Didn't they know this theory in the 1700s?? I wonder...give me a break.

2007-09-10 21:45:55 · answer #1 · answered by copenhagen smile 4 · 2 1

crying or weeping, is increased lacrimation due to strong emotional stress, depression or physical pain. This practice is not restricted to negative emotions; many people have been known to cry when extremely happy or when they are laughing. In humans, emotional tears can be accompanied by reddening of the face and sobbing — cough-like, convulsive breathing, sometimes involving spasms of the whole upper body. Tears brought about by emotions have a different chemical make up than those for lubrication. The limbic system is involved in production of basic emotional drives, such as anger, fear, etc. The limbic system also has a degree of control over the autonomic system. This is more specifically the hypothalamus. It is the parasympathetic system that controls the lacrimal glands. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter specific to both the nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. It is when the receptors are activated that the lacrimal gland is stimulated to produce tears.

2016-05-17 04:54:42 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

Of course it's useful.

Like guilt its a psycological form of pain.

If you life strategy is screwing things up, depression makes you stop and think about what's going wrong.

Like pain though, the idea is to pull you away from bad things. You aren't supposed to spend much time being depressed.

Edit:
So, Copenhagen are you STILL laughing at the notion physiological states have time limits, or does the physiological state of laughter have a time limit?

2007-09-10 21:39:09 · answer #3 · answered by Phoenix Quill 7 · 0 0

I think it's a sign that things aren't going the right way. Like if you have a lot of problems in your life then that's how it happens.
I don't think it's particularly useful but unfortunately a lot of people screw others over and the world is not perfect.

2007-09-11 01:18:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Wow,good question.My opinion,only if a person is able to get out of that terror called depression,will they see that life is much better than they may have thought before.

2007-09-10 21:26:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

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