Dr. Martin Hash Podcast

Depression is a symptom of affluence. People are evolved to get enjoyment from simple accomplishments, like having enough food to eat, evading a threat, or building shelter. When those things are provided without effort, it becomes more difficult to find individual purpose; and when child-bearing & rearing are also reduced, the lack of motivation becomes epidemic, as evidenced by the fact that a quarter of all women in their forties are taking prescription mood-enhancing drugs.

Depression is a natural aspect of biology: high insulin levels from eating too much sugar, low dopamine levels from not getting enough sleep, and hormonal changes during menopause are just some examples. The swing from elation to despair and back goes on in everybody, some more than others. When the swing is too dramatic, a person's cognitive faculties are compromised to the point of mental illness, which means it impacts their decision-making. There's also non-pharmacological treatment: videogames are addictive because they provide the little successes that counteract depression, and hobbies are another effective solution; however, the push by some to go back to more primitive times is wishful thinking and naivete, though joining the Amish may be the answer for some.