Things that look like depression

• Evolutional Psychology/Anthropological Psychology by Ed Riemann LCSW, 1/2/97
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    • Degree of Depression by William B. Secor, 1/10/97
      
      

I'm reminded of the "helplessness" phenomenon shown by a rat when beaten by another rat. The loser often goes limp and elevates his throat, the victor holds the pose and relaxes the attack. I suspect Wilson or Dawkins would (and perhaps has) cite this as an adaptive mechanism that allows the weaker to survive and reproduce.

Playing dead, or a rabbit's freeze can pay off if a predators visual systems are gated by motion, especially rapid motion. If this relatively immediate response were to be prolonged by limbic systems then we may have a foundation for hopelessness (an "exaptation"?)

I wonder if there's a clinical difference between depression due to social rejection and that arising hopelessness? And, I wonder if there's a different response to various classes of antidepressants. Certainly, the SSRI's have effectiveness for lessening rejection feelings. I wonder if antidepressants with more of an adrenergic component would be effective for the hopelessness cases? Does anyone know of any data?

Also, someone could have a lot of fun combining these possibilities with hypotheses basing depression on responses to seasonal slow downs such as sleep changes (hibernation), higher fat intake, and motivational inertia.

JimB

• Meds and Hopelessness vs. Rejection Sensitivity by Judith Kraybill, Ph.D., 2/9/97
• Playing dead, or a rabbit's frieze ... by Brian Robinson, 6/12/97
  • Can I reply to myself? by Brian Robinson, 6/12/97
    • Freeze/Frieze by James Brody, 6/14/97
  • Roles of Depression by James Brody, 6/14/97
• Differential responses to medications among Things that look like depression by Jim Pfrommer, 11/24/97
  • Shame/Guilt Modulation by James Brody, 11/24/97
  • Non-specificity of treatments for depression by Mike Hall, Ph.D., 2/3/98