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We’ve Got Depression All Wrong. It’s Trying to Save Us. (www.psychologytoday.com)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by nifty@lemmy.world to c/science@lemmy.world

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If depression is the emotional expression of the immobilization response, then the solution is to move out of that state of defense. Porges believes it is not enough to simply remove the threat. Rather, the nervous system has to detect robust signals of safety to bring the social state back online. The best way to do that? Social connection.

For people who don’t prefer social connection, I’ve seen that exercise works well

Edit: just want to highlight that polyvagal theory, the main point behind this article, is unsubstantiated thus far

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvagal_theory

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[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 2 months ago

Seems to be an ambitious rethinking of depression. As someone diagnosed bi-polar, I'll watch the development of this idea with interest.

But if the threat continues indefinitely and there is no way to fight or flee, the immobilization response continues. And since the response also changes brain activity, it impacts how people’s emotions and their ability to solve problems. People feel like they can’t get moving physically or mentally, they feel hopeless and helpless. That’s depression

[…]

Immobilization has an important role. It dulls pain and makes us feel disconnected. Think of a rabbit hanging limply in the fox’s mouth: that rabbit is shutting down so it won’t suffer too badly when the fox eats it. And the immobilization response also has a metabolic effect, slowing the metabolism and switching the body to ketosis. Some doctors speculate that this metabolic state could help to heal severe illness.

I could see this being the case. If I hate my job and have no other prospects on the horizon, my getting angry at stupid decisions by mgmt threaten my ability to preserve my position. But sarcastically resenting them keep me in stasis. I don't think that's a great analogy for what is being described here, but that's what I've got off the cuff.