If I had been diagnosed with Depression in Babylonian times, they might have used exorcism techniques to drive out the demons causing my affliction. Beatings, restraint and starvation. The Middle Ages gave rise to a Christian population that saw Depression as a sign of demonic possession that might be contagious. People suffering from Depression were drowned, burned, and locked away in "lunatic asylums." Nineteenth century depression cures included water immersion (think water-boarding), spinning (to induce dizziness and rearrange the brain), an early form of electroshock therapy (brought to us by Benjamin Franklin), horseback riding, enemas and vomiting. Had I been severely depressed in the early part of the twentieth century they might have removed my frontal lobe. Who doesn't want experimental brain surgery after all. The first anti-depressant medication was iproniazid, a drug originally designed to treat tuberculosis. They discovered its anti-depressive qualities after finding that patients were no longer lying in bed listlessly, but playing cards and dancing in the hallways. There has been a very long-term argument about the nature of Depression and whether its roots are biological, social or mental. The best research and the best treatments consider it to be a combination of many factors. And since the complicating factors are varied, the treatments must be as well. A physical treatment, a mental treatment, a social treatment. You cannot rely on just one. Daily Convexions took pills (150 mg sertraline; 150 mg bupropion) almost drank enough water (I'll go get more now) shot macro photog Comments are closed.
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K. BuchananQuaker, teacher, parent, |