Biohacking Depression – Part I
The 21st century has seen an alarming rise in depression and anxiety along with other mental health issues. And just like people want to take care of their physical health, they should also make sure to focus on their mental health, too.
Today, there are more than 260 million people in the world who are suffering from depression (and these are just the cases we know about). Moreover, these numbers are increasing significantly with every passing day. Taking a look at the lifestyle that modern society has installed in each of us that we consider normal, is very much not natural. Addressing that may provide us a means of remedy in understanding and ultimately fighting depression itself.
We’re Leading Very Different Lives Today
People today have access to more food than our ancestors had, but we’re not eating any healthier than they did. But it’s not just how we eat that’s changed. By nature, humans are hunters and gatherers. Our ancestors ate an all-natural diet, slept when the sun went down, and were constantly active. Social bonds were often a means of survival, and people only experienced stress in bursts–which were often followed by longer periods of relaxation.
Now look at the lives of many of us in modern society, who are often getting too little sleep, too little sunlight and live in a perpetual state of stress and worry. Overall, it’s taking a toll on our health, physically and mentally.
Looking At The Neurological Possibilities
It shouldn’t be a surprise that a diversion from human biological needs has led to severe suboptimal health that can be seen both in a physical and mental sense. From a neurological standpoint, we know that a bunch of internal brain-related issues can occur from internal processes not operating properly. This could be something like neurotransmitters such as dopamine or serotonin having impaired functioning, different hormones not properly regulating emotion, or a whole host of other causes.
Today’s modern lifestyle makes it easier for one to be susceptible to the disruption of neurotransmitter functions. It is important to note that modern technology and advances in the health field have allowed us to understand all the biology that is at play when it comes to depression. Now it’s up to us to use the resources our ancestors did not have for a healthier lifestyle.
Getting To The Cause Of Depression
When most people feel depressed, they often look to antidepressants as a “quick-fix.” While antidepressants do end up treating symptoms, this does not mean that they always provide a solution to the core causes of the depression. Because of this, there have been a high number of cases in which antidepressants led to increased depression despite patients feeling less depressed. This is why antidepressants can cause a dangerous cycle of one thinking they are not depressed, only to find out later that the depression has only grown from within.
Being unable to getting to the root cause of depression can be what often keeps one in an ongoing depressive state. Is it an unhealthy lifestyle? Chronic stress from work or school? Traumatic past events buried deep within? Maybe it’s all of these combined. Whatever the reason, solutions can’t be created until you find the cause. Yet uncovering this truth is often the hardest part. That is why people often jump into medication, psychotherapy, brain stimulation, or even psychedelics to treat their depression.
Understanding the biology of the symptoms of depression show us why the causes of depression may lie in one not living a more “natural” lifestyle. The following parts of this article will incorporate the benefits of what modern research and technology can offer to detail methods toward a more “natural” lifestyle to overcome depression.