Depression in Western hemisphere vs. Primitive cultures?

[HalfBked]

Researchers have assessed modern-day hunter-gatherer bands — such as the Kaluli people of the New Guinea highlands — for the presence of mental illness, and they found that clinical depression is almost completely nonexistent among such groups.

Despite being much more likely to experience tragic events like the death of a child or a crippling illness, and living with none of the material comforts or medical advances we take for granted, they’re largely immune to the plague of depressive illness.

But how are hunter-gatherers able to weather life’s storms so effectively? Based on the available research, it seems that the hunter-gatherer lifestyle is profoundly antidepressant. As they go about their daily lives, they naturally wind up doing things that keep them from getting depressed, things that change the brain more powerfully than any medication. These range from exercising regularly and eating plenty of omega-3 fats to belonging to active social networks and getting enough sleep.

http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues ... ession.php

Probably one of the better research articles in to mood disorders I've read this year.

[Voltage]

I was reading something a while ago that said the rate of depression is alarming for youth in the West and moderately low in other cultures. One of the hypothesis they gave is the previous generations have done all the fighting for this generation so these ones do not have a "greater cause" to devote themselves too. They become bored and life becomes meaningless and mundane.

I think when you are doding bullets or trying to find your next meal, mobbing around is a luxury and even in the event of tragic situations, humans are very resilient and highly adaptable so they move on. They become "conditioned" to life/death/tragedy. Still it doesn't mean depression doesn't exist with others particularly in violent prone areas.

But this issue with the Papua New Guineans is very interesting. In my personally opinion, and it is definitely not scientific, but I just don't think they are civilized enough or aware intellectually and emotionally enough to have such complex behaviour.

After all, even within West society, depression is highest among the highly educated. Pretty much the majority of literally and artistic geniuses the West has seen in the last 400 years has an advanced level of "tragedy" in their personal lives, from Van Gogh to Hemingway. Most of them would be qualified as clinically depressed, even suicidal and many did kill themselves.

[LobsterUnit]

People in Somalia aint depressed so long as the montly dahabshill comes through

[Voltage]

People in Somalia aint depressed so long as the montly dahabshill comes through

Ironically enough just couple days ago I was reading an article saying Somalia has the highest rate of mental illness in the world.

The country has been mired in civil war for almost as long as he's been alive. Doctors say the 25-year-old's brother and sister both were killed in front of him. Soon after Qasim began wandering the streets naked.

The World Health Organization estimates that one in three Somalis have suffered from some kind of mental illness, a rate that is among the highest in the world.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/ ... 4911.shtml

Of course I believe it based on my own observations of Somalis here. Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, are very very common from what I have observed of Somalis.

[HalfBked]

The actual scientific meaning of depression and what the average person calls depression are not necessarily the same thing. In most cases when you hear depression in a psychiatric context, its clinical depression, which has specific symptoms and treatment. The research article discusses the lack of clinical depression and even much of its symptoms in hunter & gatherer societies, which is as primitive down the hierarchy as anyone can get. These communities are in basic survivalist mode, they neither have the intellect nor the time to be sitting around contemplating their future aspirations & lament about their shortcomings. Their brains are wired differently than the average person in the modern world, due to environmental factors. Also, the fact that individuals in the West have become sedentary, eat very little omega 3 & 6 rich foods, get very little sun, very little sleep and are virtually in isolation plays a critical role in the spikes in most of these mood disorders. Our brains were just not meant to be deprived of such basic necessities for such prolonged periods of time, because it affects our dopamine & seratonin levels that primarily control our moods.

As for the high rate of mental disorders in Somalia, most of these disoders are cognitive including schizophrenia and often times hereditary. We also have a lot of developmental disorders and the fact that the average Somali lives his whole life without ever undergoing any evaluation means we will simply never know the magnitude of these illnesses in our midst. Nevertheless, even mood disorders go undiagnosed in Somalia including post-partum depression because of ignorance. Somalia is not a hunter & gatherer society, we are not immune to much of the similar issues that affect people in the West, our brains are wired differently from the people in this research study. However, we do get more sunlight, get to socialize more and are not as sedentary as the avarage Westerner. We are a fair game.

[Abdihaliim]

"We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but depression is much more than just sadness."

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depress ... atment.htm