Depression and Addiction, two of the greatest problems in our society and two of the most important topics on this forum. What I now begin to understand is that neither is being understood by society or most of us individually and the results of this is catastrophic for our community and the world in general. Jails are full, suicide is up, etc.
This article is a summary, by the author, of an important new book about depression. It has a critical viewpoint similar to the new understanding of addiction.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... e_btn_link
Starting with addiction, the mouse in a cage was given a choice of drug-laced water and another with regular water. Eventually the mouse chose the drugged water, got sick and died. Another scientist tried the experiment differently. He had the mouse in a cage with family, lots of the opposite sex, places to exercise. This mouse actually ignored the drugged water.
Vietnam vets, in a terrible war, had easy access to cheap heroin, etc. and a major percentage regularly used drugs. What happened when they returned home was a big surprise. Almost all just gave up hard drugs. They were back with family and friends. So drugs do not retain their hold on emotionally content people. They do, however, keep their hold on those lonely and lost, unemployed, etc. So, drugs have no medical hold on anyone with emotional stability and relationships. (Not 100% true but mostly).
The article above about depression is the same thing. Anti-depressants have some effect but usually you have to increase the dose and finally they don't help. They certainly don't solve the problem. A person who has a job he likes, feels needed, has friends and family around is rarely depressed. Again, there can be exceptions but maybe even the exceptions ought to look closely at their life.
So here we have a group of Aspies of which I am one. They are handicapped in social interaction and having a job and friends and maintaining family relations are often a problem. Yes, they do have higher suicide rates. Yes they are often depressed and yes, they often use drugs to escape. What should society be doing for us? Exactly the same thing that researcher did for his rats. Improve the availability of social interaction. If you loose a leg, you try to get up and get on with life. Sitting around all day alone watching daytime TV is not a good option. That person need family. Needs to feel he is valuable by working or being involved. A social worker would help with this. But where is the social worker for us? Where is the person to help us stay in contact with family and friends? Too many of us, myself included, find it easier to be alone, to avoid the need for engaging. Where is the counselor for us to improve our social skills? Could that help us? Guys with one leg can, with effort, overcome their problem. We can too, I believe.
09 Jan 2018, 12:48 pm
