The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic

Although clinical depression dominates contemporary culture’s discussion of mental illness, it is often treated as a chemical defect or a state that individuals can overcome through attitude changes. Drawing on epidemiological evidence and his own experimental research, psychologist Rottenberg urges that we understand depression through the science of mood, or “affective science.” In this stimulating book that synthesizes research and memoir—Rottenberg himself battled depression—he observes that mood science provides insights into why humans experience low mood—the defining feature of depression—and allows us to explore its causative forces. He calls attention to the many triggers of low mood—group separation, stress, death of loved ones—arguing that humans share a mood system with other mammals that alerts us to the ways social loss can jeopardize our survival; thus, a low mood forces a reassessment of the best course of action in a given situation. Focusing on this evolutionary understanding of depression, he concludes that low mood has benefits both for diagnosing depression and for overcoming it: “Positive moods are not only a sign... that we are on the right track and moving toward evolutionarily favored goals;... we need to understand how experience of well-being might make people do things that keep them well.” Agent: Lisa Adams, the Garamond Agency. (Feb.)