The Silver Lining on Depression's Dark Cloud
An intriguing look at the possible correlation of depression and its ability to increase focus, concentration, and creativity.
Charles Darwin was suspected to have suffered from depression. Could his world-changing discovery be attributed to his affliction?
Studies have found that during bouts of depression, blood flow increases to the portion of the brain that controls what we pay attention to (the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, or VLPFC for short). Neuroscientists are speculating that the increased prefrontal activity facilitates rumination, allowing people to focus more deliberately on specific problems. It’s also being said that depression can help people be more creative. People have contemplated this very relationship for years, but this is interesting because it’s the first time that scientific data is being used to quantify this theory.
I’m no rocket scientist, but I do consider myself to be more analytical of certain situations. I would also consider myself to be slightly more “real” about things, and sometimes feel like I suffer from “depressive realism”. It could be perceived as pessimism, but like most pessimists, I get frustrated at telling haters that I’m not being negative, simply “realistic”.
Anyhow, the article is a very interesting one, and if you want a more concise, better written overview of it, you can find one here.
