La Vieillesse est un Naufrage

But despair isn’t mandatory

Recently I’ve been thinking quite a lot about depression and about Chateaubriand’s statement that forms the title of this article, though I think it can apply to all of one’s life rather than simply to old age.

There are at least two basic types of depression, though each can be sub-divided into many additional variants:

That which is primarily caused by neurochemical imbalances in the brain; and that which is primarily caused by an awareness of our surroundings.

Neurochemical imbalances appear to result from a combination of factors, the exact mix of which is likely different in each person suffering from the impact. Our brains rely on a delicate balance of neurotransmitters and on the physical composition of the neural tissues; meanwhile dietary inputs and lifestyle factors can nudge neurotransmitter balance in one direction or another, resulting in exacerbation of underlying vulnerabilities.

Studies have shown that good self-administration can significantly mitigate chronic neurochemically-based depression. Unfortunately when a person is suffering from chronic depression, taking care of themselves is often the very last thing they can bring themselves to do.