I cannot point you in the direction of any relevant studies, I can only give you my perspective on mental illness and depression as a former sufferer of major depression who has found relief through 20 years of psychotherapy, psycho-pharmacology, advanced nutrition and advanced "physical therapy" (yoga, meditation, etc).
From my experience with extraordinary institutions in Manhattan and the group work I have done it is pretty clear to me that major depression causes enormous physical pain, inability to reason and suicidal ideation/manifestation. In other words depression is so painful that you loose sight of any possible relief other than death. From my experience I think that it is quiet evidently demonstrable that depression causes pessimistic thoughts... to put it mildly.
Add the fact that with depression often comes something called a "mixed state," in which there are manic tendencies and you have what can simply be put "really crazy thinking." Until you have met a depressed AND manic person in a clinical environment and tried to carry on a conversation you cannot begin to make sense of ... I can go on and on.
If anyone wants me to go on and on I am happy to. I volunteer the 100's of people I know in New York and London to be poked and prodded by Robbin and his peers toward the end that perhaps "proof" can be established once and for all that depression makes you think stupid thoughts and is a treatable illness that has a "reported" 20% mortality rate. It would be wonderful if that 20% can be quantified by some of the really incredible minds who post here.
Funny quote from The Economist:
"Unlike rats, people are rational."
pdf23ds:
I cannot point you in the direction of any relevant studies, I can only give you my perspective on mental illness and depression as a former sufferer of major depression who has found relief through 20 years of psychotherapy, psycho-pharmacology, advanced nutrition and advanced "physical therapy" (yoga, meditation, etc).
From my experience with extraordinary institutions in Manhattan and the group work I have done it is pretty clear to me that major depression causes enormous physical pain, inability to reason and suicidal ideation/manifestation. In other words depression is so painful that you loose sight of any possible relief other than death. From my experience I think that it is quiet evidently demonstrable that depression causes pessimistic thoughts... to put it mildly.
Add the fact that with depression often comes something called a "mixed state," in which there are manic tendencies and you have what can simply be put "really crazy thinking." Until you have met a depressed AND manic person in a clinical environment and tried to carry on a conversation you cannot begin to make sense of ... I can go on and on.
If anyone wants me to go on and on I am happy to. I volunteer the 100's of people I know in New York and London to be poked and prodded by Robbin and his peers toward the end that perhaps "proof" can be established once and for all that depression makes you think stupid thoughts and is a treatable illness that has a "reported" 20% mortality rate. It would be wonderful if that 20% can be quantified by some of the really incredible minds who post here.