STUDY: Depression Is A Form Of Brain Damage, NOT A Choice


A recent study conducted by the ENIGMA MDD Working Group has shed new light on how depression affects the brain. For years, it’s been the believed that brain damage was the culprit behind chronic or prolonged depression. The recent study cements this fact with crucial data showing correlations between persistent depression and physiological damage to the brain. With this new evidence, it is now more important than ever to be positive and happy.

The study was published in Molecular Psychology, and evaluated over 9,000 individual samples. According to findings and results, the relationship between depression and brain damage is visible in the health of the hippocampus. In fact, while past studies revealed a distinct relationship between depression and the size of the hippocampus – testing groups were never large enough to produce concrete results. This recent study – with the numbers involved – significantly prove a direct correlation between the two.

The hippocampus, of course, governs the creation of new memories. It also governs long-term memories and spatial navigation. It is located in the center of the lower middle part of the brain – in the medial temporal lobe. The hippocampus is large enough to be present in both halves of the brain, and houses amygdala –which has been linked to depression. This vital part of the brain even controls emotions and how we react and deal to certain stimuli.

As the hippocampus shrinks, memories become more negative. This has a profound impact on a person’s view of himself or herself, as well as the future. With a shrinking hippocampus, the outlook on life seems dull and bleak. In fact, it becomes a cycle of self-fulfillment and that only limit a person’s ability to tap into his or her own perspective. Many have also experienced a sudden loss of identity, which is directly associated with depersonalization and derealization anxiety. More research is now underway on how to reverse the damages of shrunken hippocampus in the brain. Watch the video below to understand what will happen if a person has his hippocampus taken away, understanding this will make the seriousness of having shrunken hippocampus clearer.

According to mental health experts, meditation and yoga have been proven to thicken brain tissue and create new neural connections. Positive thinking and living in the preset is also vital for better mental and spiritual health. In fact, it helps sync the body with the mind, spirit, and soul – which helps prevent feelings of sadness, depression, and especially loss of identity and disconnection with one’s self and reality.

Image via Pixabay.